GB OPEN – Open Studios at Güterbahnhof

Art and Culture to Touch

The Güterbahnhof Bremen is one of the most important areas for independent art and culture in the Hanseatic city: a former railway site that now houses studios, workshops, project spaces, and cultural initiatives. During the annual GB OPEN, the entire area opens its doors for a weekend – and you get to enter the spaces where the artists usually work. There are few places in the Bremen region where the independent scene is presented so concentrated and so accessibly.

From Railway Site to Creative Hub

The history of the area dates back to the 1840s, when the first storage sheds for freight traffic were built here. With the construction of the new Hanoverian station – today's Bremen Hauptbahnhof – around 1890, more halls were added. Large parts were destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in the post-war period. Since 1997, freelance artists, musicians, and cultural practitioners have been working in the halls, some of which still date back to the 19th century: around three hundred participants in over a hundred studios, workshops, rehearsal rooms, recording studios, and galleries. The ensemble is a listed building and a living testament to Bremen's industrial and transport history.

One Weekend, an Entire Area

Around two hundred creatives participate in GB OPEN. In open studios, they talk about their work and the history of the building, alongside exhibitions, performances, concerts, and DJ sets across genres – from punk to rap to Krautrock. Guided tours of the area explain the eventful past of the halls and the diverse artistic approaches. Additionally, there are workshops ranging from animation film to bouldering, screen printing, karaoke, and catering services to round off the weekend.

In the Heart of the Station Suburb, Near the Viertel

The area is located at Beim Handelsmuseum 9 in the Bahnhofsvorstadt, just a few minutes' walk from Bremen Hauptbahnhof and in close proximity to the Viertel, Bremen's creative quarter. This central location makes GB OPEN a meeting point for everyone interested in the city's independent art and cultural scene.

The Independent Scene Within Reach

GB OPEN is more than an exhibition: it's a weekend when an entire artist complex becomes a stage. Anyone who wants to know what drives young and established Bremen artists will find a direct connection here – with free admission.