Inside the Tunis Art Scene: Galleries, Residencies, and Creative Spaces
Over the past decade, Tunisia has seen a growing number of art spaces, many centered in Tunis and its surrounding neighborhoods. These galleries, residencies, and platforms offer artists opportunities to engage with diverse audiences while contributing to the country’s evolving cultural landscape.
Drawing on conversations with friends and colleagues in the arts, I’ve compiled a guide to art spaces across Tunis, organized by neighborhood. Some have been established for over a decade, while others have opened within the past year.
If traveling to Tunisia isn’t in your plans right now, I’ve included websites and social media links so you can explore these spaces from wherever you are.
Art Spaces in Downtown Tunis
L’Art Rue
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40 rue Kouttab Louzir, Dar Bach Hamba, Medina of Tunis
L’Art Rue was founded in 2006 by the dancer and choreographer duo Selma and Sofiane Ouissi as a space for creation, experimentation, and research across artistic practices and cultures. Based in the historic Dar Bach Hamba in Souk El Blat—once the souk for medicinal plants—its presence extends well beyond the alleys of the medina.
Through six core programs spanning artist residencies, education, lectures, scholarships, and the Dream City arts festival, L’Art Rue invites artists to engage with the city of Tunis and its communities. Its work often unfolds in dialogue with public space and shared social questions, reflecting on the civic and democratic dimensions of contemporary life in Tunisia.
Les Bâtisseurs, a fresco by Tunisian artist Atef Matallah on the facade of 32bis, inaugurated in May 2022. (Photo: Nicolas Fauqué)
32bis Séance Jeunes Artistes Lecture Series
32bis
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32bis rue Ben Gedhahem, Tunis
Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-7pm
32bis is a contemporary arts center in Tunis that fosters exchange between artists, curators, and researchers from Tunisia and abroad. Housed in a 1950s building that once served as Philips’s headquarters in Tunisia, it spans a 43,000-square-foot campus dedicated to residencies, exhibitions, performances, and cultural programming.
The space also includes a multimedia library focused on contemporary art, alongside ateliers and areas for research and production. Since 2019, its outgoing creative director, Camille Lévy Sarfati, has played a key role in connecting local artists with the international art scene, inviting practitioners from across Tunisia, the region, and beyond.
Among her initiatives is Séances Jeunes Artistes, a lecture series that brings Tunisian artists into conversation with emerging practitioners, offering insight into artistic careers and supporting the next generation. She also completed a residency at KADIST in Paris in April 2023.
2021 photo show at Central Tunis gallery (image: Central Tunis)
Central Tunis
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Le 15 Website
15 avenue de Carthage, Tunis
42 rue Ben Ghedhahem, Tunis (temporary location)
Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm
Central is an interdisciplinary art space in downtown Tunis, founded in 2018 by Emna Ben Yedder. As the gallery describes it, “Central is a dream in which art is fun, open and without boundaries, where the exhibition becomes an artistic experience.” Its exhibitions engage with contemporary themes in ways that are both serious and accessible, often through playful and interactive formats that invite broader public participation.
Central is part of the larger entrepreneurial hub Le15, named for its address at 15 Avenue de Carthage. Located at street level within an Art Deco building, it sits alongside organizations shaping Tunisia’s startup ecosystem, including Flat6Labs, Open Innovation, and Columbia Global Centers. This proximity fosters collaboration across disciplines, situating the gallery at the intersection of art, innovation, and civic life.
Just south of Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the building lies at the heart of downtown Tunis, within walking distance of the Municipal Theatre, the central train station, the Central Market, and nearby contemporary art space 32bis.
Art Spaces Beyond Central Tunis
La Boîte Kilani Group lobby installation.
La Boîte
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25 rue 8603, Zone Industrielle
La Charguia 1, Tunis
Monday-Friday, 11am-4pm, or by appointment
La Boîte was founded in 2007 by Fatma Kilani, a collector and professor at IHEC Carthage, to support contemporary artists and expand access to the arts. Located within Kilani Groupe’s corporate headquarters in the industrial zone of La Charguia I, it takes the form of a 270-square-foot white cube dedicated to exhibitions drawn from the group’s collection as well as temporary shows. Under Kilani’s direction, the initiative integrates art into a corporate environment, encouraging employees—many of whom may be new to contemporary art—to engage with exhibitions and artist-led workshops.
