Established in 1977, Wasps Artists' Studios is an award-winning charity which provides affordable studio space to support the careers of Scottish artists.

A leading studio provider in the UK, Wasps provides a network of 17 studio buildings from the Scottish Borders to the Shetland Islands. Committed to keeping artists in Scotland, Wasps is funded from the public and private sector to invest in studio buildings and currently owns six buildings in trust for the Scottish arts community.

Over the last 29 years, WASPS has grown to become one of Scotland's largest arts organisations, providing affordable studio space to over 750 artists each year at 17 locations throughout Scotland.

Wasps Artists' Studios (Workshop and Artists' Studio Provision Scotland Ltd) is a company limited by guarantee and a recognised charity. A voluntary board of directors - made up from artists and property professionals - governs the organisation. There are currently four full time and three part-time staff members who manage all the studio complexes from the head office in Glasgow.

To date Wasps Artists' Studios and sister charity, The Wasps Trust, have raised over £10 million in private and public sector funding to invest in six arts buildings. This is part of a long-term strategy to own rather than lease properties, thereby protecting artists from soaring property prices and losing studio buildings to commercial developers.

Wasps Artists' Studios aim: (i) to support, sustain and develop Scotland's visual artist community; (ii) to provide a national network of working spaces, and other low cost services, to artists and arts organisations; (iii) to increase access to studio facilities by establishing new facilities across the country and improving access for people with disabilities; (iv) to support artist-led public events within the company's buildings to provide professional opportunities for artists and break down barriers between artists and the wider public; and (v) to improve the professional and economic status of visual artists, and help ensure that Scotland continues to be a centre for excellence in the visual arts and a good location to base a career as a practising artist.

Wasps can help artists as individuals or within collectives/arts organisations and the facilities they provide vary according to these needs. All tenants benefit from a professional management, which aims to be as accessible and responsive to the needs of all artists from those that are well established to those that are only at the beginning of their career

Most individual studios are around 200-250 sq feet and are let on a monthly basis – with 24 hour access and only 28 days notice required to give up a space. Rent is payable monthly by direct debit and includes rates, buildings insurance, public liability insurance, electricity and maintenance costs.

Studio charges vary from building to building and according to the floor space leased. Current rental rates (fully inclusive) are between £3.50 and £5.80 per square foot per annum. This translates to £55-£95 per month with £75 being the average rental for a 200 sq foot studio.

Wasps currently has around 100,000 sq ft of lettable space and can provide a studio of 100 sq ft to a larger open plan space of 1,000 sq ft.-