Since 1983, TransEuropeHalles has gathered independent cultural centres under it’s network. Settled in former industrial or commercial sites these cultural centres, all in different ways, chose to innovate by offering a thousand and one creations to the public and a thousand and one venues to creators.

Relying on seventeen initiatives that have been able to perpetuate their activities and their structure, the book Factories of the imagination presents the various policies and aims developed by TransEuropeHalles.

Realised in close collaboration with the centres concerned, this work brings together the contributions of Fazette Bordage, Sylvie Chasles, Danijel Novakovic, Martina Dietrich, Hertha Hurnaus, Claude Lévêque, Mathieu Marguerin, Cecilia Pirovano, Helmut Ploebst, Fabrice Raffin, Gernot Sommerfeld, Patrik Svensson and Frans Hallqvist.

The TransEuropeHalles European network has a membership today of 30 independent and multidisciplinary cultural centres, in 19 European countries. Open and liveable, they share the same spirit, in favour of young creation, emerging artistic processes as well as new cultural and social practices. Arising from citizens1 initiatives, these centres build themselves thanks to the creative energies they generate, and are devoted to giving a place for cultural innovation on urban territory.