- Place
- Vilnius City Municipality
- Region
- Vilnius
- Type
- art incubator, gallery, and public creative space
- Address
- Užupio g. 2A, Vilnius
- Coordinates
- 54.68107, 25.29349
- Visit duration
- 30-60 minutes; longer for an exhibition or event
- Best time
- Wednesday-Saturday during gallery hours, or in daylight for the riverside art
UMI, Užupis Galera, Galera courtyard
From an informal artists' gathering to an incubator
Artists began gathering informally around Užupio g. 2A in 1991. The place known as Galera began taking shape in 1995, and an alternative art centre called Užupis-2 operated here from 1996. The establishment of the Užupis Art Incubator in 2002 gave an institutional form to this long-growing community.
UMI's history is inseparable from the idea of the Republic of Užupis and the neighbourhood's renewal. A sculpture lane began to form in 2000, while artworks, studios, and events turned the embankment into a place where art is embedded in the everyday street.
Galera beside the Vilnelė and Kalnas on Krivių Street
The incubator is not confined to one building. The Galera complex beside the Vilnelė includes a gallery, courtyard, studios, and public-art setting at Užupio g. 2A. In 2014 it was joined by a more modern complex known as Kalnas at Krivių g. 12, used for studios, residencies, and administration.
This two-location structure matters when planning a visit. Seeing the Galera courtyard does not imply access to artists' studios at Kalnas, which are workplaces rather than permanent museum galleries. Check the programme for open-studio days and special events.
What to see in the Galera courtyard
The Galera environment keeps changing: sculpture, installations, painting, and temporary works appear on the masonry walls and along the Vilnelė. It is not a finished exhibition with a numbered route. Its value lies in observing how art responds to old brick, water, bridges, and the busy life of Užupis.
The indoor gallery hosts solo and group exhibitions with set opening and closing dates. A work described in an older article may already have been replaced. If a particular artist is the reason for your visit, check UMI's official exhibition calendar first.
Opening hours and respect for a working art space
On 2026-07-21, UMI's contact page listed Galera at Užupio g. 2A as open Wednesday-Saturday 13:00-18:00, while administration at Krivių g. 12 operated Monday-Friday 9:00-18:00. These are different functions and addresses, so the office schedule is not the gallery schedule.
The public courtyard and embankment art can be seen on a walk, but gallery, studio, and event access depends on the programme. No permanent general admission tariff was stated; individual events may charge. Studios are artists' workplaces, so enter only during published open events or when invited.
