Calling all dancers, writers and painters: there is vacant space waiting for you. The Vancouver Park Board wants to help artists in the city who need a place to hone their creativity.

"This project is all about getting people into our parks, getting into our field houses and giving the field houses back to the community," said Park Board chairwoman Sarah Blyth.

The pilot project includes five vacant buildings in Elm, Falaise, Hadden, Strathcona and Slocan Parks. Artists apply to the Park Board to work in the spaces rent-free and in return commit 350 hours to engaging the community in the arts.

The spaces are open to all art disciplines.

"Painters, writers, dancers, art collectives, we are blowing it right open for everyone," Blyth said.

The Park Board has already received several applications for the field houses and the program could be expanded to other parks. The initiative will provide the space from October of this year to January 2015.

The deadline for applications is July 9.