On 10 October 2018, we started the works on the Sugar Factory renovation project, the biggest cultural project in Slovenia co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, with which we will get a modern gallery space for large and demanding exhibition projects.

The works are expected to take 24 months and they are going to be carried out by the construction company STRABAG, the value of the works is 2.5 million euro, including VAT.

The new modern space is intended for the presentation of modern fine art and visual arts with most significant biannual events in Ljubljana, namely, BIO Ljubljana and 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.

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. We are also going to improve the social aspect of space use, namely, the 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.

Mayor Zoran Janković emphasised that this day represents the beginning of the revival and complete renovation of this area which will together with the renovation of the Ambrož Square become part of the city centre of Ljubljana, we are also going to extend the pedestrian area into this direction.

European funds for the Sugar Factory Gallery

On 17 September 2018, we signed a contract with the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial planning on co-financing 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«.

The European Regional Development Fund is co-financing the project in the maximum amount of 10,774,396.00 EUR, the Republic of Slovenia in the maximum amount of 2,693,599.00 EUR and the City of Ljubljana is going to earmark 9,753,847.00 EUR. 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.