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Ministry of Culture hands over two Tabacalera spaces to Lavapiés groups for community use
The Ministry of Culture is handing over two Tabacalera buildings to neighbourhood groups. The Lavapiés district is recovering spaces for cultural and community activities. Management will be self-organised by local associations. The change will be reflected in Madrid's cultural calendar.
Lavapiés gains two new spaces for the neighbourhood's cultural and social life. The Ministry of Culture has decided to transfer two halls in the Tabacalera complex to neighbourhood associations, which will be able to organise cultural and community activities in the heart of Madrid. The news comes after months of negotiations between the Ministry and the Remontada Tabacalera collective, which includes organisations such as CSA Tabacalera, 8M Lavapiés and the Madrid Tenants' Union.
The two halls, measuring 512 and 288 square metres, will be ready for use at the end of 2026, once the refurbishment works planned for this year are completed. The agreement provides for the spaces to be managed by CSA La Tabacalera, which will coordinate the programme with other neighbourhood associations. The aim is for the neighbourhood fabric to regain prominence in a historic enclave that had been awaiting a new phase for years.
The transfer of these spaces gives Lavapiés' cultural agenda a boost and opens the door to self-managed projects that connect with the neighbourhood's identity. The comprehensive refurbishment will ensure that the facilities meet safety requirements and adapt to the needs of the groups using them.
The Tabacalera complex, located on Embajadores Street, is one of Madrid's most distinctive spaces. Formerly a tobacco factory, the building has gradually transformed over recent decades into a reference point for contemporary culture and associative life. Between 2010 and 2021, Tabacalera was a meeting point for exhibitions, photography and visual art. Now, with the renewal under way, the venue is preparing for a new phase as a centre for artistic production and a residence for creators, in keeping with other European capitals. Madrid is already beginning to move in that direction.
Updated: 5 March 2026, 19:55
The DondeGo editorial team has expanded the information with the details of the agreement: two halls of 512 and 288 m², refurbishment works planned for this year and opening at the end of 2026. The change may strengthen Lavapiés' cultural and community life, with programming coordinated by CSA La Tabacalera and other associations, and more neighbourhood activity around Embajadores.