chashama supports thriving cultural communities by transforming temporarily vacant properties into spaces where art can flourish. By recycling and repurposing buildings in transition, we invest in neighborhoods, foster local artists, and sustain a vast range of creativity and culture.

chashama was founded by Anita Durst in 1995 with the central purpose of keeping artists in New York by giving them the space to create. Durst realized that the lack of affordable space was the greatest threat to sustaining a diverse, dynamic, and provocative cultural environment in New York City. Her strategy to address this was to find a way to connect artists with vacant real estate, redistributing the untapped resources available in New York’s urban landscape by partnering with private and corporate property owners.

Her vision to convert empty storefronts and offices into vibrant, arts-focused hubs of activity resulted in relationships with some of New York City’s largest developers and property owners. These partnerships are testimony to the insight of Durst’s vision. chashama’s space recycling program adds value to properties, keeping spaces and neighborhoods active and vibrant, and benefitting owners, neighborhoods and artists.

chashama has converted more than 40 locations, giving 7,500 artists access to subsidized space, which supported approximately 10,000 public presentations for over 500,000 viewers.