Best Of Reykjavík 2018: Best Artist-Run Space

So, you’ve shopped in the shops, drank the drinks, and eaten all the food you can manage. And whilst those things are all super fun, activities and culture are the missing pieces of the puzzle for a perfect trip to Iceland. Whether it a gleaming museum or a grimy artist-run gallery, a springtime hike or a trip to try and glimpse the aurora, presenting our Best of Reykjavík 2018: Activities winners. Here, we’ll dive into the not-to-miss artist-run spaces.

Best Artist-Run Space

Listastofan

Hringbraut 119

Listastofan was heaped with fond praise by our panel, who loved the youthful energy and diversity of its programme. “It has a constant rotation of work, with a new exhibition opening every other week,” they said. “They also do workshops, have darkrooms for photographers and studio spaces—there’s a whole community of artists based around the space.” Listastofan’s motto is ‘Be Young And Shut Up,’ and they live up to it—the gallery provides an invaluable platform for emerging artists who are between graduation, and securing support from the more established galleries. It’s also a bridge between Icelandic and expatriate artists in Reykjavík.

Runner-Up:

Gallery Port

Laugavegur 23

Newcomer: This discrete space tucked away on Laugavegur is a sparky and interesting spot with a fast-moving and varied exhibition programme. “They’re trying to fuck shit up,” said the panel. “They do different things all the time. You never know what you’ll see there. It’s an anti-art-snob gallery.”

Runner-Up:

Iðnó

Vonarstræti 3

It might seem odd to call such a classic space a “newcomer,” but this music hall has been taken over by a new energy lately. “The new organisation running Iðnó host everything from poetry readings to drag workshops,” said the panel. “They’ve taken one of the most magical spaces in Reykjavík and filled it with the best people.”

Previous Winners

None: New Category!

Other Activities Categories

Best Pool

Best Art Museum

Best Museum

Best Artist-Run Space

Best Gallery

Best Place For Aurora Spotting

Best Place To Take The Kids

Best People-Watching Spot

Best Hike

Best Cinema

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2018 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Reykjavík—here, posted worldwide. We also have a Special Offer double-pack that also includes our Best Of Iceland magazine, about places to eat, see, swim, shop and stay, all around the country, here.