[working]

Building a network of shared interest in the future of San Francisco.

[working] has transformed vacant retail spaces in San Francisco into temporary artist studios, infusing our street-level experiences with art and culture.

It has provided artists with support, resources, and space to create and engage with the city, while inspiring citizens to reimagine their urban environment. The initiative fosters relationships between creatives and property owners by facilitating a shared vision for vibrant spaces in our cities.

By bringing together property owners who have idle space and creatives who need it, [working] has actualized an idea for the future of retail footprints. Through these types of relationships we can reframe vacancy as an opportunity to invest in a San Francisco overflowing with energy and life.

Critically rethinking what buildings mean and provide for people.

The projects enabled by [working] have served as a beacon of what cities could and should provide, and represent a first step towards resolving the complex issues modern cities face.

[working] is continuing to learn and adapt how it can best support educational and cultural goals, seeking like-minded developers and planners looking to invest in large-scale, thriving environments designed for people.

Temporary Garden—Ongoing Maintenance by Vanha Lam was installed at 120 Folsom St. in 2021

[working] projects
artist description dates location
Will Thomson A show of paintings by the British artist. June 10, 2023
to July 30, 2023
536 Davis St
Jeff Masamori A collection of fourteen paintings that embrace spontaneity and the beginners mindset. May 12, 2023
to May 26, 2023
536 Davis St
Lynette Nicole Betancur A sculpture studio for new, experimental works. November 16, 2022
to April 30, 2023
536 Davis St
Jennifer Klecker Tracing the natural environment. July 13, 2022
to October 7, 2022
536 Davis St
Emily Gui Reused packing material and found objects. February 8, 2022
to July 13, 2022
536 Davis St
Catherine Ko Chen A new series of paintings. September 14, 2021
to October 17, 2021
536 Davis St
Vanha Lam In the middle of the city, amidst the commotion and acceleration of traffic and construction, there is a rock garden. February 1, 2021
to May 31, 2021
120 Folsom St
Will Thomson Drawing on the intricacies of how we remember, reflect and eventually forget. October 1, 2019
to March 31, 2020
1065 Mission St
Tamara Chu Available from 5pm to 5am, The Roads We Walk Together is a series of vignettes. June 1, 2020
to December 31, 2020
120 Folsom St
Borderline Art Collective A traceable, and physical, lineage of works illuminating how space and function are mutually defining. July 1, 2019
to October 31, 2019
1065 Mission St