SKLAD_ is the first institution in Abkhazia with a primary focus on contemporary art practices. Since its opening in autumn 2015 in Sukhum, the capital of Abkhazia, SKLAD_ has been creating a space for artistic interventions, discussions, and educational programs with the aim of promoting civil dialogue and sharing.

SKLAD_ is an important local platform that contributes to the development and presentation of young artists from Abkhazia. It is also the only institution in Abkhazia that consistently conducts educational programs in the field of contemporary art.

Abkhazia is a historically multiethnic region located between the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, inhabited by Abkhazians, Georgians, Russians, Armenians, Greeks, Jews, and other ethnic groups. After the formation of the Soviet Union, Abkhazia was incorporated into the Georgian Republic. Known for its coastline and lush subtropical climate, Abkhazia was once referred to as the "Soviet Riviera" and served as a major tourist destination. It was also traditionally a significant supplier of tobacco, tea, and citrus fruits to Soviet markets.

Following the brutal war of 1992–1993, which left the region in ruins and led to the mass exodus of the Georgian population, Abkhazia unilaterally declared independence. Years of isolation and embargo followed until 2008, when Russia and a few other states recognized the country. Nevertheless, Abkhazia remains largely unrecognized and isolated. Its infrastructure and economy have never fully recovered from the war.

The mission of SKLAD_ is to engage contemporary art practitioners in historical self-reflection and to promote the de-isolation of Abkhazia through international cultural exchange, making SKLAD_ a unique institution in the region.

Today, SKLAD_ occupies a 180 m² space within the Sukhumpribor factory. Housed in a Soviet modernist building, Sukhumpribor is a remnant of the Soviet industrial past. Nearly every pen sold in the USSR contained a stainless steel ball produced at Sukhumpribor.

During the 1992–1993 war, factory workers organized themselves to protect the facility from looters. Later, they became the first collective to privatize the factory, distributing shares among all former workers.

Today, Sukhumpribor is primarily rented out to a large clothing market, various workshops, rehearsal studios, and, among others, SKLAD_.