Moving to a new city: Small manual for creative

The move to a new location can be a bit tedious. Take a look at our tips to make the change more smoothly.

You have just moved to a new environment and definitely don't want to lead a hermit life. Creative people not only move to a new city because of the exciting art scene - also living costs, local proximity to friends and family as well as job opportunities and artistic orders are common reasons for moving.

Even if your new city has cheap rents and good working conditions, it can be quite annoying to establish a connection to your new community while getting used to it. Finding out how they fit into the art scene of a new city can be difficult because the unspoken hierarchy is usually quite difficult to see through. Each neighborhood has its own social customs and unwritten laws that have to be understood first.

Fortunately, there are many ways to make the change more smoothly, e.g. B. getting to know the current scene and finding out where your integration efforts are valued.

Before the move

01 Calculate the cost of living at the new place of residence

Before you carry out the move, you should check whether you can reduce the cost of living there. If you want to get an impression of how affordable a new city is, just take a look at the cost of living there. The local rental mirrors can give great information. Costs for local transport and local supply also be calculated quite well.

If a real estate acquisition comes into question, you should have an eye on property tax and the lifting rates of the municipality. If you are not changing the country, the cost of food, clothing and everyday things should remain the same.

Federal Statistical Office and the interactive map of the Institute of German Economy (IW) are also suitable for comparing the living costs

If you would like to find out about the cost of living in the individual circles or cities, simply take a look at this index card of the living costs . It has an interactive display that indicates the average living costs in all 400 circles in Germany. This is a good basis to get started, especially if you have a certain region in mind, but have not yet known which city suits you.

If you already have a city in mind for your move, you can use the index values ​​based on your current place of residence to find out calculate how much money you need to be able to live comfortably in your new city.

02 Planning moving and hiring moving companies

Statistics state that an average move to a neighboring region costs around 2000 euros. Up to 5000 euros can also be incurred for a remote parade. Moving companies usually calculate the hour and you can generally expect tariffs between 25 and 100 euros per hour.

If you want to find out how much a move you will cost, just take a look at a moving cost calculator . It takes into account the volume of your house council and the distance to the new place of residence.

A little tip: Take a look at some local Facebook groups and ask the members what they paid for the move there.

03 contact moving professionals

If you think about transporting your things yourself, just make sure that you have enough boxes, adhesive tape, fuel and some emergency stocks so that everything runs smoothly. You can also borrow small daily transporters in most cities. You can drive this with a regular car driver's license (class B).

If not, you should contact an inexpensive moving company that will help you with your move. We recommend that you contact a moving company at least eight weeks before moving.

If you have valuable works of art to a considerable extent that you would like to have transported to your new home, this contribution .

Tips for the move

04 Stay true to a system

Have you ever heard of packing checklists? If not, you can find such lists quickly on the Internet. There are also great smartphone apps for this purpose:

• Movadvisor
• Packpoint
• My moving reviews
• Sortly
• Miracle list
• Moving app from Immoscout24

You are welcome to print out checklists or simply use them as an idea provider. In any case, you should make sure that you have a system that suits you best. Regardless of whether you tackle your rooms individually or start packing a few weeks in advance, create a plan and stick to it. This keeps you from chaos and disorder.

05 get a storage room

By using storage rooms, your move to a new city can be much more smooth. If you have the right storage space, you can accommodate your things in a safe rental unit until everything is set up in your new location.

You can still rent a warehouse unit if you have settled in in your new home. If you are looking for safe and local storage units in your new region, take a look at the offer from StoreBox . Immoscout24 also provides a remedy for warehouse search. In addition, in many cities you will what you are looking for via Ebay .

06 free yourself from things that you no longer need by selling or donating them.

If you prepare for the move, think about eliminating some disorder and leaving outdoor sites.

A move is a favorable reason to find out which things you should keep and what you can throw away, sell or give away.

After the move

Which doings, authorities and re -registrations are pending after a move are already being dealt with extensively on the Internet. With a short Google search you will find it in no time. Therefore, in particular, we would like to take care of the specific challenges for artists, to settle in their new neighborhood and to gain a foothold.

