The Dortmund "domicil" was founded in 1969 as a cellar club on Leopold Street. In 2005, the jazz club moved into a former cinema from the 1950s. Numerous well-known musicians have performed here. It is therefore not surprising that the "domicil" was selected by the US magazine "Down Beat" as one of the 100 best jazz clubs in the world. In addition to live concerts, parties and DJ sessions are regularly held. World music and drum’n’bass are also part of the program.
The venue in the city center of Dortmund offers a diverse cultural program with a concert hall, club, lounge, gallery, and its own gastronomy over approximately 1,500 square meters. The organizer is the non-profit association "domicil Dortmund e.V." The self-understanding includes, in addition to the volunteer base and concert program, music educational offerings, systematic youth promotion, as well as regional and international networking. Through sessions, intercultural encounters, conceptual series with changing curators, projects, and workshops, domicil ensures sustainable support for the local and regional music scene.
Regular guest performances by international world stars and newcomers are an integral part of the program, which, with around 300 events annually, significantly contributes to the profile of the "City of Music" Dortmund. The guestbook of domicil features names like Bugge Wesseltoft, Nils Petter Molvaer, WDR Big Band, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joe Zawinul, as well as Mia, Herbert Grönemeyer, Udo Lindenberg, and Helge Schneider. Domicil is part of the revitalized cultural and nightlife quarter "Brückstraßenviertel," where bars, stages, cinemas, and cafes shaped life even during the founding era.
