YouTube Space, the physical studio locations owned by YouTube worldwide and designed to encourage creation on the platform, is closing down as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result, YouTube is shifting its focus to online workshops and lessons, with the occasional pop-up in-person events.
What Is YouTube Space?
YouTube Space was an initiative designed to provide professional and accessible studio production to YouTube creators.
This included studio space, post-production facilities, and workshops to help create better content. There were also areas to hang out, chat, and network. Incredibly, all of this was free.
The first space opened in London in 2021 and expanded to other cities including Los Angeles, Tokyo, Berlin, and Paris.
The concept grew in 2016, with the launch of YouTube Pop-up Spaces. These were smaller locations that could bring the events of the Spaces to over 20 countries that wouldn't normally have access to the facilities, including Mexico City and Mumbai.
Why Is YouTube Space Closing?
As announced on the YouTube blog, the physical YouTube Spaces are closing permanently, with a shift to a completely virtual model.
These locations had to temporarily close when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Understandably no longer keen to pay rent on buildings that remain unoccupied, YouTube is cutting its losses.
The pandemic forced the company to focus on virtual events, which included workshops that focussed on Indian creators, female creators, and how to make great content at home. Virtual events like these reached over 70,000 people in 145 countries.
In the blog post, Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer of YouTube, says:
Today, our YouTube partner community continues to expand at an exponential pace, and we need to better meet the needs of our creators and artists, no matter where they might be. Moving forward, we’re doubling down on the more scalable and nimble strategy to reach more creators and artists with the tools and workshops we offer.
While the focus will be on the virtual events, YouTube will also continue with its in-person pop-up programming when feasible.
Some of the events YouTube has planned for 2021 are:
- Artist and label workshops to preview the latest product developments.
- Investment in the NextUp program, which supports creators in markets like Russia and Japan.
- Live workshops that help creators explore new ways to make money on YouTube.
Keep On Creating
Don't let the closure of YouTube Space put you off creating. It's very easy to create your own accessible and affordable studio so that you can produce great-looking content.
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