07 Mix yourself into the established art scene

When arriving in established art scenes, newcomers must quickly recognize that these scenes have a story that we should respect and maintain. It is super easy to keep hanging on your cell phone when it comes to sociable. In fact, it has a much greater effect to be there for other artists.

"Interested" on Facebook : Why not just go out and show your support directly and on site? As a creative, you can see how much lively and effective art is on a personal level. So why hold back when you can see the pieces up close? Gallery openings, open studios and vernissages are great opportunities to look around in the scene on your own and get to know new people.

It can be a little nerve -wracking to chat with a group of strangers. However, keep in mind that you probably have more similarities with you than with the random people where you by chance trotts by. Put your phone aside and speak to the gallery owner, the curator or the artists directly on site.

08 help in the neighborhood

If you feel a little lost or contactless in your new city, try to create variety by volunteering in a local gallery or a museum. Your time is the best that you can give to the community, and there are always ways to step in and help in the non -profit scene.

Dealing with volunteers is usually very relaxed, since they have no strict rules for the minimum working hours of volunteers or the completion of a long orientation phase. You could be at the door during an event, help with new projects or even lead a workshop. These are all great opportunities to use the time and at the same time get to know new people from the art scene and develop creative ideas.

If you live in a big city and think about volunteering an art project or a cultural institution, you definitely choose concerns that really deserve your time and support.

If you find it difficult to find a suitable location for your own projects, take a look at the possibilities, workshops or courses in nearby community centers, schools, emergency shelters or retirement homes. It may not appear that this type of work is particularly important for your art, but it is actually a great way to get in touch with her community and to develop new ideas for your own projects.

At the same time, it is a cool way to upgrade your curriculum vitae and to show future clients and cooperation partners that the community is important to you.

09 Visit workshops and courses

Freelance artists usually organize workshops in their studios, but you will also find such opportunities in community centers. Many artists offer this type of services at a low price or sometimes even free of charge.

This has already helped countless artists to meet new people and expand their portfolio.

10 Get the best out of social media

Write exciting contacts on social media with direct messages. Even if this is not the most traditional way to build a personal relationship, cooperation with others is sometimes only a click away.

For many of us, Instagram something like our favorite casual online portfolio, and if you sympathize with a person's aesthetics or work, there is a real chance that this person will return to contact.

If it is not your thing to meet people online, the use of the contacts you already have to initiate a collaboration is a great way to expand your network. If you work as a photographer with your friendly model, this may provide you with make-up artists, stylists and art directors that you can contact for future appearances.

Some artists swear that Instagram and Twitter are the best ways to network in a new city.

11 Do not limit it to a medium

We are often involved in our own creative processes while trying to find our place in the larger art scene. This way of thinking creates mental and physical barriers that make it difficult to get more involved in the community. If you are interested in painting, take a look at a poem reading. If you are interested in performance art, you should perhaps take a look at the new video installation that has just been opened.

Trying out new media can really help you expand your skills and take a look outside the box.

12 Stay positive

Just pretend that you have everything under control until you actually do it. "

We all occasionally have to fight with the feeling of high -stapler syndrome (imposter syndrome) , right? It is great to share these feelings with colleagues and thereby enjoy a kind of feeling of togetherness. Do something for yourself and share it with everyone who is curious.

Make on and bring out your work for exhibitions. Make on and share a raw design, even if it has not yet been completely sophisticated. Make sure you set some deadlines and adhere to them. Holding on your practice is super important, but don't be too strict with yourself - remember that inspiration can come and go.

The move to a new city can be quite nerve -wracking. Staying creative and getting involved in the community can be tedious. But once you take the trouble and mastered the biggest hurdles, it pays off every time. In order to feel in good hands and happy in a new place, it is necessary to find ways, to express yourself creatively and to find out what you love.

If you are determined and take the initiative, the introduction to a new art scene can become an entertaining instead of a stressful experience.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www. kunstplaza .de/