New Downtown LA apartments offering one lucky artist a rent-free loft for 6 months

The archetype of the starving artist is nearly as old as art itself, and as a major cultural center, Los Angeles is home to plenty of painters, sculptors, and mixed media specialists struggling to scrape by. One of those artists, though, will soon get a taste of the sweet life, thanks to a competition sponsored by the developers of new “art-inspired” luxury apartments in Downtown LA.

The artist-in-residence program is open to artists with an “understanding/passion” for Downtown LA, and the winner will get to spend six months living and working in a two-bedroom loft in the recently completed OLiVE DTLA building at the corner of Pico and Olive.

Rent will be completely free for those six months, and the winning artist’s work will be displayed in monthly showcases. There’s also a regular stipend to help pay for supplies.

While in residency at the building, the artist will enjoy access to amenities including a 24-hour fitness center, sun deck, pool, spa, and community room with a five TV spread. Rents in the building range from $2,024 to $3,696 per month, so artists in residency stand to save a considerable amount of cash in those six months.

In addition to work by the winning artist, the building will display commissioned pieces by several local artists, including David Flores and Dave Kinsey.

The Wolff Company, which developed the building, will partner with event producer Street Art House in administering the competition. Applications will be accepted until April 7, and a winner will be named May 18.

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