The closing event for the second round of the Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027 community strengthening programme, “Neighbourliness”, will take place on Wednesday, 29 July, at the “Brīvības osta” hotel venue in Aizpute.
The gathering will bring together representatives from associations and foundations from Liepāja, Kuldīga, and the South Kurzeme regions who have successfully delivered local initiatives with the programme’s support. Active community leaders and organisations interested in joining future editions of the programme are also welcome to attend.
Participants will receive the latest updates on the Liepāja 2027 process and engage in peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, exploring the localised impact, outcomes, and lessons learned from their projects. To offer fresh perspectives on community engagement, artist, curator, and cultural researcher Kaspars Lielgalvis will deliver a keynote titled “Bringing Society Together by Revitalizing Cultural Life”. His presentation will focus on how strategic cultural initiatives can catalyse local participation, foster civic activism, and build sustainable, long-term collaborations. We will also hear from Mārtiņš and Meldra Gineitis, the owners of “Brīvības osta” who will share the narrative of the building’s historical restoration and its role as a community anchor. Registration for the event is open until Friday, 24 July, filling in the online form.
The second round of the “Neighbourliness” programme saw the successful implementation of eight community initiatives from Liepāja, Kuldīga, and the South Kurzeme regions, supported by Liepāja 2027 microgrants totalling 5,000 euros. Beyond financial assistance, the programme provided participants with targeted capacity-building workshops covering values-based community development, forum theatre, movement-based social engagement methods, communication technologies, and digital storytelling, alongside practical mentorship to guide project implementation.
The third round of the community strengthening programme will start this autumn, continuing its established framework of microgrants, professional training, and structured mentorship for community members.
Furthermore, an open call for residential communities will be announced this August, offering financial support for grassroots initiatives within the municipalities of Liepāja, Kuldīga, and South Kurzeme. Under this umbrella, individual projects can secure a maximum funding allocation of 4,000 euros, drawing from a total available funding pool of 84,000 euros. Full application criteria and guidelines will be published in late August.
By addressing and balancing active civic participation with the deep-rooted need for community belonging the “Neighbourliness” programme continues to strengthen regional cohesion, stimulate the co-creation of new traditions, and diversify the cultural fabric across the entire Liepāja 2027 partnership territory.
The “Neighbourliness” community strengthening programme 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; Media partnership is provided by VSIA “Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs”, Ltd; SIA “Tvnet grupa”, Ltd; and AS “Kurzemes Radio”, Jsc.
For more information:
Foundation Liepāja 2027
Public Participation Project Coordinator
Andra Strautiņa
Phone: +371 28 755 665
E-mail: andra.strautina@liepaja2027.lv
