After two family-friendly studios in Murray Hill closed, Amanda Bennaton and her husband realized the area lacked spaces for neighbors to meet and connect with one another. To that end, they opened Studio B & Co., a community center and art studio in Murray Hill that aims to not only be a space for creative exploration and play, but a second home for its neighbors.
The “third space” opened its doors this past October with multiple rooms for arts, crafts, play, parties, connection, lounging and even space for WFH parents to break out their laptops. While the space is family-friendly all around, there is an adult student room for older kids and grown-ups to work on sewing, knitting, crochet and painting, separate from the finger paints and kinetic sand of the other rooms.
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Bennaton chose to open an art studio after hearing from neighbors who felt a deep loss from the closure of studios and third spaces in Murray Hill.
“I’m just trying to give that back,” says Bennaton. “And I really do believe that beautiful things will help heal the world, as cheesy as that sounds.”
The opening of the studio commemorates a long held dream of the artist pair. “We talked about it all the time,” she continues. “He is a graffiti and visual artist, and I am a musician. We just wanted somewhere where people could come and create together.”
Studio B & Co. currently offer adult/student memberships as well as family memberships monthly for access to the studio and all its events. Drop-ins are welcome for a daily fee. A pass gives you access to the space, equipment and “go-shopping” style materials for all kinds of crafts and art.
Weekly events spark creative energy for the entire family. Wednesday nights are for the cozy yarn club where creatives can share skills, ideas and friendship. Make a Mess Day(s) are on Mondays and Thursdays and utilize the “make a mess” room, a plastic covered space where kids can throw paint and be as messy as they desire – and parents aren’t responsible for cleanup.
For winter, this space will be transformed into a winter forest filled with ready-to-paint cardboard sculptures. Kids who may not be in the mood to create will be directed to the “rainbow room” filled with play snowballs, a Christmas tree and an igloo.
Bennaton’s favorite experience since opening is witnessing next door neighbors meeting for the first time in the studio. She hopes that this community space will open doors for neighbors who normally pass each other without having a conversation to make connections.
The space is also open to community requests and aims to shift to meet the ever-changing needs of members.
