The Collective: Creative Lab in Raval

Raval, one of the most enchanting neighborhoods in Barcelona, gives us access to a world of different cultures and more or less a melting pot in this city. There are nationalities of all kinds, different types of foods, and a harmonious blend of all ages crawling around the streets of this unique barrio.

Apart from cultural enrichment, one can easily find places, such as The Collective to delve into some personal development, artistic enrichment, or even a life-changing yoga class.

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The Mission

After attending one of the yoga classes in their beyond-cool studio, I conducted a little interview the owners, Cristian and Astrid.

SHBCN: What is your story, where do you all come from?

Astrid: There are just the two of us who have created this space. Cristian, being the designer, musician and sound engineer, and me, the journalist, actress and a devout yogi. We have a lot of artistic ideas and vision, and we are excited to develop a space for those who share in our enthusiasm; especially to create, develop ideas, and above all show talents and projects. The Collective was created to be an artistic and creative space which allows other artists to experiment and design freely.

SHBCN: You seem very community-oriented. Why is this?

A: Absolutely, we are extremely community-oriented, and we constantly leave our doors open for those who share the same passion for creativity and art. We want to support the work of emerging artists and give quality art from the community back to the community.

SHBCN: What is your goal in creating these workshops?

A: Our main objective is to create workshops where people can enjoy themselves while trying new things. Our Open Days have given us a chance to meet new people, show them our vision, and let them experience free yoga classes and workshops. Our latest Open Day we were able to have a painter come in and teach us how to collectively create artwork, utilizing our senses and emotions.

SHBCN: Who is responsible for the unique interior design?

A: It’s all Cristian, as he is a graphic designer and has a unique aesthetic. He is extremely creative and has perfectly captured the image and spirit of The Collective through his talented design.

SHBCN: How did you come up with the ideas for this creative lab?

A: We always wanted to have our own space to create a community of artists, where anyone can enrich and liberate themselves through experimentation, and remember what it feels like to just play; that’s our philosophy. What’s more, we wanted to create a place where one can experiment and find results through artistic expression.

SHBCN: Are you planning on expanding or are you with content with focusing on Raval?

A: For right now we’re just focusing on Raval, a neighborhood that has always inspired and motivated us. We want to be a part of the change that is very much alive in this neighborhood, especially when there is so much culture and potential art to be created. However, we may consider expanding to other cities in the future, you never know. We think that everywhere in the world a Collective should exist, a place where artists and community can be unified as one.

Workshops/Activities

Theater, dance, film, singing, music, design, social media, photography, yoga, natural therapies, and personal development are some of the workshops and activities you can take part in at this unique creativity lab. There are language courses, or clubs, where you can practice your French, Spanish or English, while enjoying a cup of coffee and conversing with others in the neighborhood. This way of learning is unique because you build confidence amongst people your age, while saving on course fees, book fees, and the extras that usually come with an official academy. You can also learn to harbor your culinary skills amongst other foodies who have a passion for this delectable art.

The cooking classes take place on either Thursday or Friday nights, from 20-23:00, and include a performance to accompany your dinner. Here you will see their agenda and a more descriptive outline of all the wholesome classes and workshops they have to offer.

Please, can I go?!

The collective is located in the heart of the urban jungle of El Raval. There you will find this enchanting warehouse dedicated to community development and artistic expression. Within walking distance of the Rambla de Raval, and a handful of Bicing stations, and the Sant Antoni Metro, this location enables one to do some extra exploring within the neighborhood after a workshop.

Carrer d’ en Roig 11, 08001 Barcelona, Spain, Metro: Sant Antoni L2