Grimaldi Forum
Inaugurated in the year 2000, the Grimaldi Forum Monaco - named after the Grimaldi family, the historical reigning family of Monaco - is a prominent international event venue. With its dual purpose as a congress center and a cultural hub, and a steady pace of 120 events and 250,000 visitors annually, it is a significant economic factor in the international prominence of the Principality of Monaco.

History 
This 75,000 square meter complex, entirely reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea, has capacity for 4,000 visitors per day.

Monégasque architects: Notari, Génin, and Allavena designed the concrete, glass, and steel building at
10 Avenue Princesse Grace in the Larvotto district.  The Grimaldi Forum Monaco was inaugurated on July 20th, 2000, by Prince Rainier III and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.

It can simultaneously host a multitude of events such as seminars, congresses, conventions, exhibitions, gala dinners, performances, operas, ballets, concerts, festivals, and business tourism.

It comprises 2 modular halls, 3 auditoriums, 22 conference rooms, and 3 dining spaces.

Congress Centre 
Its clients are predominantly in Europe (France, Monaco, United Kingdom, Germany, etc.) and the United States.

It has won more than twenty awards and accolades, and 35% of its clients are recurrent.

In 2019, just prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it achieved its highest-ever turnover, amounting to 24 million euros, following five years of growth. GFM has an estimated €70 million average indirect impact on the Principality each year.

Nearly 60 Monégasque and French events were hosted in 2020, with support from the principality authorities. There were 82 events in 2021, with clientele primarily from France and Europe. In 2022, there were 100 events, including the return of transatlantic clients.

In 2022, notable events included Luxe Pack (InfoPro Digital) with 9,500 attendees, a 5% increase compared to the exceptional year of 2019. Les Assises (Comexposium) had 3,000 participants and 9,400 B to B meetings. The  AMWC Congress (Informa-Euromedicom) achieved an attendance record of 15,000 participants in 2023.

The GFM currently has orders for 2023 that are approximately 85% of the 2019 turnover, and substantial inquiries for 2024 and 2025.

Cultural centre 

Since 2000, the Grimaldi Forum Monaco has produced a major thematic art exhibition every summer.

The stage of the Salle des Princes, Monaco's largest auditorium with nearly 1,900 seats and a 1,000-square-meter stage (equivalent to Opéra Bastille), accommodates many productions. Its "hall of fame" hosts musicals, concerts, ballets, orchestras, magic shows, and also circus and theater performances.

The Grimaldi Forum is home to some of Monaco's cultural entities: the Monte-Carlo Ballets, the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Opera, the Monte-Carlo Arts Festival, the Audiovisual Institute, and the Princesse Grace Theater.

Corporate social responsibility 
The country has a target of carbon neutrality by 2050. The GFM has held ISO 14001 certification since 2008 and is progressing towards ISO 20121 certification in 2023, closely linked to the events sector.

Since 2008, the GFM has improved energy efficiency (ratio of electricity consumption to occupied space) by 35%. It increased waste recycling rates by a factor of 2.5 and eliminated over half its water consumption per visitor.

The GFM has actively participated in the national energy transition pact since 2018.

Of its 140 permanent employees, 55% have served for over a decade; 25% for more than 20 years.

The GFM endorses local charitable actions and encourages its employees to participate. 

Beyond its permanent staff, the GFM manages approximately 300 temporary contracts and indirectly engages 700 suppliers and service providers, fostering a pool estimated at over 5,000 jobs in the Principality and its surroundings, generating an average of 70 million euros in economic impact.

Prospects for development 
The Grimaldi Forum Monaco is expanding its facility as part of the Mareterra project, an extension into the sea of the Principality. This building extension aims to accommodate larger-scale professional events and simultaneously host multiple events.

This endeavor seeks primarily to cater to recurrent clients who are nearing capacity, such as Luxe Pack, AMWC, or 1to1 Retail - E-commerce, all of whom currently occupy all available spaces, including outdoor areas, necessitating even the installation of a marquee on the esplanade.

Furthermore, the objective is to enhance the adaptability of the spaces to meet the distinct requirements of particular sectors, such as the IT market or the nonprofit sector, which necessitate additional meeting rooms.

This initiative will also make it possible to host gala dinners that can accommodate up to 1650 individuals.

Starting in 2025, the exhibition capacity will increase 50% with an additional 6000 square meters of spaces. Divided into three zones, some of these spaces will be bathed in natural light, suited for hosting exhibitions, conferences, meetings, seated lunches or dinners. Connected to the rest of the building through a link with the current Diaghilev exhibition hall, this extension will also have an independent outdoor entrance facing the sea.

2000 square meters of outdoor spaces will also be available, including the Ravel Terrace with its 600 square meters and a view of the sea.

The GFM will have an urban solar power station on its roof, the largest in the Principality.

References

External links

Convention centers in Monaco
Concert halls in Monaco