On Wednesday, 25 February, Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027 revealed the first part of its wide-ranging programme “(un)rest”, which will unfold across Liepāja, South Kurzeme and the Kuldīga regions. The programme brings together music, contemporary art, interdisciplinary projects, public engagement initiatives and community-based activities.
The Liepāja 2027 programme “(un)rest” is structured around five thematic lines that respond to issues relevant to Liepāja and neighbouring regions, while also engaging with broader European questions.
“When Liepāja set forth its bid to become the European Capital of Culture, it spoke of itself as a city unafraid of challenges and a dash of noble madness. A place where every soul may find room to shape the cultural life of the region. I hope that Liepāja, South Kurzeme, and Kuldīga shall become a realm where the voice of Latvian culture rings boldly across Europe in 2027. Let us show – and prove – the true worth and wondrous diversity of our culture,” wishes Culture Minister Agnese Lāce.
The Liepāja 2027 programme is being created through projects developed by core partners, initiatives selected via open calls, and events produced by the Liepāja 2027 Foundation in cooperation with local and international curators. Several hundred professionals and organisations are involved in shaping the programme.
“This is the hour when ideas step forth into reality: very soon, Liepāja together with Kuldīga and South Kurzeme shall stand as the epicentre of European culture. This is no tale of a single city, but of all Latvia, growing stronger and more visible through the power of culture. Thank you to all who have taken part – this will be a moment of great meaning for our region and nation. We now enter a vital chapter in which, with reverence for our values and the courage to grant creativity its rightful space, we shall reveal the cultural might of Kurzeme and Latvia,” says Gunārs Ansiņš, Chairman of the Liepāja City Council.
In total, the programme consists of more than 500 events, ranging from exhibitions, concerts, performances and conferences to the creation of urban installations and new cultural tourism products, all aiming to boost the region’s international visibility while nurturing local creative potential.
“We live in a time when the world feels fragile, noisy and saturated with disturbing signals. Europe needs resilience. Culture can no longer be merely a backdrop; it must become a tool, a voice and a place for real, sometimes uncomfortable conversations,” says Baiba Bartkeviča, Artistic Director of Liepāja 2027. “In Liepāja 2027, art and culture are forms of action. It’s not just another year in the calendar. It’s the shared years-long journey hand in hand with our partners, artists, communities both from Latvia and Europe. It’s an opportunity to reflect and act together with Europeans, to strengthen shared values, to nurture communities and to create new collaborations.”
While programme-related activities have been taking place since 2024, the European Capital of Culture year will officially begin on 22 January 2027 with opening events in Kuldīga and South Kurzeme, followed by a large-scale opening programme in Liepāja on 23 January. Preparations for the opening celebrations are already in place. Under the artistic guidance of film director Matīss Kaža, an outdoor concert performance “City Symphony” is in development. Theatre director Laura Groza is preparing the indoor concert ceremony “Wind Symphony”, while composer Ēriks Ešenvalds is creating a new musical work for the particular occasion. Alongside these flagship events, cultural venues across Liepāja will host a variety of events designed to appeal to diverse audiences.
In 2027, Liepāja will welcome a major solo exhibition by Japanese contemporary art star Chiharu Shiota 塩田千春, internationally renowned for her monumental installations that transform threads, nets and everyday objects into poetic structures exploring memory, identity and belonging. Another highlight is the internationally acclaimed Lithuanian contemporary opera “Sun & Sea” (Saulė ir jūra), winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, which brings together performance, visual art and music. Music lovers can look forward to the international concert series “Stars in Amber”, which will introduce world-class musicians who have not previously performed in the city to audiences at the Great Amber Concert Hall.
From 9 to 15 August 2027, Liepāja will also host “Europa Cantat”, one of Europe’s largest amateur choir festivals, with more than 3,000 singers, conductors and music enthusiasts from around the world for a week of concerts, shared singing, masterclasses and cultural exchange.
The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra will present the Liepāja Opera Festival “Opera by the Sea”, combining stylistically diverse events that celebrate the breadth of the operatic world while highlighting the work of Latvian composers and introducing the public to internationally recognised opera stars. Created for this particular occasion are a song cycle by Arturs Maskats and a new opera by Rihards Dubra “Vēju vīrs Pankoks” (Pankoks. Man of the Wind).
