A lot of up-and-coming studios in the East Bay are run by big corporations and feel out of touch…read morewith the needs of creatives--in contrast, Makers is a real community with managers who are deeply passionate about supporting the arts & helping real creatives thrive. Spacious, bright, private studios, wonderful location, and a vibrant social community! Whether you're a working professional, hobbyist or weekend warrior, all creatives are welcome here. The atmosphere is calm & focused when you need it, social & upbeat when you want it. The studios range in size from 10x10 to about 10x20, and they all open up to high-ceiling, airy warehouse with unique character. There's also a private back parking lot, which is something I didn't find at other studios in the area. They host occasional open studios too, which give the public a chance to step inside. Epic place!

I have been a part of MWS for almost four years, and it has been an amazing first studio…read moreexperience. From my initial tour with Jacques to participating in the East Bay Open Studios, the connections I have made with fellow resident artists have been invaluable. My growth as an artist during my time here has been insurmountable. I will miss my time here but will carry the relationships I have made with me. I part ways with MWS only because I have found a studio closer to my home. Thank you MWS for giving me a space and a place to grow and thrive as an artist.

Highly recommended! I met Tiana for the first time today when I showed up for my two hour rental…read morefor a large family portrait series I had. From hello to see ya later, the name bro/booking process was smooth, professional and seamless. Looking forward to using this gorgeous space again soon! I'll pick portraits soon! Highly recommended !

From the owner: The Light is a full service Bay Area photography studio and event space featuring 2200 sq. ft of…read moreopen floor plan sprinkled with unique, modern touches to make your photo shoot, video shoot, workshop, or production meeting a comfortable and inspiring affair.

This place is amazing. I would suggest using this studio. I am also looking to book again.read more

From the owner: Catalyst Arts is a dynamic entertainment company in the Bay Area…read more This is our Immersive Media division-- offering customized VR Experiences to events of all kinds. We have 13 Quest headsets & a full VivePro capture set, & expanding immersive media capabilities.

Was looking for an art studio to rent in the area and these ones had the most natural light. The…read morewarehouse loft feel is pretty cool and being so close to my favourite taqueria is also a big plus lol. Shoutout to the manager (forgot their name) for showing me the space so late in the day!

From the owner: Come check out our brand new creative art studios! With many available floor plans, there is a…read morestudio to fit all needs and budgets. Each private studio has its own lock and they range from 70 to 250 square feet, offering warm natural light and HVAC. Restrooms and a communal kitchen are also located on the same level. Utilities and WiFi are included. The building is secured by a gated elevator lobby entrance and has a code activated passenger elevator and freight elevator.

Project Bandaloop is amazing! If I were good enough, and they would have me, I would drop out of…read moregraduate school right now to dance on walls and cliffs with them. Since that is not the case, I had resigned myself to frequent visits to their website UNTIL I found out that they host beginner and int/ adv workshops! Woohoo! Maybe I will be an amazingly talented beginner and they will beg me to travel the world with them and dance on the Petronas Towers, Chartres Cathedral, maybe even at Petra or the Coliseum. Please. Please. Pick me. I'll do anything. ________________________ Update: Since I have now completed both the beginner and int/adv workshops offered by Project Bandaloop, I feel this review needs an update. The workshop is a lot of fun, although pretty hard on the body. I figured that vertical dancing might have its challenges, but I had no idea how much a rock climbing harness and nerve endings could disagree. However, that did not stop me from going 4 days in a row...doubling up on pants and shirts can make a huge difference. The beginner workshop (5 hours over 2 days, $110) features a warm up, and then a rotation through the climbing wall featuring bouldering/dance, dance from single point suspension ("pods"), the trampoline walls, and the wood wall. The advanced workshop (6 hours over 2 days, $150) has an additional floor station and focuses on play and choreography more than orientation and skills. The workshops were between 15-20 people with 5-7 instructors. The instructors were great! Definitely gave the freedom to play, while also providing constructive pointers and maintaining a safe environment. The founder of Bandaloop, Amelia, was also in and out, watching the advanced performances, answering questions, etc. While she did not offer me a position in her dance troupe, I am definitely addicted, and will be going back for more. Maybe one day I can have my own trampoline wall. The one downer: the warehouse in Oakland seems pretty sketch upon first approach,. It isn't well marked, and looks kind of run down. It also can be tough getting in earlier, etc because all the doors are locked. However, the next workshop is in a new location close by in Oakland, so this may change soon.

truly amazing, innovate aerial artists! google them, and check out some of their performances, or…read morebetter yet, go see them in person!

