Tabakalera, San Sebastian

Tabakalera is a unique cultural center located in the Egia district of San Sebastián. What makes it so special is that it was once a tobacco factory that has now been transformed into a contemporary culture center. The building is massive, occupying one of the biggest plots (13.277 m2) in the urban area, and it is located next to the Estación del Norte railway station and the Cristina Enea Park.

For 90 years, from 1913 to 2003, Tabakalera was a tobacco factory, employing many people in San Sebastián. After the factory closed down in 2003, the San Sebastián City Council, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, and the Basque Government purchased the building in 2004 to convert it into an International Centre for Contemporary Culture. Since then, Tabakalera has been a hub of cultural activity, hosting a wide variety of events and exhibitions.

One of the most notable features of Tabakalera is its range of facilities. The building contains exhibition halls, a multi-purpose plaza, a multi-purpose hall, a cinema theatre, a creation library called Ubik, media labs called Hirikilabs, spaces for art creation, a cafeteria called Taba, a residence for artists, and a four-star hotel, called One Shot Tabakalera House. It also hosts the headquarters of local culture institutions Kutxa Kultur, the Basque Film Archive, the San Sebastián International Film Festival, the Elías Querejeta Film School and the Etxepare Basque Institute.

The renovation work on Tabakalera began in 2010, and the building was inaugurated on September 11, 2015. While the main facade has been preserved, significant changes have taken place inside the building. Today, Tabakalera is a center of production as well as a space that offers a diverse range of activities for the public.

Overall, Tabakalera is a testament to the power of transformation and repurposing. What was once a tobacco factory now serves as a vibrant cultural center, showcasing the very best of contemporary art, film, and creative expression.