La Tabacalera

This self-managed social centre is one of the epicentres of social culture, urban art and citizen participation in Madrid. It got its name from its location inside in the old Fábrica de Tabacos (Tobacco Factory), which was vacated in 2000 after the privatization of La Tabacalera/Altadis. The building was abandoned for more than a decade until the Lavapiés Cultural Association CSA La Tabacalera took over its management. Since then, it's been a place to go for talks, debates, urban art, presentations, theatre, film screenings, markets and all kinds of artistic offerings in the neighbourhood, always trying to generate and disseminate a form of free culture.