30 years of contemporary art, discourse, encounters, and experimentation: the Casino Luxembourg – Forum for Contemporary Art is celebrating a significant milestone.
Since its founding, the Forum has established itself as a key venue for current artistic positions, serving as a platform for new perspectives, fresh impetus, and critical engagement with contemporary issues.
The Casino’s role as a cultural hub in the capital, however, stretches back much further than three decades. The building was originally constructed in 1882. Known as the “Citizens’ Casino,” it housed reading rooms and restaurants alongside game rooms, and played host to a variety of events, from masquerade balls to theatre performances and concerts. The renowned composer and piano virtuoso Franz Liszt even gave his final official performance within its walls.
Between 1959 and 1990, the building was used by the Cercle Culturel des Communautés Européennes. The idea of transforming the Casino into a showcase for contemporary art began to take shape during preparations for the 1995 European Capital of Culture events. Following renovation work, the Casino Luxembourg – Forum for Contemporary Art was officially inaugurated in March 1996. Its mission was threefold: to put Luxembourg on the map, to support and promote the local art scene, and to build networks with international institutions.
True to its name, the Casino functions as a forum where artists can come together to exchange ideas, reflections, and experiences. At the same time, it offers the public an opportunity to discover the diversity of contemporary creation and engage with the key issues shaping modern art.
Over the past three decades, the venue has built a reputation as a dynamic platform where a wide variety of aesthetic styles converge. It has also played an important role in supporting emerging artists in their development and artistic journeys.
To mark the occasion, the Casino is celebrating with a special programme titled “Fora”, the plural form of “Forum”. Described as non-linear, the programme is composed of various elements that react to, complement, and contrast with one another.
As part of the anniversary, the Casino Luxembourg is also set to collaborate with MUDAM in 2026, a year that marks a significant milestone for that institution as well. The partnership aims to demystify contemporary art and foster dialogue between the Luxembourg art scene and the public through topic-specific roundtable discussions.
