Liepāja Music, Art and Design Secondary School (LMMDV) will launch the project “Position + Design”, which brings together traditional craft skills and contemporary design thinking, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, conscious moderation, and responsible use of resources. The project is implemented as part of the basic partner project selection programme of Liepāja 2027 and will take place from January 2026 until the end of 2027.
The aim of the project is to foster creative collaboration between LMMDV students, local craftspeople, and international designers, resulting in design prototypes based on locally sourced, environmentally friendly materials and traditional techniques, while exploring their contemporary interpretations. The project highlights the relevance of craftsmanship in today’s design context and offers a practical platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience across generations and cultures.
The project programme includes public guest lectures, creative workshops and masterclasses, a final exhibition in Liepāja, as well as a travelling exhibition developed in cooperation with international partners. A key role in the creative process is played by the project mentors — design thinker and Professor at the Art Academy of Latvia Barbara Ābele, and LMMDV educator Guna Poga, whose professional experience ensures a high educational and artistic quality of the project. International guest lecturers will also be involved, broadening participants’ perspectives on sustainable design processes in a European and global context.
During the creative workshops, students will work with materials characteristic of the South Kurzeme region, including wood, clay, textiles, leather, reeds, and other natural resources, learning both traditional craft techniques and innovative approaches to their application. The resulting design prototypes will reflect the diversity of the creative process and the experimental outcomes generated through collaboration between emerging designers and experienced master craftspeople.
The final exhibition in Liepāja and its travelling version abroad will provide wider audiences with insight into the project’s outcomes, highlighting the interaction between craftsmanship and design as a significant component of contemporary culture and sustainability. The project will create an environment for creative thinking, hands-on experience, and dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity, while strengthening Liepāja’s image as a creative and internationally open cultural centre.
Guided by principles of green thinking and conscious moderation, the project promotes a sustainable approach to design, encouraging a thoughtful attitude towards materials, production processes, and the role of cultural heritage in modern society.
Liepāja Music, Art and Design Secondary School invites the public to follow the project’s progress and take part in public lectures, creative workshops, and exhibitions, offering opportunities to gain practical knowledge, experience creative collaboration, and explore the relevance of cultural heritage in a contemporary context.
The project “Position + Design” is implemented within the Liepāja 2027 programme, with funding provided by the Ministry of Culture, the City of Liepāja, and the municipalities of South Kurzeme and Kuldīga.
Liepāja Music, Art and Design Secondary School
www.lmmdv.edu.lv
The Liepāja 2027 Foundation has concluded its cultural tourism co-financing competition “Land of (un)rest, Tell Us Stories!”, announced in October 2025 and aimed at developing innovative and sustainable cultural tourism offers. Following the evaluation, nine projects have been awarded a total of EUR 87,012 in co-financing.
On 16 and 17 January, the Liepāja 2027 Foundation took part in the official opening festival of Oulu – European Capital of Culture 2026 in Finland. As part of the programme, Liepāja 2027 presented an interactive stand, “Liepāja Culture Glows with Warmth”, inviting festival visitors to experience the spirit of Liepāja and its summer atmosphere in the heart of the Nordic winter.
On 16 and 17 January, the Liepāja 2027 Foundation will take part in the official opening festival of Oulu – European Capital of Culture 2026 in Finland. As part of the programme, Liepāja 2027 will present an interactive stand “Liepāja Culture Glows with Warmth”, inviting festival visitors to experience the spirit of Liepāja and its summer atmosphere in the heart of the Nordic winter.