Albuquerque is full of creative people, from filmmakers to musicians. But sometimes, the cost of making art is too high for up-and-coming creatives to afford.
Enter Vault Studios.
Managing partner and owner Kat Bloom started the business in July 2024 after seeing a need for an in-between studio that gives musicians, filmmakers, animators and digital creators access to state-of-the-art production equipment.
Kat Bloom
“The goal is to make it affordable and accessible to everybody, students, non-students, just anybody who wants to create,” said Kat. “We offer a variety of things that people need, and believe me, as an artist, the last thing that I want to do is go in and hook up a million cables and figure out software and try to make it work. I just want to sing my songs, and so we've taken the work part out of it at an affordable rate.”
Vault Studios offers many creative services, including post-production, visual effects, audio, voice overs, coloring and green screen comps. Twitch streaming launches this month as well, where anyone from singers to painters can stream on Twitch with Vault Studios’ affiliate program. Plus, those who can’t afford Vault’s services can work with the nonprofit arm Media Lab, which makes Vault Studios’ services available for free or tuition-based.
“They make it affordable,” Kat said. “People can just come in and use the tools that are available.”
Vault Studios takes accessibility to the next level. Everyone is invited to use the green screen bay for free on Thursdays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Kat wants the studio to become part of the neighborhood.
Kat Bloom in the green screen bay
“I see us growing more into the community,” she said. “People can walk up and knock on the door and ask for a tour or ask to see what this is all about.”
Despite having been open for less than a year, Vault Studios has already worked with Make a Wish Foundation, New Mexico Minute Films, Sister Cities and other nonprofit organizations. They also work closely with other production studios that provide shooting on-location, something that Vault doesn’t offer.
“We've drawn a lot of attention this last year by being an accessible and affordable studio,” Kat said. “It's really near and dear to my heart because when I priced out how much it was going to cost for my album, I have a family of entrepreneurs, and they said, ‘Well, you can do it yourself.’ And I was like, ‘I could.’ And I did. That's how it happens.”
One of the audio production rooms at Vault Studios
In the near future, Vault Studios is planning to expand into more space at their Wells Park location. They share the back parking lot with Rio Bravo Brewing Company. The door is always open for creatives to come check it out.
“Hopefully we can grow as a staple of Albuquerque for the creative future and help support people that don't know where else to go.”
