On Wednesday, 17 June, the Liepāja 2027 Cultural Breakfast took place at the Duna Concert Hall in Kuldīga. The central theme of the event was the creation and development of cultural venues in small communities. Participants discussed how to establish places that become important gathering points for local residents, strengthen community cohesion, enrich cultural life, and attract visitors from beyond the region. The conversations focused on the sustainability of cultural venues, community engagement, creative initiatives, and opportunities to develop cultural offerings outside major urban centres.
At the beginning of the event, Liepāja 2027 cooperation coordinator of Kuldīga Region Agnese Lapsiņa introduced attendees to the latest developments within the Liepāja 2027 programme and highlighted events that will take place in Kuldīga Municipality this summer.
On 9 August, the Liepāja 2027 Genius Loci programme will continue in Alsunga with a traditional wooden window restoration workshop. The workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to gain practical knowledge about the sustainable maintenance of historic buildings and the preservation of traditional building skills. Throughout August, Kuldīga Municipality will also host the creative residency “Notes on Margins”. Five artists will be in residence in Alsunga, Padure, Skrunda, Nīkrāce and Rudbārži, exploring local community stories, historical events and legends through their creative practice and interpreting them in a variety of artistic forms. This year’s residency theme is Illustrated Stories, and the outcomes of the residency will be presented to the wider public in September.
Participants also learned about upcoming community initiatives, opportunities for collaboration, and how to submit projects to the Liepāja 2027 Side Programme and become part of Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027.
The second part of the event featured experience stories from representatives of Duna Concert Hall, Didro Cultural Bar, Laidu Manor Creative Universe Residency, the cultural venue Sapņotava, and Amalienburg Manor. The speakers shared their journeys in establishing and developing cultural spaces, reflected on both challenges and opportunities, and discussed ways of attracting audiences, building partnerships, and creating sustainable cultural initiatives.
Each story demonstrated that successful cultural venues are built on enthusiasm, dedication and a genuine desire to create places where people can not only meet and find inspiration, but also discover new experiences and learning opportunities that enrich local communities.
The “(un)rest” programme of “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027” is implemented by the Liepāja 2027 Foundation, with funding allocated by the City of Liepāja, the South Kurzeme and Kuldīga municipalities, and the Ministry of Culture. The “Liepāja 2027” programme is supported by its main partner in environmental education and sustainability, AS “CleanR Grupa”, Jsc; its main partner in air mobility and international communications, AS “airBaltic Corporation”, Jsc; its partner in legal matters SIA “Sorainen ZAB”, Ltd; its land mobility partner, SIA “Lux Express Latvia”, Ltd; alongside its maritime mobility and international communication partner SIA “Stena Line”, Ltd; The Foundation’s media partners are: VSIA “Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs”, Ltd; SIA “Tvnet grupa”, Ltd; and AS “Kurzemes Radio”, Jsc.
For the past two weeks, French director, choreographer and Artistic Director of Bourges 2028, Christophe Haleb, has been in Liepāja together with a film crew to develop a documentary film project.
Saturday, June 20, from 12:00 to 16:00, the “Ventspils Street Creative Courtyard” event will take place in Kuldīga, in the courtyard of the Community House, at Ventspils Street 16. The event is part of the “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027” programme.
From June 12 to 14, the International Symposium “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” took place in Liepāja and Pāvilosta. The event brought together artists, researchers, curators, designers, and cultural historians from Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Germany, Hong Kong, and Canada.
