Art is something indispensable in people's lives.

Yet, many artists cannot afford to live on themselves since their occupation does not provide a regular income like that of the others.

To address this problem, the Netherlands have come up with a win-win approach!

So how's the project working?

Lifestyles has the details.

In a neighbourhood in an outer area of Amsterdam, there live a group of artists who are part of a so-called Bookstore Project.

The project allows artists from different countries to live in the neighbourhood on an affordable rent.

In return for this, they are expected to make a contribution to development of the area.

Not an easy job, this neighbourhood is one of the poorest of Amsterdam.

And this is Suzan. She is one of the artists who takes part in the Bookstore Project. She is preparing for her exhibition next March.

SOUNDBITE: SUZAN, ARTIST
"The exhibition will be called ‘What’s so amazing about big fuzz anyway?’ It’s some sort of parody to people who try to express their deepest thoughts in a subtle way, so to say as much as possible in only a few words. But I will do the opposite. I will say nothing with a lot of means. So this huge banner I am embroiding right now will get the text."

The Bookstore project is only one example of a collective habitat. In Amsterdam only, you will find more than 80 examples of these so called breeding places. The City of Amsterdam encourages these community forms. Artists are given the opportunity to live in an old building that would otherwise be empty.

This old building was owned by a well-known Dutch newspaper. Now it is used by young artists and musicians. On the roof top there is even a trendy bar.

SOUNDBITE: JAAP SCHOUFFOUR, AMSTERDAM BUREAU OF BREEDING PLACES
"The policy in Amsterdam is a coherent combination of policy, instruments and projects. I have not noticed a comparable city in the world that does the same. I visited a lot of cities, I received a lot of delegations. And they all have their own projects on breeding places, let’s say a specific factory, a former power plant, wharfs, to transform them into a breeding place, but as far as I can see this is only dealing with this single plant or single complex to work out a breeding place over there. On the contrary in Amsterdam we have a general policy which is agreed by the city council dealing with the realization of at least 10.000 square metres of breeding places a year. So this an ambition that doesn’t deal with a specific site, but it’s in general."

Back to the Bookstore Project.

What's the programme for today?

The opening of a new apartment.

Suzan asks her colleagues who are also her neighbours and close friends to join her.

SOUNDBITE: SUZAN & DIMITRI, ARTIST
Suzan: Hi, let's go.
Suzan: Dimitri, are you coming to the new place too?
Dimitri: Well, I am still busy, sorry.

Meanwhile, Kelly, one of the initiators cleans the windows of the new location that will be opened tonight.

Johanna, another initiator of the project checks whether the lamp is at the right position. They are in a hurry, because in a few hours this house will be full with curious neighbours. At least, that’s what they hope.

SOUNDBITE: JOHANNA, INITIATOR OF THE BOOKSTORE PROJECT
"It started like this: We have been working together as a plastic arts artist and we have always been very socially involved, meaning that we wanted to work with other people. We also wanted to share good energy and great ideas with other people. Then this project came up and we came in contact with the building cooperative and we initiated it all with such a passion, idealism and enthusiasm. This is how we grew into it."

Usually, artists need to work very hard to finance their art.

Thanks to projects like the Bookstore Project, artists could devote more time to what they love.

SOUNDBITE: JOHANNA, INITIATOR OF THE BOOKSTORE PROJECT
"We have to work to get this project going. But in principle the artist is given a low rent instead of a subsidy from the government. So you could say that this breeding place is actually a veiled subsidy, which means that an artist doesn’t need to work aside in order to survive. This is such a valuable good that makes living as an artist possible."

The only condition for artists to take part in a breeding place is that they try to involve the local community into their project. Tonight Kelly and Johanna invited the neighbourhood to have a look at the new exposition space.

But it turns out that it is difficult to involve the neighbours. Most people in this room are artists of the bookstore project!

It shows how close the artists live together. They feel that this collective living has a lot of benefits.

SOUNDBITE: SUZAN, ARTIST
"The low rent of course. No, there are many other advantages. I always have people around who can help me with something. We can complement each other. I am good with textile for example, so if someone from our collective needs new curtains or a button dropped from someone’s jacket, then you come to my place. To give another example: My mirror fell off the wall last week, and an hour later someone came to repair this." 

In a further attempt to involve the neighbours, Suzan and the other artists decide to begin with the kids. They have planned various activities to encourage the kids' interest in art.

It might be a difficult job at the beginning. But the artists have faith in the power of art and are eager to bring happiness to more people.