Off Limits is a contemporary independent art space located at the multicultural neighborhood of Lavapis, Madrid. It is a place for exhibitions and debate to investigate and propose ways to alter contemporary reality.

Off Limits is run by a cultural association, Maelström, (www.offlimits.es/maelstrom/maelstrom/) that receives advice from a board committee composed of artists, curators and academic and cultural operators. The association’s activities are all public and free. It is a member of the Independent Artistic Agents of Madrid (AAIM), a network built in 2008 by different agents of the independent scene in Madrid in order to discuss cultural policies and defend independent culture.

Initiated in 1998, Maelström’s first project was to recover an old industrial garage in Madrid, ‘Garage Pemasa’, for artistic use. After two years of cultural activities, exhibitions, and experimentation, it became emblematic of the independent art scene in Madrid. While facing space limitations, the association continued to program activities for six more years, until finally their new space, ‘Off Limits’ opened in November 2006.

Off Limits is located in an old bakery, built in 1908. The building was completely restructured by Iñaki Alonso (SATT architects) and is ecologically sustainable through solar power and biomass.

Off Limits aims to investigate contemporary cultural reality, focusing on new ways of thinking. It aims to create projects from and for the Lavapies’ neighborhood, involving residents to develop a lively program that is open to many different publics.

Off Limits is a mixture of contemporary visual arts, social and political art, ecological agriculture, creativity, electronic craziness, music and performance. It hosts workshops, residencies, lectures, presentations of books and publications, premieres of shorts and documentaries.

Off Limits aims to involve different publics including neighbors and students who are interested in visual and performing arts, ecological issues, and electronic art. Off Limits programs activities that look forward to strengthen relations with its neighborhood. Once such project is the production of the collective movie ‘Hola, estás haciendo una peli!’, that will be written and filmed by the residents of Lavapies.

In addition to its own activities, Off Limits opens its space for the use of other art and cultural associations including; Dorkbot, who present uncommon projects with electricity; Eleusis, an association investigating states of consciousness; Bah, an ecological cooperative; Playtime, a platform to make visible young audiovisual creators; and Migraciones Escenicas, a platform to investigate the performing arts.

Off Limits produces two publications per year, in connection with the exhibitions or program strands.

Off Limits’ space has an approximate surface of 500 m² of exhibitions hall and offices plus 300 m2 of open air terraces. The office has 150 m² and two conference halls of 21 and 7 m². The 210 m² of exhibition space are divided in 3 levels: 1 reception 45 m², 3 m. tall / 2 presentations room 105 m² , 4,5 m tall / 3 tree room 60 m², 6 m tall.