AS220 is accepting applications for a live/work studio available December 1st, 2025 in the Mercantile Block at 131 Washington St. in downtown Providence. The unit is 700 square feet and rents for $920 with an equal security deposit. This studio is a government-designated affordable housing unit; your gross annual income must be below the income cap of $48,060 to qualify ($54,900 for a couple).

Applications are due by 10:00am on Wednesday, October 1st. Interviews will be conducted during the week of October 20th. 

Download an Application Form by clicking here.

Email your complete application live-work@as220.org, or if you are facing a barrier sending it online, you can drop it off at AS220’s administrative office (95 Mathewson St, Suite 204, Providence) between 10am-6pm on a workday.

We encourage artists of all backgrounds and artistic mediums to apply. At AS220 we believe all people are born creative, that everyone is an artist, and that there is magic and power in bringing people from different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, identities and perspectives together. We embrace an expansive view of art and resist narrowly defined, Westernized and commercialized definitions of art and its value in society. 

All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, ability, age, or veteran status. To read more about AS220’s values, please visit as220.org/about-as220.

For further details about this studio and the application process, please visithttps://as220.org/live-work-studios.

Frequently Asked Questions about this vacancy:

What is included in this unit?

The studio has an open floor plan and includes a kitchenette and private bathroom. There are laundry facilities in the building. There is no parking included and it is a non-smoking building. Rent in the Mercantile includes heat, AC, internet, and hot water; however, tenants pay their own electric bill.

Noise levels in a downtown historic arts building

AS220’s Mercantile building includes AS220’s Community Studios, a bar, and restaurant. The building is historic and was built before the sound-reducing architecture that is expected from modern apartment buildings. Sounds of people on the street, buses passing by, and artists using the floors below are common. There are occasional events such as PVD Fest and Pride which run late into the evening and are very loud. If you are looking for a lively living environment and are inspired by other artistic activity, this could be a very good fit.

What benefits and expectations come with being a resident artist at AS220?

AS220 residents receive free membership and access to art-making tools at AS220’s Community Studios during open hours. They also have the opportunities to exhibit work in AS220’s Resident Gallery at 131 Washington St and to book our Main Stage and Black Box Theater for live performances.

Expectations of AS220 residents include paying rent on time each month, treating fellow AS220 community members and staff with respect, and contributing 5 monthly volunteer hours to the AS220 community.

Do we accept animals?

Pet cats are allowed in the Mercantile as long as a $250 pet deposit is made. We cannot accept pet dogs. Other pets may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

We accept service animals according to the Americans with Disabilities Act definition: dogs which do work or tasks in support of a person with a disability. Emotional Support Animals are not included in the definition of Service Animals according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Per this definition, if someone wants to bring an emotional support animal with them, it will be considered a pet and subject to our pet policy.

Who can apply?

We encourage all interested applicants to apply. However, keep in mind there are income limits due to the unit’s affordable housing status. Your annual gross (before tax) income must be under $48,060 ($54,900 for couples).

If you need help figuring out how to calculate your income, see the Income Declaration Form in the application packet. The second page of that form has a guide that shows all of the sources of income that must be considered and how to add them up.

Do I have to be an artist to apply?

At AS220 we define “artist” very broadly. We believe that all people are born creative and that anyone who is applying their creative passion is an artist. If you’re asking yourself whether your particular creative passion “counts” as art, you can rest assured that you’re an artist in our eyes. 

If you are adamant that you are not an artist, you are still eligible to apply for AS220’s affordable housing openings. You may submit an application, come for an interview, and if you score well in the interview you will be added to our Non-Artist Waiting List. For more details on this process, please inquire by emailing live-work@as220.org.

What is the application process?

To apply, submit the Application Form, the Income Declaration Form, the Declaration of Citizenship of Eligible Immigration Form, and the Student Status Form, attach a written or voice recorded “artistic story”, and samples of your artwork.

A panel of AS220 residents will select 6 applicants to visit us for an interview. The interview panel will be made up of AS220 residents and at least one AS220 staff member. The panel will score all applicants on the same scale in three areas: 

1. their housing needs and artistic needs, and how well those needs align with the spaces and resources AS220 has to offer

2. their level of interest in joining a community of artists

3. their commitment to their artistic practice (we do not judge applicants based on our subjective impressions of their art; rather we look at the role that artistic practice plays in the applicant’s life). 

The applicant with the highest score after the interviews will be offered the space.

Affordable Housing regulations require that AS220 verify a new tenant’s income before they move in; AS220 staff will be in touch with you after you submit your application to begin the process of verifying your income. 

If you have any questions, please contact Noah Morrison at live-work@as220.org or by calling 401-831-9327 x110.