On 10 September, as part of the “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027” programme, the Fourth Kurzeme Culture Forum “Cultural Growth: People” took place at Kazdanga Parish Culture Centre, bringing together around 200 representatives of the cultural sector and other interested participants. This year, the forum focused on people – as cultural creators, professionals, audiences and co-creators – as well as on their role at a time when cultural processes are increasingly shaped by technological development and the digital environment.
One of the central conversations of the day was the discussion “How Not to Get Lost in the Illusion of Artificial Intelligence?”, featuring Daiga Straupeniece, Māris Valtenbergs and Zita Lazdāne. The discussion highlighted that artificial intelligence has been, is and will continue to be part of our lives. Therefore, the key is not to fear it but to learn how to use it. At the same time, it is important not to become dependent on technology, to remain courageous and to combine physical and digital environments in a meaningful way while preserving human presence and the ability simply to live.
Elviss Strazdiņš also addressed the role of people in the digital environment and the importance of online safety. He gave a brief overview of various types of fraud and explained how to recognise them. He began his talk with an engaging story about how to remove data from old smart devices to prevent it from falling into the hands of fraudsters.
Eva Johansone spoke about the importance of maintaining balance, emphasising that while it is important to be passionate about an idea, that passion can gradually turn into burnout. For this reason, teamwork is essential.
Asnāte Rancāne also highlighted the importance of teamwork while sharing her experience. Kristīne Jonīte-Jurkēviča, in turn, shared the story of Mālpils, emphasising the strength of the local community and demonstrating how much can be achieved with relatively limited resources.
Renāte Balode, Marika Rudzīte-Griķe, Iveta Graudiņa, Evita Taupmane and Edgars Vērpe also shared their experience and knowledge during the forum, encouraging discussions on content creation, personal energy and productivity, communication on social media, project implementation and the role of people in cultural processes.
“Each Kurzeme Culture Forum is, in its own way, a new challenge. We want to discover new perspectives and create a balanced programme that offers something valuable to every participant, regardless of whether they work in a small community culture centre, in a city or are simply active in their community. It is immensely rewarding when people approach us or send us their impressions and reflections afterwards. There is a strong sense of accomplishment now, as everything seems to have gone extremely well. As they left, people shared both smiles and positive energy, allowing us to say with confidence – see you in Bārta next year,” says forum organiser Daina Vanaga.
The diverse discussions and experience stories demonstrated that, even in a time of technological change, people remain at the heart of cultural processes – through their ideas, relationships, ability to collaborate and capacity to create a vibrant cultural environment.
The Fifth Kurzeme Culture Forum will take place in Bārta next year, continuing the forum’s mission and conversations about the role of people in cultural processes.
The forum is organized by the South Kurzeme Municipality and with financial support from the foundation “Nodibinājums Liepāja 2027.” The 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”, legal partner: Sorainen Law Office, Ltd., Jsc; and its land mobility partner, SIA “Lux Express Latvia”, Ltd. Media partners: VSIA “Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs”, Ltd. and AS “Kurzemes Radio”, Jsc.
Information prepared by:
Kristīne Āreniece
Public Relations Specialist
Phone: +371 29 943 503
Email: kristine.areniece@dkn.lv