The Liepāja Theatre will organise the international theatre festival “Theatre in Close-Up”, presenting productions from countries around the Baltic Sea alongside discussions on theatre practice, presentations of performance ideas, staged readings of plays developed during playwright residencies and a range of accompanying activities, including free events for the public.
The forum series “Agora of Values” will bring together leading experts from Latvia and Europe to engage in contemporary debates addressing topics of importance to Latvia, Europe and the planet.
Liepāja Art Forum 2027 will become one of the city’s key contemporary art events, focusing on relationships between the human and non-human worlds through sound art, visual art, contemporary dance, technology and ideas emerging from science.
The hugely popular “Illuminated Liepāja” Festival of Lights will return in 2027 with new nocturnal urban installations by Japanese and Finnish artists.
Beyond Liepāja, an international and interdisciplinary summer school for artists, named after the writer Zenta Mauriņa, will be established in the regions. New walking routes will be created, and a wide range of creative residencies, concerts, performances, exhibitions and interdisciplinary projects will take place throughout the year.
The programme has been designed to ensure that there is always something inspiring to discover. Around 60% of events will take place in Liepāja, while 40% will be hosted in cultural venues and outdoor locations across Kuldīga and South Kurzeme. More than 200 partners and curators will be involved in delivering the programme.
At this moment, only part of the Liepāja 2027 programme is being announced, with the full programme to be revealed in the autumn.
During the programme announcement event, Liepāja 2027 also publicly confirmed its official cooperation with AS “CleanR Grupa” (JSC), which has become the main partner for environmental education and sustainability. Together, several major environmental education initiatives will come to life by the end of 2027.
“In caring for Latvia’s sustainable future, our purpose is to foster a responsible bond between people and the environment, and thus environmental literacy feels to us a vital skill in our age. Music, art, and culture are the tongues through which we widen our horizons, speak of environmental understanding, and nurture new habits. It brings us true joy to be part of the European Capital of Culture, adding to the programme events rooted in environmental education. In Liepāja, we shall continue the already known ŠŪNA concept, reborn in a new form through the synergy of art and science. We shall also bring the singular multimedia performance “Nature’s Concert Hall” to the city, and this year we begin our work with event organisers – sharing our knowledge of sustainable practices and inviting the public, from schoolchildren to seniors, to embrace thoughtful and responsible choices in their daily lives,” says Agita Baltbārde, board member of AS “CleanR Grupa” (JSC) and European Climate Pact ambassador in Latvia.
A first glimpse of the Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027 programme is available at www.liepaja2027.lv/ieskats-programma.
The Liepāja – European Capital of Culture initiative is brought to life by the Liepāja 2027 Foundation, working closely with the Liepāja City Municipality and official partners across South Kurzeme and the Kuldīga region. AS “CleanR Grupa” (JSC) leads the way as the main partner for environmental education and sustainability, while transportation company SIA “Lux Express Latvia” (Ltd) supports the programme as its official mobility partner.
Updates on upcoming events and ticket sales can be found at www.liepaja2027.lv/en.
The momentum behind the Liepāja 2027 programme is only growing, with new events, partnerships and opportunities to get involved on the horizon. If you’d like to stay close to the action and follow the journey as it unfolds, you’re warmly invited to join the Liepāja 2027 newsletter for monthly updates
Liepāja 2027 Foundation
Head of Public Relations and Marketing
Zita Lazdāne
Phone: + 371 22 017 277
E-mail: zita.lazdane@liepaja2027.lv
The foundation Liepāja 2027 is expanding its team and has announced four new vacancies, inviting applications for the positions of Public Relations Specialist, Sales Specialist, Procurement Specialist and Public Participation Project Coordinator. Applications for all positions are open until 10 March 2026 at 23:59
From 20 to 21 February, the Steering Committee and Music Commission of “Europa Cantat” visited Liepāja to begin preparations for the 22nd International Choral Festival “Europa Cantat 2027”, which will take place in the summer of 2027.
On Wednesday, 18 February, the Kuldīga Youth House hosted the traditional Cultural Breakfasts organised by the foundation Liepāja 2027, bringing together representatives of the cultural sector, young people, and active members of the community from Kuldīga and the surrounding area.
