Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate

The theoryexists that atthe base ofcommunicationbetween anytwo people is:you for me – mefor you. Thereis no such thingas disinterestedcommunication.That would bethe highestlevel ofcreativity,if we were allable to talkabout clearthings in clearlanguage.”The newest moderntechnologies helpinterest groupsincorporate into acommon culturalprocess and promotethe accessibility ofthe field of cultureto each and every,which relates to theexpansion of borders.We live in a time that could be described as waking up from the globalisation.Liberalism that stimulated it is going out of fashion. Different crises - rise of fuelprices, the growing food prices, climatic threats, the looming regional conflicts– are waking us up from the dream (nightmare) of globalisation and we feel thateverything must change: economy must become environment-friendly, industrialproduction – science-consuming, food – healthy, lifestyle – sustainable, politicsresponsible and the society – cohesive. The globalised markets will have tocontract and regain a part of their rooted-ness and local-ness.We are a fairly diverse society. The new solution,creativity, is in the search for common points of contact.Creativity isn’t in ethnic difference, but in the comingtogether and creation of a new world.Development is born in the depth of the individual, butit also springs from the collective spirit. If one of these ismissing, development leaves much to be desired.forms of interaction• In recent years the consumption of culture in Riga has increased.Research indicates that the majority of Riga’s inhabitants are satisfiedwith the level of possibilities available to them to attend culturalevents, but the tendency towards a transitional society that resultedin alienation, disassociation, loss of social ties, has completely excludedcultural instruments such as new cooperation forms.• Creativity through the idea of border expansion will promotewide cooperation between individuals, city areas, suburbs, generations,towns, regions, countries. Riga, with its human capital andinfrastructure, will promote the creation of this form of cooperation.Cultural events are a self-evident part of Riga’s programmefor the ECC project, however, the main goal is to trigger a processin which the consumers of culture would also be willing also totake an active part. Thus, the main task is to create new forms ofinteraction to help involve new audiences.• Making use of the potential of creativity, imagination and cooperation,it is possible to create networks around Riga, includingindividuals, institutions, businesses, towns and countries insearch for forms of cooperation, creating the possibility of newcooperation forms through new infrastructure facilities or breathinglife into existing ones.• It is important to achieve a change of focus from the consumptionof culture to participation, from a passive consumerismto a change in attitude towards any kind of creativity. This includesa re-evaluation of values in society, which means a search for newforms of interaction.• The desire for expression is typical to creativity, as well as theneed for appropriate forms of expression. It provides further impulseto seek interaction with partners sharing similar interests, in order tofind an audience for one’s skills and their evaluation. Support fornew forms of cooperation plays a cruical role in stimulating creativeskills within each and every inhabitant of Riga, making creativity themost significant force driving Riga as the ECC.• Developing forms of culture based within the audience, onmutual communication and political intention rather than onmaterial, spatial or artistic media typology, creates a platform forparticipation. The epicentre of the meaning of a work of art orcultural process as such shifts from the object to a new type ofexperience that it provokes. The dialogue between the audienceand the artist acquires the status of a work of art, participationbecomes the deciding factor in the creation of culture. Similarlyto Umberto Eco’s definition of the principle of an open work ofart, which states that a work of art is only finished when it comesinto contact with the audience, the involvement of society in thecultural process reveals a new cultural dimension.• Successful interaction is a vital component for the positivedevelopment of a multicultural and civil society. Culture, in thissituation, is a tried and tested device in promoting dialogue betweencultures and civil society.• Ethnocentricity creates a symbolically restricted space. Dueto Riga’s ethnic specifications, the possibility of dialogue betweenvarious ethnic groups exists through border expansion and creativityas a value, thus promoting an exchange of ideas, developingsociety’s receptiveness towards different cultural experiences.• Research shows that it is possible to develop a culture of philanthropyin Latvia, which would help overcome the tendency towardsmutual isolation between various sections of society and provide theopportunity for the majority of inhabitants to fulfil their human capital.• To prosper, a city needs ideas and the will of individuals, synthesisof thoughts and cooperation. New products and servicesare created not only through individual efforts but also as a resultof cooperation. It is necessary to provide opportunities for enterprising,creative people to try something new together.• The contemporary public space, which serves as a platformfor interaction, is often identified more as a psychological ratherthan a physical construction of space. The public space is alsodefined as a politicised social product, which cannot be separatedfrom conflicting social relations that are created by specificsocieties at specific moments in history.* Focus group comments24 25