The offer to work for exposure runs rampant in the art world. Being an artist or a small creative business is a career, but artists are constantly asked to work for free. This is called “payment in exposure” or PIE. As a creative, you have probably been lured by opportunities for free exposure, networking, or some other marketing-based benefit.

Having a separate professional art studio can be one of the many dreams of an artist, however renting can be costly, and it’s not just rent that adds up. There are duplicated costs associated with having a studio outside the home. These costs are the things that you often pay for twice when balancing home life and studio life. Some of these double costs are obvious and unavoidable, and others are controllable with careful planning and awareness.