What looks like a small venue is absolutely incredibly large! And the amount of wonderfully…read moretalented artists are inspiring and provide education in the art that they specifically created. Everyone needs to go check out Art Bias- you will be amazed at what you see, experience & what is available for purchase. Learn the art world in a deeper fashion with local artists who are bringing magic, creativity and beauty into our community.

Amazing and I feel one of the best venues for art. It's a place with spaces artists can use to…read morecreate, mingle and sell art. Such a cool variety of different styles and personalities. The staff are super friendly and went out of their way to show us around. They have regular and special events which we will definitely check out.

Artillery shells, four local soils, reclaimed wood, and recycled carpet all went into the…read moreconstruction of Berkeley's latest LEED certified architectural wonder. Having opened just last week as one of the Bay Area's premier green office and event spaces, the Brower Center aims to inspire social action by providing an incubation ground for the collaboration of progressive organizations and citizens. Currently it houses half a dozen non-profits from those supporting local agriculture (CAFF) to community builders and environmentalists. The 180-seat theater, galleries and restaurant provide the pollen for the curious, active swarms to engage and mobilize. The execution is gorgeous: the building uses no artificial light during the day and collects vast amounts of energy from the rooftop solar panels. Rain is also channeled to water the patio gardens and toilets. It feels expansive and open but is a bit lacking in warmth. However, the Salgado photography exhibit on the ground floor is not to be missed; heart wrenching and thought provoking, they hit the (reclaimed) nail on the head with this one. I'm hoping to see some interesting community programs for youths. The key here is in utilization. We'll see what comes...

You Call That Art?…read more On a rainy Tuesday evening, I came out to the David Brower Center for a fun workshop with Visual Thinking Strategies on finding new and interesting ways to engage with art. We used the DBC's new gallery exhibition, "Land, Use", as our examples. I particularly enjoyed the discussions around the "Trojan Horse" and "Victory Garden" pictures. It was a fulfilling group exercise and made me realize how much information I miss during a museum visit, as I mostly breeze through. The DBC Exhibit Space is handsome and inviting and staff was more than accommodating. I also had a Kismet moment while looking at Fernando García Dory 's "Shepard's School" display about his work in Northern Spain. Gayle and I had marveled over those same Picos de Europa mountains and may have observed a few of those very nomads during our walk that one October day above Fuente De.

My first trip ever to a COMMUNE! Hahah California is funny…read more My office doesn't have a Christmas party, but the Halloween party is totally amazing. The last two years we've had it here. They have Dance Dance Immolation. Essentially, it's DDR, but if you fuck up, the machine SHOOTS A GIGANTIC FIREBALL AT YOU. You wear a complete fireproof suit, and sign a waiver, but I'm sure this is HIGHLY illegal. There are gigantic fire-breathing sculptures, and remote-controlled fire cars. Tessla coils provide lightning and, there are fire filled cauldrons dripping flaming goo. The guy from our work who's associated with these people recently moved to a different job, but hopefully we'll still do the Halloween party here!

NIMBY is an Oakland treasure. Think you're a supporter of the arts, alternative culture, and/or…read morethe DIY ethic? Then help keep it going by helping any way you can. Without everyone's help, these sorts of DIY spaces can't survive. I rent a space here, and it's a great place run by great people. The prices are pretty good for approx 380 sqft of space, and there are lots of interesting folks around most of the time. And NIMBY's famous parties are indeed as fantastic as people claim. My only complaint is that it's been a few months and all the various issues with the city have postponed promised improvements to my space, but that's understandable given the issues with the city taking up everyone's time.

Three years later and both my boys go here. Saturdays she has classes now until 9:30 to three,…read moreSundays 9:30 to noon and other days by appointment. My kids tell me she is good because she is critical when she needs to be to help them with their work.