Liepāja announces 2026 cultural projects grant competition

The Liepāja Cultural Department announces the annual project competition to provide financial support for the implementation of culturally significant projects in the city across various fields of culture and the arts.

Representatives from different cultural and artistic fields, including interdisciplinary and creative industry projects, are invited to participate.

Submissions for the competition, in order to be considered for financial support, will be accepted from 12 January 2026.

The competition aims to support projects that create and develop a contemporary, intellectually rich cultural environment, offer high-quality and diverse content, and ensure access to both traditional and contemporary culture for a wide audience. Projects proposing educational activities within the cultural and creative industries sector—such as workshops, lectures, and seminars—are also encouraged. Additionally, projects demonstrating innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the potential to promote the name of Liepāja’s culture internationally will be highly valued. The competition also emphasizes active public engagement, the promotion of cultural values, and the strengthening of local non-governmental cultural organizations.

Applications for the project competition will be accepted over a three-week period—from 12 January to midnight on 2 February 2026.

Submitted projects will be evaluated by a jury panel. The competition’s priorities include fostering a modern and intellectual cultural environment in Liepāja, supporting the realization of new and innovative cultural ideas that can resonate locally, nationally, and internationally, ensuring the quality and diversity of cultural events, promoting both traditional and contemporary culture, and encouraging the participation of Liepāja residents in cultural life.

The total budget for this year’s competition is €50,000, with individual project funding ranging from a minimum of €1,000 to a maximum of €5,000. If an event is free of charge to visitors, funding may cover up to 80% of the total project cost; if ticket sales are planned, financial support may cover up to 50% of total expenses. Applicants may submit multiple projects, but the maximum total support for one organization is €8,000.

Eligible participants include legal entities registered in the Latvian Enterprise Register that are not municipal or state institutions, as well as municipal and state limited liability companies, including public derivative entities. Individuals registered with the Latvian State Revenue Service as self-employed may also apply.

Projects should be implemented between 1 March 2026 and 28 February 2027.

For consultations regarding the competition, please contact us by email at liepajaskultura@liepaja.lv or by phone at +371 63 483 939.

All information about the project competition can be found here: www.liepaja.lv/kulturas-projektu-konkurss

Prepared by

Evija Timbra
Liepāja Cultural Department
Public Relations and Marketing Project Manager
Phone: +371 63 483 941
Email: Evija.Timbra@liepaja.lv