LATVIJAS JAUNĀ TEĀTRA INSTITŪTS

Newsletter “Culture and Development” is published quarterly by the nongovernmental organisation “Culturelab” (Latvia). It informs about the latest developments in Latvian cultural policy, regional initiatives, creative industries, significant shifts and changes in cultural infrastructure.

CULTURAL POLICY NEWS: LATVIA

The Ministry of Culture of Latvia introduced the idea of cultural Canon at the end of 2007 during the conference on the Cultural Canon. In 2008 expert committees in the fields of architecture and design, film, literature, folk traditions, visual art, music and performing arts gathered to come up with the preliminary list of outstanding art works. This list will be further debated by the society. During the year of 2009, lists including 12 art works in each field will be presented to the society in the format of interactive website, book and CD-Rom.

Denmark and the Netherlands have already completed similar project. Latvian architect Oskars Redbergs answering to the question “Does Latvia Need its Own Cultural Canon?” posed by the magazine “Dizaina Studija” replies: “The Latvian situation is different from both Denmark and the Netherlands. Latvia currently has one of the most liberal economic policies in Europe, an immature democracy, a multinational ethnic composition, nationalistic cultural policy, high criminality, heterogeneous society, unclear national identity, and lack of development strategies and new ideas. (..) I see canon as reference points in different cultural fields.”

The construction of the new building of Latvian National Library was started in summer 2008. The project has overcome long lasting public and political debates that has finally resulted in the undertaking that would require 114,6 million LVL (around 163,7 million EUR) investment over the next 5 years. Gunnar Birkerts, who is the most famous architect of Latvian origin in the world, named the project Castle of Light.

The current economical crisis has brought about new concerns and protests. In the recent years support among the society members for the construction of the National Library has been decreasing, opinion polls data tell. Right wing oppositional party Jaunais Laiks tried to stop the project. While the Minister of Culture Helena Demakova brings in economical arguments stating that implementation of the project of Latvian National Library is economically grounded both in short-term and long-term: “In short-term, implementation of the project will help to overcome the approaching crisis in construction sector, one of the driving forces of economy; in long-term, the Castle of Light is a huge step forward in development of knowledge about society and competitive national economy in Latvia.” Up to now construction works of the Latvian National Library go on according to the schedule.

Along with the new building for the National library, there are several other investment projects under development: construction of the Contemporary Art Museum, concert halls in Rīga and Liepāja, as well as reconstruction plans for regional cultural centres and concert halls (the latter would be significantly supported by structural funds).

news from the cities and regions

Karosta K@2

One of the most innovative regional cultural organisations - Culture and Information Centre K@2 - situated in Karosta, Liepāja city is experiencing period of severe changes. As one can notice in their website, many of their activities are marked as “Paused”. Internal organisational transformation goes along with their dispute with the city authority over the ownership and privatisation of property.

The K@2 Centre was established in 2000 and acted as a frame for many cultural activities by local and foreign artists who came to Karosta to make their projects and get inspiration from the unique feeling that Karosta only had – its nature, buildings, ruins, and people.

Karosta (‘Military Port’) is a coastal neighbourhood to the north of Liepāja in the western Latvia. Karosta was constructed in 1890-1906 as a naval base for the Russian Tsar Alexander III, and later served as a base for the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Now it is a very popular place for tourists and artists, since it offers unique sights and interesting places - like the scenic seascapes with partially blasted fortresses on the Baltic shore.

Thanks to K@2 projects and regeneration activities, this place was transformed into an attractive environment hosting many social, educational and cultural activities, appealing to the tourists both locally and internationally, initiating the idea of using regeneration approach to city planning and development.

Four cities – Rīga, Jūrmala, Cēsis and Liepāja – have applied for the competition to become European Cultural Capital 2014. Two cities aim to involve the whole region in the cultural programme. Cēsis has drafted proposal together with the cities of the Vidzeme region, while Liepāja involves Kurzeme region.

The process is kept rather secret, cities have not published their applications as it is done by the Swedish cities of Lund, Umeå, Gävle, Uppsala, the latter also competing for the name of European Cultural Capital of 2014. No open public debate on the endorsement of regional development or concerning the idea of Rīga as the cultural metropolis of the Baltics has taken place yet.

Study “Socio-economical Development Tendencies of Latvian Cities” was commissioned by The State Regional Development Agency and carried out by the Laboratory of Analytic and Strategic Studies (2008). Study comprised 38 cities in Latvia analysing potential growth of the cities, their competitiveness and polycentric development possibilities.

For the first time analysis of creativity was included in the study, estimating the index of creativity and concentration of creative class. Latvian capital Rīga is the largest development centre in the country with the highest index of creativity. It is a creative metropolis, measured by taking into account the concentration of talent and technology.

Findings show that Rīga hosts 83% of scientific institutions, 83% of high-tech enterprises, and 70% of TOP 500 enterprises calculated from the total number of enterprises in 38 cities. Besides, 58% of the creative class reside in Rīga. Authors of the study indicate that Rīga has to choose between its future as an industrial city and the creative centre.

Meanwhile Laboratory of Analytic and Strategic Studies has presented another study on cultural consumption in Liepāja city commissioned by Cultural Department of Liepāja City Authority (2008). Liepāja is one of the main cities in Kurzeme region (Western part of Latvia).

About 46% of Liepāja inhabitants take active part in leisure time activities, though particularly in cultural activities – not more than 10%.

During the last year the majority of city inhabitants have visited neither classical music concerts, nor ballet and opera — which is a challenge for administrators of the concert hall that is planned to be built in the coming years. However inhabitants of Liepāja are very positive about the future prospects of having a new concert hall (68% of them plan to attend concerts organised there).

Creative industries

In 2008, the State Culture Education Centre changed its name for the Centre of Culture and Creative Industries Education (state administration institution) thus enlarging scope of its responsibilities and establishing a body that is responsible for culture industries.

As creative industries are among top priorities of the state’s cultural policy, Ministry of Culture takes an active role in developing policy framework for creative industries. Though economically most successful sectors are publishing (literature and media) & polygraph industry (37% of the turnover from the total turnover of all creative industries in 2006) and advertisement (27%) Ministry of Culture are prioritising design and audiovisual media & multimedia because of their export potential. Cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science is planned in order to develop new educational curriculum for design, as well as innovative gastronomy. New College of Design is planned in the city of Liepāja.

Culturelab is aiming to promote an individual and community development through arts and cultural activities, creative and innovative use of cultural resources - both physical assets as well opportunities in cultural engagement.

Culturelab seeks where culture interacts with other fields, thus enlarging understanding of art and culture. It focuses on cultural policy debate and research, maintains website “Culture and Development”, organises seminars, conferences, translates and publishes books on cultural policy and management.

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