Beyond its exhibition space, La Boîte has developed a series of programs that extend its reach across Tunisia, including public installations in and around Tunis, initiatives in regions with limited access to artistic programming, and a corporate artist residency. Since 2018, it has also presented a video art exhibition in the southeastern town of Gabès, in collaboration with the Gabès Cinema Fen.
Musk and Amber Gallery (Image: Musk and Amber)
Musk & Amber
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Angle Rue Ghar el Melh et rue Mälaren, Les Berges du Lac, Tunis
Monday-Saturday, 10am-7pm
Musk & Amber is a hybrid design boutique, cultural space, and gallery founded by Lamia Bousnina Ben Ayed. Set within a loft in Les Berges du Lac, it brings together international design houses such as Kartell, Assouline, and Fornasetti, alongside regional designers including Bokja and Sarah’s Bag.
Throughout the year, the space hosts exhibitions, fashion presentations, and installations, positioning it as a meeting point between design, art, and contemporary culture in Tunis.
Art Spaces in the Northern Suburbs
Selma Feriani Gallery (Photo: Selma Feriani)
Selma Feriani Gallery
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32 Rue Ibn Nafis, Z.I. Kheireddine, La Goulette, 2015
Monday by appointment only
Tuesday-Saturday 10am-1pm & 2-6pm
Selma Feriani Gallery was established in 2013 in Tunis and has since become one of the most prominent galleries based in Tunisia. With spaces in both Tunis and London, it has participated in international art fairs including Art Basel (Basel, Paris, Qatar and Hong Kong), Frieze London, and Art Dubai, and has contributed to the Venice Biennale in 2015 and 2017.
The gallery represents artists from the MENA region and beyond, with a focus on concept-driven practices that engage with broader cultural, social, and political questions. Works by artists in its program are held in major public and private collections, including LACMA, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Tate Modern, the British Museum, the New Museum, and the Centre Pompidou.
In January 2024, the gallery opened a new 21,500-square-foot space in La Goulette, designed by Chacha Atallah, further expanding its presence within Tunisia’s contemporary art landscape.
A panel discussion with Selma Feriani at the British Museum, “Tunisia: Art as a Mirror” (June 11, 2021), can be viewed here.
B7L9 Art Station
B7L9 Art Station
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Rue Jaber Ibn Hayen, Bahr Lazreg
Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-6pm; 9pm-midnight
B7L9 Art Station is an experimental contemporary art space launched in 2019 by the Kamel Lazaar Foundation. Named after its location in Bahr Lazreg—a working-class neighborhood bordering the more affluent La Marsa—it offers a year-round program of artistic and cultural events, all free and open to the public. Its mission extends beyond providing a platform for artists to include fostering exchange and contributing to the neighborhood’s social and economic life, through seminars, workshops, and community-based initiatives in arts and culture.
The Kamel Lazaar Foundation is one of the most prominent supporters of the arts in Tunisia. In addition to B7L9, it has produced Tunisia’s participation in the Venice Biennale in 2017, organizes the JAOU Arts Festival (scheduled for October 14-November 15, 2026), and supports initiatives such as the publication of Artistes de Tunisie, a survey of Tunisian art from the 19th to the 21st century.
Lina Lazaar, Vice President of the Kamel Lazaar Foundation, is also behind Ibraaz, a London-based platform for art, culture, and ideas from the global majority.
TuniSphëre
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Various locations
First edition: Rue Ibn Rochd, Bhar Lazreg, La Marsa, Tunisia 2046
May 2023, 10am-5pm
TuniSphëre is a recent arts initiative that engaged the community of Bahr Lazreg through a temporary exhibition and festival unfolding across four sites along Rue Ibn Rochd. Located just a few blocks from B7L9, the project brought together artists and residents in the creation of installations, with local participants contributing directly to their construction. Workshops and talks invited both children and adults to take part, while the program also included an outdoor performance by the Carthage Symphonic Orchestra. Over the course of the initiative, the neighborhood itself became a site of artistic production and exchange. We look forward to future editions.
Yosr ben Ammar
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Rue du Phosphate, Bhar Lazreg, La Marsa, Tunisia 2046
Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-7pm
Yosr Ben Ammar began in 2005 as Kanvas Art Gallery in Gammarth, with a focus on modern and contemporary Tunisian artists. In 2015, the gallery expanded its program to include street art, reinforcing its position as an avant-garde space engaged with emerging artistic practices.
