Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate

During the creation of Riga’s application, Latvia is celebratingthe 5 th anniversary since the largest expansion of theEuropean Union to date. In 2014, it will be a round anniversary– 10 years, which Latvia will celebrate with the EuropeanCapital of Culture project. An additional benefit to the accentuationof the European perpendicular in public perceptionis Latvia’s anticipated presidency of the European Union in2015. Culture, in this context will have a doubly importantrole – as a messenger of public diplomacy, focusing attentionon the vector of the European unified values before thearrival of matters on the political agenda onto the stage, andoutlining the significance of each country, each person inthe development of the European dimension.It is currently estimated that in 2012 the single European currency,the Euro will be put into circulation in Latvia, with inhabitants makinga full transformation to a unified European currency for the settlementof their accounts. The introduction of the Euro into circulationwill be more than just a technical activity. It will be linked tothe way of thinking of people, with a more direct awareness of theEuropean single market and a more direct practical and also mentalcontact with the European Union. This is another argument determinedby circumstances, which envisages an important role forculture, explaining the changes in the lives of each person associatedwith Europe, through the prism of cultural events. During thistime the eyes of the inhabitants of the entire country will be moreintensely turned towards Riga, where the major national institutionsare located, and therefore the preparation time for the Rigaas European Capital of Culture project is a particular challenge,so that, using the potential of culture, a better understanding andsense of the advantages of a unified Europe can be achievedduring this psychologically sensitive time for society.This outlook of the near future not only makes us think about theopportunities of a unified market, but also remember the plusesand minuses that previous eras have meant to our ancestors regardingmarket relations with other European countries. One ofthe first Baltic ‘businesses’ or ‘gold currents’ that allowed for thedevelopment of culture and the achievement of a higher standardof living was trading with amber. And thus within the context of2014, Riga will look to the ancient amber route, creating a newcooperation network and looking for today’s cultural ‘currency’within it. Thereby, in the historically tested paths of Europe we createimpulses for new cooperation content.In the context of a common Europe, however, the terms ‘old’ and‘new’ Europe implemented in his time by Donald Rumsfeld, theformer US Secretary of Defence, tend to dominate. Admittedly,since 2001 no new descriptions have arisen for the countries thathave now confirmed their status as full-fledged members of a unifiedEurope after 5 years within it. This division of ‘the new’ and‘the old’ Europe continues to live in the consciousness of peopleand continues the discussion in society about the divisional linesin Europe. Riga also perceives the search for new terms to describevarious groups of European countries as its task on its wayto the year of the European Capital of Culture project.One of the basic objectives of the European Capital of Cultureproject is the internal integration of Europe, exchange of experience,knowledge and different cultural experiences. It wouldappear that ‘good old’ Europe (that in politics is called ‘Europewhole and free’) has to incorporate an openness perspectivein relationships with the remaining cultural world. The EuropeanCapital of Culture project allows us to realise how small Europeis, to what extent each nation within it is a relative and neighbourto the rest, and, on the other hand, confirms that by retaining ouroriginality, we can be interesting both to each other, and to othersin the world.Europe is united in its diversity. The countries forced to live behindthe ‘Iron Curtain’ were isolated. As we know, traditions anddifferences in languages and accents often survive in a certain,enclosed territory and also, for example, in Latvia, many traditionshave survived that are typical only to us or that have been typicalto many European nations, but that have now died out. It wouldappear that in this regard the isolationism defect can be transformedinto an effect, and traditions, different skills and knowledgecan be presented in a contemporary and surprising way,and as an opportunity for the European to experience somethingnew or long forgotten.The experience of renewed independence of almost 20 years allowsus to position ourselves as partners of equal value in Europe,who might not always have such long institutional experience invarious respects, but do, however, have ideas to offer. This is confirmedby successful cooperation initiatives already begun.cooperation aspect in project implementationIn establishing cooperation on a European scale, Riga will offer anew cooperation network initiative “New Amber Route”, developthe existing cultural cooperation networks, as well as creating