L’Abri is now spread over two locations, L’Abri – Madeleine and L’Abri -Carouge. A concrete burrow, buried and safe, and a former locksmith’s workshop, a glass roof bathed in light, opening onto the city: two intertwined spaces, which respond to each other, for a single project, L’Abri.

L’Abri – Madeleine occupies a former air raid shelter, designed to protect more than a thousand people in the event of armed conflict. Nestled in the historic fortifications of Geneva somewhere under the Cathedral, it is accessed from the Place de la Madeleine in the city centre. The venue offers three studios: a modular room with a dance floor, an “Italian” room that can accommodate the public, and a third smaller studio. In addition to these three work spaces, there is a recording studio. (see detailed description of the spaces here)

L’Abri – Carouge is located in a former locksmith’s workshop. Brighter and more breathable, with a garden at the back, it houses our offices, a flat to accommodate foreign artists in exchange for residencies and three rooms: a “black box” studio, a dance studio and a space for admin and table work. (see detailed description of the spaces here)

L’Abri accompanies emerging artists from all horizons in their projects by providing rehearsal spaces, a recording studio, by organising meetings with professionals from different fields, by setting up exchanges with regional and international structures and artists. The challenges are multiple: to create contexts conducive to production and co-production, to make the artistic projects of the Associate Artists visible and to help them to disseminate their creations.

Each year, a dozen artists join the growing community of L’Abri. During the season, the space becomes a place of life, creation and common reflection in which each artist has time to research and work on his or her future projects without any obligation to produce. From year to year, L’Abri is transformed by the new sensibilities that inhabit it. Its visual identity, the intellectual dynamics, the layout of its space, everything changes: the works of the associated artists pile up or are superimposed. Palimpsest-spaces where witnesses of the past engraved in the concrete floor cohabit with the traces of the abundant practices that intersect and are born there, fertile accumulations and long-lasting dialogues.
L’Abri defends contemporary creation and emerging artists, builds laboratories for experimentation, offers the conditions for risk-taking, captures new attentions, weaves links, encourages thought, creates encounters and encourages the plurality of paths and practices.

We do not operate with a call for applications, but are always open to meeting artists interested in the L’Abri project. You will find all the relevant information on this subject here: BECOMING AN ASSOCIATE ARTIST