Den Atelier: Making trouble since 1995, no sign of stopping

When the founders of den Atelier spun the idea of a new space to call their own in 1995, it stemmed from a simple idea: Amsterdam had Paradiso. Paris had Bataclan. Brussels had Ancienne Belgique. And Luxembourg was in need of something of its own.

"The place was created by three guys, a party team that organised small parties all over the country", recalled den Atelier’s Managing Director Michel Welter, "and they were basically tired of going to Brussels or Paris to see shows."

What started out as a hobby found its home in the centre of Luxembourg. “They found the atelier rather by chance and saw that it was for rent", Welter said. "Back then it was a bus and lorry workshop, hence the name 'atelier'. And they saw an opportunity to convert the hall into a new concept."

Stars aligned for what would come next: They’d found the perfect place to rent. One of the three original founders was an architect. And the opening in 1995 coincided with Luxembourg City's first time as the European Capital of Culture.
 
The stage was set and the people needed a place to go.

How it started 

Den Atelier grew rapidly from a side hustle to a major institution. Despite its quick development over the decades, what has always stayed at its core is its indie ethic.

This has accompanied the team’s journey into what it is today. As a venue, den Atelier hosts musical acts from DJ sets to rock bands; as an organiser, they hold events at various venues including Rotondes, Neumünster, and Rockhal.

What started off as a handful of shows a year in '95 led to about 60 shows a year in 2000. Very quickly, they got to over 100 shows per year.

Concert promotion in 1999 / © den Atelier

Recalling the DIY nature of the early days, Welter recalled: "We started off doing our own booking, our own ticketing, all on our own. When I started (in 2008) we didn't have f*cking Facebook!"

The process then was far more hands-on: "I would send out tickets after regular business was done", Welter described. "At 5 or 6 o'clock I would start to print tickets of the day's orders, then I put them into envelopes and brought them to a yellow post box [to be sent out]."

Atelier in 1998 / © den Atelier

Everything now, of course, is done digitally. Tickets are bought online and promoted extensively on Facebook event pages and Instagram. Running more efficiently applies beyond ticketing, too. Welter recalled the panic that the team would find themselves in on concert days.

"A show at den Atelier was in a state of, not urgency, but everybody was…", he laughed. Today, the team has upped their professional game; there is little that can faze them.

"Nowadays, sometimes I even forget that there's a show on, which is a good thing. It means we are running [smoothly]", Welter said proudly. "Because now we have so much experience, we know what we are doing. It really takes the stress level down and the professionalism up."

Currently made up of a fixed team of eight, the greater Atelier family comprises a far larger team of hired staff including bar staff, technical staff, evening desk staff, security staff, stagehands, production personnel and production managers.

Knowing the audience  

While knowing music well is essential in securing a robust and exciting programme to attract and delight audiences throughout the year, there's more to it than knowing what's popular elsewhere.
 
Crediting his own insight to the time he has spent in Luxembourg in the early days, Welter who has previously worked with the ​​Luxembourg National Orchestra, Neumünster, and Rockhal, says that den Atelier's success comes down to an understanding of the Luxembourgish public more so than the music.

"You have to have a feeling of what can work in Luxembourg", said Welter. For example, bringing in a popular French band. "Yes, we do have a very big French community", he said. "But it's a different thing here in Luxembourg. Certain French acts do work in Luxembourg, and some don't. The same goes for English music."

How it’s going

Sharing more about his vision for den Atelier, Welter explained the venue's essence and what he says every capital city needs: a club in their cultural landscape, right in the heart of the city.

A fresh new look to celebrate 30 years / © den Atelier

"Tourism, nightlife, education, business, expats – all of these points are very important for our political leaders and stakeholders", said Welter. "You need to have a contemporary culture if you want to attract all these people. That's going to make them decide, 'Yes, I will go to study or work  in Luxembourg.'"

"Let's be honest: A student will not choose a city to go study in if there's no decent cultural offering", Welter shrugged.  
While he has nothing but praise for spaces such as Rotondes, he stressed that the various venues offer different things.

"For instance, Rotondes (as a public institution) will book a festival where you can discover bands that you would usually not, and that's very important. That makes Luxembourg advance. What den Atelier suggests is more of a popular culture. And that's a different logic, but it's [also] very important."

Having recently celebrated 30 years of existence, den Atelier has grown massively in people's hearts, Welter shared. For many, it is the quirkiness of the venue that makes it special.

"We are known, amongst artists and production personnel, as the venue with the stage in the corner. There is no other venue that has a triangular shaped stage", he said.

"Usually, you load in by the back so you don't mix public and production. But here, [bands] need to load in through the front, which is completely f*cked up", he smiled. "You park your buses on the street!"

While that has led at times to limitations – "production-wise you can't bring in a lot of stuff and the stage is small" – some artists do really want to come back. "And the public, they love it too", Welter said. "Because, anywhere you are in the venue, you are close to the artist, and there's a [special] atmosphere."

Where it’s going  

Looking to the future, Welter hopes for more daring and curiosity in the Luxembourg audience.
 
"I think we are still lacking a bit of curiosity, to be very honest. If I now compare us to bigger markets in other countries, we are still in a market that is very small", he allowed. "But the market has developed itself considerably."

Always with their eyes on the future, den Atelier is already looking ahead.

"Our mind is not in 2025, we are already trying to wrap up the summer of '26", he said. This constant change is what keeps the job exciting, too.

"You always try to find an act or a venue or to put the [right] act in the correct venue. And they're always there's always parts that you can control, there's always parts you can't control", Welter concluded. "It's always exciting, even if you remain in the same business or activity. But we always try to do something new, to change a little bit. And we always ask ourselves, how can we improve?"

Redesigning their space in 2025 / © den Atelier