newconnections through projects supported by European Funds.Thereby, the scope of Riga’s European dimension in terms of acooperation network is as follows:1 Cooperation network “New Amber Route” initiated by Riga;2 Participation in cooperation networks;3 Participation in European projects;4 The hosting of large European forums in Riga;5 Riga’s partnership towns;6 Culture in motion – artist mobility and cooperation betweencultural institutions.1 New amber routeWithin the framework of Riga’s candidacy we propose a newcooperation network initiative, with which to strengthen the understandingof Europe’s common values and Riga’s contributionto the communication of citizens across the borders. Riga andLatvia’s territory in general has for many centuries been a territorialpoint of intersection for the flow of people, ideologies, goodsand services not only, as is usually said, between the West and theEast, but also between Northern and Southern Europe. This is thehistorical Amber Route that has to become the new Amber route.Currently, the Northern dimension has been developed in theEuropean Union, as well as cooperation between Baltic SeaStates, within the framework of the Council of the Baltic SeaStates, the first real drafts marked out for cooperation betweenthe Baltic States and Black Sea States within the frameworkof cross-border cooperation, and in the Southern part –Mediterranean cooperation networks. Culture has also beenallocated its niche within this cooperation network. However,the Task Group for Riga’s candidacy is convinced that the newAmber route cooperation developed within the context of the2014 European Capital of Culture could serve as a wonderfulmeans of achieving new inspiration for the synergy of cultureand other sectors in the cooperation of Northern and SouthernEuropean countries and cities, transgressing the borders traditionallycalled Europe. In addition, as on the ancient route, so ourroute of today has two directions:• From the basin of the Latvian Baltic Sea through Lithuania,Poland, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Mediterranean basin;• From Latvia along the River Daugava, the Dnieper right up tothe basin of the Black Sea, Greece, Turkey and even further to theEast, to India.Our selection alone confirms that Europe has not only its historictrading routes but also routes entwined with secrets on the map,which today still captivate the minds of people and whose contemporarycontribution could be, as the economists would say,competitive on the circuit of global culture today.The “New Amber Route” does not envisage just an amber theme.Its main essence is to create a new contribution in the communicationof people and culture within the specified geographicaxis, through the prism of culture activating cooperation projectsin entrepreneurship, environmental and climate-change issues,in science and medicine, and a citizens’ dimension. This cooperationnetwork could be called an expedition, which must revealthe secrets of today’s amber route. This expedition with new culturalcontacts has to create the cultural ‘currency’ of today – highquality cooperation projects, which are characterised by excellence,and the ability to captivate the minds of many people, improvingthe quality of life.2 Participation in cooperation networksThe city of Riga is an active member of various European andglobal city cooperation networks, including in the field of culture.“Cities On The Edge”Riga plans to be included in the “Cities On The Edge” cooperationnetwork, which includes cities such as Marseilles, Napoli, Istanbul,Liverpool, Gdansk and Bremen. Aware of the overall problems thatare typical of harbour cities, for the development of post-industrialterritories and for a multicultural society (in Riga’s case, a bilingualone), it is hoped to develop a chain of interdisciplinary events ofvarious formats in Riga, which would mark out the interaction ofculture, urban development and the social aspect.A biennial of interdisciplinary contemporary culture that would markout a regular artistic event whose focus would be the city. The biennialswould take place on various territories of the city, focusing attentiononto the city suburbs, integrating local inhabitants, developingthe infrastructure of peripheries, promoting the decentralisationof culture and offering visitors a thrilling psycho-geographicaljourney along the lesser known territories of the city. The biennialswould introduce a string of events that would mark out the interactionof urban culture and art (seminars, conferences, exhibitions,artist residences and creative workshops).A body of interdisciplinary educational events that are geared towardsan increase of professional capacity, as well as the educationof a broad section of society. It is hoped to create an internationalart critic and art curator study programme that would fill thecurrently empty educational niche and promote the preparationof competitive specialists that could raise the quality of the sectorand promote integration into the international cultural space. It isalso hoped to organise a regular cycle of lectures and discussionsabout art, culture and interdisciplinary themes, to which all118 119