Espace Noir is an autonomous culture center with a bar, cinema, concerts, art gallery, fair trade shop and a libertarian book shop.
The Espace Noir is of special cultural importance for the region, since during the 19th century the anti-authoritarian or anarchist movement was particularly strong in this region. In 1872 the Fédération Jurassienne, which had strong support in Saint-Imier, organized a congress in Saint-Imier at which the Anti-authoritarian International Workingmen's Association or Anti-authoritarian International was founded.