As its audience grew, a second location opened in the coastal city of Sousse in 2019, dedicated to contemporary art. In October 2022, the gallery inaugurated a new space in Phosphor Creative District in Bahr Lazreg, further extending its presence within Tunisia’s evolving art scene.
A.Gorgi Contemporary Art Gallery
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3 rue Sidi El Ghemrinin, Sidi Bou Said
Monday-Friday, 2-7pm, or by appointment
When Aïcha Gorgi, daughter of the renowned modern artist Abdelaziz Gorgi and a member of the École de Tunis, took over her father’s gallery, Galerie Gorgi (formerly Ammar Farhat), in 2010, she renamed it and shifted its focus from modern to contemporary art. Drawing on a network of local and international artists, collectors, and institutions cultivated over decades, the gallery presents a program of solo and thematic exhibitions throughout the year. It has become a key space for identifying and supporting emerging Tunisian artists, while engaging with cross-cultural themes rooted in local contexts.
Galerie El Marsa
2 Place du Safsaf, 2070 La Marsa
Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm
Elmarsa Gallery was established in 1994 and plays a significant role in the Arab art scene, representing modern and contemporary artists from across the region. Its exhibitions often explore the historical and cultural diversity of the Arab world in dialogue with contemporary global issues. The gallery regularly participates in major international art fairs and expanded its presence with a second location in Dubai in 2015.
In Tunis, it is housed in the historic palace El Abdellia Essoughra, adjacent to one of the city’s oldest cafés. The setting has made the gallery an informal meeting place for local and international artists, collectors, and intellectuals.
Entrance to TGM Gallery in La Marsa (Image: TGM Gallery)
TGM Gallery
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Rue Omar Ibn Abi Rabiaa, La Marsa
Tuesday-Thursday, 11am-7pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-8pm; Sunday, 10am-3pm
TGM Gallery is one of the newest additions to La Marsa’s gallery scene, led by cultural journalist and writer Alya Hamza. Its program spans works from the major movements of Tunisian painting alongside pieces by artisans and emerging artists, reflecting a dialogue between heritage and contemporary practice.
The gallery’s inaugural exhibition in 2021 paid homage to the École de Tunis, the influential group of modern painters from Tunisia and France that emerged around the time of World War II.
Located just steps from the terminus of the historic TGM commuter train, the gallery takes its name from the line itself—Tunis–La Goulette–La Marsa—long a part of the city’s cultural and urban fabric.
International Institutions in Tunis
Many international cultural institutions maintain a presence in Tunis, hosting cross-cultural programs, partnering with local arts organizations, and engaging with the city’s communities. Here are a few I’m following:
Online and Nomadic Platforms
Mouhit Art Residency
Various locations in and around Tunis
Mouhit Art Residency is a Tunis-based initiative that describes itself as an “unconventional playground” for artists. Its program unfolds across different sites, often engaging with graphic and urban art practices. From what I’ve seen through its Instagram, it offers a dynamic platform for experimentation, and I’m excited to follow its evolving roster of artists in residence.
Archivart
Archivart is an online platform dedicated to contemporary Tunisian artists, founded by Wafa Gabsi Takali and Khalil Liouane. Conceived as both an archive and a discovery tool, it documents artists’ work over time while connecting a broader audience to emerging practices. Through its incubator program, it also supports young artists in developing their careers.
Bookstores and Exhibition Spaces
Bao Books
Bao Books is a bookstore and cultural space in the neighborhood of Le Kram, conceived as a bridge between literary scenes across the region. Founded by Moez Attari, it creates connections between Tunis and Cairo, positioning the city as part of a broader network of exchange.
Librairie Fahrenheit 451
Located in Carthage, Librairie Fahrenheit 451 is a bookstore and gallery that has become a fixture for readers across genres. Known for its speaker series and artworks installed throughout the space, it’s a place to linger and browse.
I often come here for children’s books, as well as titles on architecture, art and design, and cooking, though its selection extends far beyond.
Librairie-Espace d’Art Mille Feuilles
Located just across from the terminus of the TGM in La Marsa, this bookstore and art space is hard to miss. It offers a wide-ranging selection of books alongside exhibitions and cultural programming.
April 2026
