The D Street Studios Artist Scholarship
Two private studios in our newly renovated Tioga building, for one year, at $300 a month. For working artists in Philadelphia who need a door that locks, a room of their own, and a community of 130 artists and makers around them.
Studios built for artists should stay open to artists
D Street Studios is two restored 1888 mill buildings in Harrowgate, North Philadelphia, home to painters, sculptors, photographers, woodworkers, musicians, designers and small makers. Rents in buildings like ours tend to climb until the people who made them interesting can no longer afford them. This scholarship is our way of holding a door open: every year, two artists who are serious about their work get a private studio at a rate that leaves room to make it.
A real studio, not a desk
A private, lockable studio
Your own room in the Tioga building at 500 E. Tioga Street, with polished concrete or hardwood floors, big factory windows, an elevator and renovated bathrooms.
$300 a month for 12 months
A fraction of the standard rent for a comparable studio. Electric and internet are set up in your name, as with every studio here.
A path to stay
Scholars in good standing can renew for a second year at a reduced step-up rate before moving to standard pricing, so the studio does not disappear the day the scholarship ends.
24 hour access
Work when the work happens. Round the clock access to the building and its interior courtyard, with the perimeter lit every night.
An audience
A feature on our Who Works Here page and Instagram, first place in our open studio nights, and an end-of-year showing in the Tioga courtyard.
Neighbors who get it
About 130 tenants across two campuses, most of them artists and makers. Shared events, tenant socials, and people down the hall who can help you hang a show or lend a clamp.
Working artists, at any stage
You do not need a degree, a gallery, or a long CV. You need a practice you are committed to and a clear sense of what a private studio would let you do.
- Any studio-based discipline. Painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, textiles, illustration, design, woodworking, fabrication, music composition and production, and practices that cross these.
- Any stage of career. Students in their final year, recent graduates, self-taught artists, mid-career artists rebuilding a studio practice, and artists returning to their work after time away.
- Living in, or moving to, greater Philadelphia and 18 or older.
- We give extra weight to artists who have lost a studio to a sale, rent increase or closing (including former University of the Arts students and faculty), artists who have never had a private studio, and artists with ties to Kensington, Harrowgate, Port Richmond and North Philadelphia.
- Not a fit: storage only, retail, hourly rentals or sublets, or work that needs an open flame or hazardous chemicals beyond what a standard studio allows.
A short application, on purpose
We read every application closely, so we keep it short. Most people finish in under 30 minutes. No fee, no tax returns, no letters to chase down.
Your work
A link to 6 to 10 images of recent work (a website, Instagram, Google Drive or Dropbox folder all work). Musicians and time-based artists can share up to 5 minutes of audio or video instead.
What you would make here
About 250 words on what you would work on this year and what a private studio would change. You may record a 2 minute voice memo or video instead of writing.
A little about you
A short bio or a link to a CV. Self-taught artists can simply tell us how they got here.
One reference
The name and email of someone who knows your work: a teacher, mentor, curator, collaborator or fellow artist. We only contact references for finalists.
A fair, artist-led review
- A small panel. Two current D Street tenant artists, one outside arts professional, and the building's owner.
- Work first. In the first round, panelists review the work and the statement before seeing names or résumés.
- Three questions guide every decision: Is the work serious and developing? How much would a private studio change this artist's practice right now? Will this artist add to the life of the building?
- Finalists get a studio visit. Up to six finalists tour the building and meet the panel for a 20 minute conversation in late January.
- Everyone hears back. Every applicant receives an answer by February 1, 2027, and anyone who asks can get a few lines of feedback.
2027 scholarship cycle
Be part of the building
The scholarship is a lease like any other studio here, with a few small commitments that make the building better for everyone.
- Use the studio. It is a working studio, not storage.
- Open your door twice a year during our building-wide open studio nights.
- Share one public moment during the year: a talk, a demo, a workshop, or a showing in the courtyard. Your choice.
- Let us tell your story on our website and social media, with your approval of anything we post.
- Standard lease terms, including your own liability insurance and a security deposit.
FAQ
Can I live in the studio?
No. The studios are zoned for artist and artisan work only, and no one may live in the building.
Can two artists apply together?
Yes. Collaborators and duos who share one practice can apply as a team with one application. Each person signs the lease.
How big are the studios?
Scholarship studios are private rooms in the Tioga building, sized for a single artist's practice. Finalists see the exact spaces during their studio visit.
Is music allowed?
Yes. Composers, producers and musicians are welcome, and we place sound-based practices in studios suited to them.
I am a student. Can I apply?
Yes, if you are 18 or older and will have an active practice through the lease year. Final-year students and recent graduates are a big part of who this is for.
What happens after the year ends?
Scholars in good standing can renew for a second year at a reduced step-up rate, then continue at standard rent. Many artists choose to stay.
I applied and was not selected. Can I apply again?
Yes, please do. We run a new cycle every year.
Who can I ask a question?
Email thedststudios@gmail.com with your question or call 267-603-3611.
Apply for the 2027 Artist Scholarship
Complete the form below by January 15, 2027 at 11:59 pm. If you would rather apply by voice memo, video or a single PDF, send it to thedststudios@gmail.com with the subject Artist Scholarship Application.
Want to see the building first? Book a studio tour of the Tioga building. Visiting is not required and does not affect your application.