Restoration Masterclass and Discussion Series in Liepāja Start with an Open Event at the Peter’s Market

On the weekend of 5 July, a new series of masterclasses and discussions “From Know-How to Do-How” was opened with an event at Liepāja Peter’s Market, focusing on historical heritage and offering practical creative workshops for all family. The programme promotes the preservation of cultural heritage and encourages sustainable practices as a new standard of living.

The launch event started with an open discussion, “Historical Heritage in Today’s Context,” where industry professionals explored the importance of cultural heritage, modern methods of preservation, the values of the New European Bauhaus, and shared experiences in restoration, sustainability and public engagement.

“One of the key goals of the Liepāja Restoration Centre is to dispel the myth that restoration is a costly, complicated service available only to a limited few,” emphasised Ivars Pilips, founder of the Liepāja Restoration Centre, during the discussion. “I want to demonstrate that restoration is accessible to anyone who wishes to understand, appreciate and care for their historic home or building.”
The event marked the beginning of “From Know-How to Do-How” – a series of nine free public activities highlighting the significance of cultural heritage and advocating for restoration and sustainable living in everyday life. The project “FROM KNOW-HOW TO DO-HOW” is part of the New European Bauhaus programme by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and is being implemented in Latvia by the Liepāja Restoration Centre in cooperation with the Liepāja 2027 Foundation.

The aim of the series is to empower individuals to become the stewards of their own homes – equipped with the knowledge, respect for historical value, and an understanding of how to maintain heritage in ways that match the quality of its time. Experts emphasised that restoration is not only about preserving the past, but about shaping an environment that is aligned with the core values of the New European Bauhaus – sustainable, inclusive and beautiful. Restoration, they stressed, contributes to a more thoughtful, people-centred and aesthetically pleasing living space, now and in the future.

The discussion brought together professionals from Rīga and the Creative Land of (un)Rest. Those were Ieva Pakalniņa – Project Manager of the New European Bauhaus initiative at the Latvian Association of Architects, Elīna Orna – Head of the Kurzeme Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board and Chief Inspector, Ivars Pilips – Director of the Liepāja Restoration Centre, Inese Tauriņa – Co-founder of the Aizpute Renaissance Society and Ilze Zariņa – Director of the Kuldīga Restoration Centre. The event was moderated by Nauris, Grēta and Ģertrūde Lazdāns – an active Liepāja-local family and cultural observers.

Alongside the discussion, artist Agnese Rudzīte led the creation of a collaborative artwork dedicated to Liepāja, which will be exhibited at other events in the series. Visitors also made seed balls, or pom-poms with plants under the guidance of the Science and Education Innovation Centre, to be planted in their chosen locations in the autumn.

The project will continue throughout July with further events in Liepāja, including restoration masterclasses and practical preservation work at St. Anna’s Church, two masterclasses on sustainable gardening and composting, two community-building events at Anna’s Market and Baata Market, and the final celebration – a garden festival at the Liepāja Restoration Centre.

All events are free of charge. To attend the masterclasses, advance registration is required: ej.uz/restauracijas_centrs. Please note, that places are limited.

Full programme details: ej.uz/restauracijasprogramma. For more information follow the social media pages of the Liepāja Restoration Centre and Liepāja 2027.

About the Project

The EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB) is funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology and supports citizens, grass-roots initiatives and startups that embody the core values of the European Commission’s New European Bauhaus movement (sustainability, inclusivity and beauty) through business creation & acceleration, funding, mentorship and network.

The Enhance NEB programme supports the scaling and replication of successful projects previously funded through Connect NEB or Co-create NEB. Delivered by the EIT Community New European Bauhaus and funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology, the programme funds consortia of cities, regions or municipalities and local organisations to expand or adapt initiatives that transform the built environment in line with NEB values of sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics.

Since 2023, the Liepāja Restoration Centre has served as Latvia’s official partner of the New European Bauhaus, with additional support from the State Culture Capital Foundation’s “Development Programme for Latvian Historical Lands”, as part of the Kurzeme Culture Programme 2025, implemented by the Kurzeme Planning Region.

Additional information

Liepāja Restoration Centre
Ivars Pilips, Director and Founder
Phone: +371 26 977 080
E-mail: liepajas.restauracija@gmail.com