Who

Artist Space Trust (AST) is a Community Land Trust jointly launched as a pilot program by Vital Arts and the Northern California Land Trust. AST grew out of a shared commitment to stem the displacement of artists economically vulnerable to rising real estate costs. An active Advisory Board of artists representing diverse racial and cultural communities, arts genres and counties in the Bay Area will guide the development of policies and priorities for this work.

About Northern California Land Trust

Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Berkeley, the Northern California Land Trust (NCLT) is a Community Land Trust that develops permanently affordable housing and community facilities in the Community Land Trust model. California’s oldest community land trust, NCLT is a small but complex non-profit organization that bridges community driven real estate development, social finance, technical assistance with direct service and housing for our residents, community members and a broad range of coalition partners. Learn more

About Vital Arts

Founded in 2017 in honor of the victims of the Ghost Ship fire, Vital Arts is dedicated to ensuring access to safe, affordable spaces for artists to live, work, and perform. We act as a catalyst and advocate for fresh solutions and engage in partnerships to prevent the loss and displacement of artists, offering information, resources, and connections while working with public agencies and the private sector to address the housing crisis for low and moderate-income artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more

Leadership Team

Meg Shiffler, Director

Meg brings 17 years of service to the diverse artists and communities of the Bay Area in her role as inaugural Director. Her unique cross-sector background, developed from decades of work with government, nonprofit and private organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and New York, includes envisioning and building organizations, inclusive engagement with varied stakeholders and communities, and managing complex budgets and contracts for space, labor, services, and materials. During 16 years as Director and Chief Curator of the San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries, she vastly increased its scale, space, staff and programming while commissioning new work from regional, national and international artists, initiating municipal programs for Artist in Residence and Sister City Exchange. Meg has actively taught, written and lectured on artists, exhibition history and curatorial practice. Most recently, she was the Head of Space and Operations at Swissnex, an international network of innovation hubs supporting entrepreneurs, researchers, scientists and artists working toward a more sustainable future. [email protected]

Ian Winters, Director of Incubation & Special Projects

Ian served as Executive Director of the Northern California Land Trust (NCLT) from 2002-2023 and is a long-term CLT & coop resident. Professionally he has over 10-years’ experience in sustainable construction and architecture as well as community activism and organizational development. He trained as a photographer/filmmaker and art/architectural historian at Tufts University and the Boston Museum School and graduate architecture/design work at the San Francisco Institute of Architecture. Outside of the CLT world he maintains an active life as a working artist.

Sharmi Basu

Sharmi (they/them) stepped into the role of Executive Director at Vital Arts in 2023. They bring with them a deep understanding of the challenges artists face in sustaining their lives and practices. They are committed to creating inclusive environments and promoting social justice, diversity in arts, and mutual aid. They played a crucial role in organizing community responses to the Ghost Ship fire, including raising and distributing funding to the friends and families of victims and survivors. As an artist, activist, and administrator, they have worked for and with a variety of local organizations including Southern Exposure, St. James Infirmary, SFMOMA, and Gray Area Foundation. They co-founded Bay Area Black and Brown Punk Festival, the Multiverse is Illuminated, and served as volunteer Executive Director of Ratskin Records. They hold an MFA from Mills College and a double BA from UC Davis in Political Science: Public Policy and Technocultural Studies.

We would also like to recognize Kathryn Reasoner, Co-Founder of AST and former Executive Consultant for Vital Arts, who envisioned and worked to build the foundation of AST so that housing security for Bay Area artists is realized for generations to come.

Community Advisory Board

This is a growing and diverse group of respected artists and cultural leaders drawn from the counties of San Francisco, Alameda, Marin and Alameda.  Members advise AST and guide its development, ensuring that artists' voices are integral to all policies and priorities for property acquisition, occupancy and stewardship. 

Current members include (partial list as of 8/1/23):

LORRAINE GARCIA-NAKATA is an artist, musician, writer, and arts cultural specialist. https://www.lorrainegarcianakata.com

MELECIO ESTRELLA is a director, dance artist and educator, currently Artistic Director of Bandaloop and co-director of Fogbeast. https://www.bandaloop.org/melecio-estrella

JOANNA HAIGOOD is a performing artist and Founder/Artistic Director of Zaccho Dance Theater. https://www.zaccho.org/?bios_staff-zdt

CHERIE HILL is a dance artist and educator, co-director of the Bridge Project (formerly Hope Mohr Dance) and founding director of Irie Dance. http://www.iriedance.com

MILDRED HOWARD is an artist known primarily for sculpture, mixed-media assemblages and public art installations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Howard 

TESLIM IKHARO is an urban strategist, community convener, impact investor and the Executive Director of the Supportive Housing Land Trust Alliance. https://www.shcla.land/about