La Escocesa is a former industrial complex located in the district of Poblenou, Barcelona. The development was initially dedicated to the production of chemical products for the textile industry, and dates back to 1852. Since 1999 it has become a creation space and meeting point for artists, which had previously been in short supply in Poblenou and other parts of the city. Hundreds of artists and craftspeople from different disciplines have since worked in its facilities.
In 2006 the real estate company Renta Corporación purchased La Escocesa to build offices and homes and the artists were evicted from the factory, which was left completely empty by the end of 2007. The same year the Barcelona City Council approved a plan for the renewal of La Escocesa, which was catalogued as Industrial Heritage. Two of the buildings in the complex, a total of 2400m2 of the factory, were established as devoted to public use. In the Strategic Cultural Plan of Barcelona, 2006, the 'Factories for Artistic Creation' programme included La Escocesa as part of the project.
In early 2008, the City Council gave provisional management of space to La Associació d'Idees, a group of artists from different disciplines with a long history of regular work in the factory. These same artists are currently continuing their project of the self-management of the space by offering studios for artists at a low cost, and by organizing activities in the neighbourhood. Barcelona City Council is currently working on an architectural project for the refurbishment of the space.
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