From October 15 to 17, Tipogrāfijas Radošais Kvartāls in Liepāja hosted introductory training for the 2026/2027 academic year of the Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027 youth program. During the 27-hour session, participants had to create and execute an event concept. This year, 24 young people from Grobiņa, Nīca, Priekule, Kuldīga, and Liepāja have been accepted into the program.
A total of 32 young people from Liepāja, South Kurzeme, and Kuldīga municipalities applied for the Liepāja 2027 youth program. The program has limited capacity, so in-person interviews were conducted to select the candidates, evaluating the applicants’ motivation, experience, collaborative skills, and readiness to engage throughout the entire program. The selection panel included Justīne Rusakova, Public Participation Project Manager at Liepāja 2027; Elizabete Irbe, representative of the association “Attīstības platforma YOU+”; and graduates of the first Liepāja 2027 youth program, Ieva Bergholce and Raivo Beldavs, who will facilitate this year’s activities.
‘This is the third season for the youth program, and it is crucial that it keeps evolving based on experiences from previous seasons and youth needs. This season’s activities take place during our European Capital of Culture year, and we believe it will be an extra motivator for youth to actively participate in culture and bring their ideas to life. At the same time, we are delighted by the program’s continuity – graduates from previous seasons remain involved and share their expertise. They serve as an inspiration to their peers, proving that young people can take initiative and responsibility, create cultural events and involve others. I believe this willingness to act and assume leadership is a vital value that the program helps develop,’ says Justīne Rusakova, Public Participation Project Manager at Liepāja 2027.
During the introductory training, participants got to know one another, gained overall theoretical knowledge on event management, and collaborated to create and execute an event idea, all within 27 hours. The practical task allowed the participants to test their skills in idea development, teamwork, and process management.
To mark the launch of the Liepāja 2027 youth programme, young people decided to organise a bingo tournament and a quiz covering culture, art and sport. A separate round of the quiz was also dedicated to questions about the Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027 programme. Both prizes for the winners and the overall atmosphere of the event were carefully considered. A budget of €500 was allocated to the event, giving the young people practical insight into the importance of budget planning.
The Liepāja 2027 youth program will run from October 2026 to June 2027. Throughout the program, participants will master each stage of creating a cultural event, from building a team and developing a core concept, to securing sponsors and executing the project. The participants will work in four teams of six, with each team taking responsibility for creating an event at one of four venues: the Pūt, vējiņi! concert garden, Tipogrāfijas Radošais Kvartāls, the Kuldīga Cultural Centre, and the Robežnieki culture house in Grobiņa parish. Throughout the preparation and implementation stages, the groups will work in close collaboration with mentors from Liepāja 2027, holding regular check-in meetings.
The Liepāja 2027 youth training and mentoring program is designed for participants aged 14 to 24 from Liepāja, South Kurzeme, and Kuldīga municipalities. Since its inception in the 2024/2025 academic year, 54 young people from these regions have graduated from the program. At the conclusion of the first cycle, Kuldīga youth organized the event Ravegrieži, while in the second cycle, ideas developed into several cultural events, including the rap event Betona bīti, the adventure walk Nakts misija – Kuldīgas noslēpumi, as well as the events Neona vasara = Liepājā, Burbuļ’ ballīte and Skapja skatuve.
Activities in the 2026/2027 season of the Liepāja 2027 youth program are organized by the association “Attīstības platforma YOU+”. The youth program is implemented by the foundation “Nodibinājums Liepāja 2027” with financial support from the Liepāja City Municipality, the South Kurzeme Municipality, and the Kuldīga Municipality. Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture. The Liepāja 2027 program is supported by its main partner in environmental education and sustainability, AS “CleanR Grupa”, main partner in air mobility and international communications, AS “Air Baltic Corporation”, partner in legal matters SIA “Sorainen ZAB”, land mobility partner, SIA “Lux Express Latvia”, maritime mobility and international communication partner SIA “Stena Line”. Media partners – VSIA “Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs”, SIA “Žurnāls Santa”, SIA “Tvnet grupa”, AS “Kurzemes Radio”.
Released by:
Foundation “Nodibinājums Liepāja 2027”
Public Relations
Kristiāna Paula Lībiete
Phone No.: + 371 22 355 771
E-mail: kristiana.libiete@liepaja2027.lv
