On October 17, 2025, the premiere of the performance “How to Become a Resident of Liepāja?” will take place — a walking performance featuring untamed musical subjects. The performance will unfold as a journey through places significant to Liepāja’s underground culture, introducing the people who bring these spaces to life and the stories that make them belong to Liepāja. Along the way, we will ask together: what makes someone belong to a particular place? How can we find common ground in diversity – and is it even necessary?
Liepāja is known in Latvia as the capital of rock music, yet today this brand is in the crossroads, as an important contemporary question has emerged: do the subcultures that defined Latvia’s cultural and musical scene 20, 30, or 40 years ago still exist? Young people have always been the driving force of counterculture. The creative team of the performance believes that subcultures do exist in Liepāja and that they play a significant role in the city’s development.
The performance is created by the “Equilibrium group” foundation, INITIUM foundation, director and playwright Andris Zeļonka, musical consultant and composer Jēkabs Nīmanis, artist Katrīna Ieva, and producer Ieva Niedre. The creative team works closely with representatives of various genres and subcultures – young Liepāja musicians such as jazz artist Iamtheoceanflow, the band “Purva Šamaņi”, hip-hop artist Siskela, pianist Artūrs Liepiņš, electronic music artist DJ Orthodox, and others. The production focuses on exploring Liepāja’s subcultures and discovering new perspectives on the city’s identity, drawing on the experiences, opinions, and quests for belonging of young people living in Liepāja.
The event will take place in various locations across Liepāja — on the streets, in alternative culture hangouts, and beyond. Tickets are available at “Bilešu Paradīze” box offices and online at www.bilesuparadize.lv.
The project is carried out with the financial support of the foundation Liepāja 2027 and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia within the framework of the Liepāja 2027 project competition “Rokam roku”. It is also supported by the Liepāja Culture Department project competition and the British Council Latvia. The performance is additionally supported by the art space “Veranda”, the club “Kursa”, and others.
Ieva Niedre
Producer of the performance
E-mail: ievaniedre@gmail.com
On Wednesday, 22 October, at 18:00, the Small Hall of Liepāja Theatre in the Great Amber Concert Hall will open its doors to an unusual theatrical experience. The Liepāja 2027 Foundation invites audiences to the “Bezgalīgais ritums” (Endless Course), a sensory performance directed by Liena Šmukste.
On the evening of September 11, four poets, three languages, and contemporary jazz came together on stage at the “Wiktorija”. The poets — Sabine Huynh (France), Gökçenur Ç (Turkey), Gunta Šnipke, and Roberts Vilsons — participated in a collaborative exchange, blending their voices and styles.
The masterclass marked the continuation of Kitija Balcare’s work on the Eco-Design Guidelines — practical recommendations for cultural event organizers to help them work in line with environmentally friendly principles and Liepāja’s sustainable development goals.