On Monday, 17 September 2018, we signed the contract for the Sugar Factory Gallery renovation project within the scope of which we are going to refurbish the old sugar factory building and set up a new art centre in it. The renovation is expected to start in October this year and conclude in 24 months.

The co-financing contract for the activity within the Operational Programme for the Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy in the Period 2014-2020 »The Sugar Factory Gallery Renovation Project« was signed with the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning. The contract was concluded on the basis of the Decision of Support No. 6-3/3/MOP/0 for the activity »The Sugar Factory Gallery Renovation Project« issued by the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy.

The project received a European Union contribution in the maximum amount of 10,774,396.00 EUR from the European Regional Development Fund and a contribution from the Republic of Slovenia in the maximum amount of 2,693,599.00 EUR. A contribution of the City of Ljubljana in the amount of 9,753,847.00 EUR is also foreseen. The funds for the project are provided from the Comprehensive Territorial Investments mechanism intended for the restoration of brownfield sites and the revitalisation of urban spaces.

Improving the urban environment

Within the framework of the Sugar Factory Gallery Renovation Project we are going to reconstruct the existing building, which is going to improve the urban environment and further liven up the wider city centre. In addition, we are going to remove a physical barrier which is limiting mobility on this part of the Poljane Embankment and thus obstructing the most optimal connection between the city centre and urbanised areas in the east of the city. We are also going to improve the social aspect of space use, namely, at the conclusion of the project new contents and arrangements are going to make the area dynamic with a rich programme and social life, also making it safer and more pleasant as well as interesting so that the citizens and visitors to Ljubljana would keep coming back.

Big exhibition area

The Sugar Factory Gallery is going to present modern fine art and visual arts with most significant biannual events in Ljubljana, namely, the BIO Ljubljana and the International Biennial of Graphic Art, certainly playing an important role. This is going to solve the long-term lack of a big exhibition space in Ljubljana.