Participation in elections is a form of civic activism and one of the most important aspects of a democratic state.
This year, the national turnout was critically low, for example, in Liepāja, only 28.84% of the eligible population voted in the municipal elections.
In order to find a solution to increase voter turnout, Liepāja, on its way to becoming the European Capital of Culture 2027, collaborated with students from the Latvian Academy of Arts, who in seven-week time created four communication design solutions to mobilize local residents’ engagement in the electoral process, thus promoting civic political participation and strengthening a democratic state.
Low voter turnout and inappropriate design of polling stations for the country’s biggest event were defined as main challenges for the design solutions.
Here you can see the solutions developed by the students to prompt the local Liepāja community take part in the democratic processes: www.fold.lv
The Supervisory Board’s purpose is to oversee the project’s content, financial utilization, and achieved results, as well as to facilitate cooperation between municipalities, state institutions, and other stakeholders.
Launching the month of Liepāja’s 400th anniversary celebration, the Liepāja Holy Trinity Cathedral on Saturday, 1 March 2025, at 17:00 will host a sacred music concert, “Caur gaismu nāk un sudrabs top” (Through Light Cometh Silver Shine). This event brings under single musical umbrella newly composed works by Liepāja-spirited composers Ēriks Ešenvalds, Jānis Lūsēns, and Andris Kontauts, paired with samples from the cathedral’s historical sheet music collection, creating a harmonious bridge between past and present.
This competition was launched to inspire the creation of an innovative and artistically refined environmental object that integrates seamlessly into Liepaja’s urban landscape.