Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate

handbag-balconyThe balcony – a Riga inhabitant’s ‘handbag’or object of investigation that revealsthe lifestyle of a city-dweller, aswell as being a reminder of the flowergrowing& presenting traditions typicalto Latvia and promoting idea of gardensin the very heart of the city, about the cohabitationof nature with urban space.By involving, for example, the residents ofFreedom Street, we will become familiarwith contemporary culture and the lifestyleof today in Riga, simultaneously creating acommon visual image of the street.Within the framework of the event the residentsof Freedom Street and other streets(inhabitants, institution workers) will document(photograph, film) their own and/ortheir neighbour’s balconies, thereby forminga collection of visual evidence that anyinterested party will be able to view, usinginternet resources (eg. www.draugiem.lv,www.serde.lv). Each photograph, evidenceof today’s history, will be exchangedfor flower or herb seeds and the Riga ECCfestival flag. By planting the seeds in a poton a balcony, the balconies on FreedomStreet (and other enthusiasts involved inthe project) will provide a colourful touchto the culmination of the festivities and bedistinguishable by their flowers, and flags.Flowers are not the only thing that can begrown on balconies to add colour, but teasand herbs may also be planted, therebypromoting the balcony as a city-dweller’sgarden, chemist’s, etc., that is permanentlyclose by and an essential component ofdaily life. The event will promote a feelingof community involvement, as well as encouragingus to think about the interactionof nature and urban space, about the antagonismbetween the countryside and thecity and the necessary balance that is anessential element of our ‘survival kit’.Before project implementation an educationaland informative campaign will becarried out in the mass media, reachingout to the target audience and involvinginhabitants in the project.What: Investigative, aesthetically ecologicalproject aimed towards the participationof society.Where: Buildings with balconieson Freedom Street.When: March-September.Concept authors and organisers:Interdisciplinary Art Group Serde,www.serde.lv.weaving marathonWeaving marathon – the popularisationof the traditional skill of weavingand its contemporary interpretation.The old becomes the new, the unusable– useful, the forgotten – practical.Traditional culture – a guarantee of anenvironmentally friendly future.Weaving marathon on the street inside theshopping centre “Galerija Centrs” – withthe aim of getting into the Guinness Bookof Records with the longest rag rug, whichcould then be presented to the EuropeanParliament. Over a month as many weavinglooms as will fit will be set up insidethe shopping centre. Each inhabitant andguest of Riga will be invited to contribute– to bring a piece of old clothing, cutinto strips and with the help of a weaver,weave it into the communal rug himself.children’s festival“come and join in”How can children and young adultsfind their bearings in the wide array ofoptions and find something they likedoing in their free time and, maybe,even their future career?At the end of May, institutions in Riga thatoffer interest-related education will organiseseveral events demonstrating the varietywith which children occupy their freetime through different forms of expression –singing, dancing, relaxing, playing sports,building, assembling, sewing, drawing,modelling, etc. At the end of August, opendoor days will be organised by the institutions,but on the first Saturday in September,at the start of the new school year, they willThe basic principle behind the rag rug is tothink about ecology and the huge supplyof second-hand items, commonly knownin Latvia as humpalas, sent from Europe toLatvia. We propose an original exchange– old clothes for lovingly woven rag rugs.In parallel to the weaving marathon workshopswill be organised – artistic andamateur interpretations connected to theskills of weaving, embroidery and knitting,involving textile and fibre artists (for example,Pēteris Sidaris, Egīls Rozenbergs andothers). As a result, knitted items, textilesand souvenirs from plastic and other modernfibres will be created. By organisingmaster workshops and screening a videodocumentary demonstrating the skills ofcraftsmen met on expeditions organisedby Serde and inviting artists to demonstratea creative approach to the use ofmaterial, we invite city-dwellers and visitorsto think of the best ways of using skills andtake up residence in Vērmanes Garden.During the event, children will be offeredcreative workshops and a concert, as wellas opportunity of taking part in many differentcampaigns and activities.What: Creative workshops, events programme,concert in Vērmanes Garden.Where: Vērmanes Garden, 14 institutionsof interest-related education and primaryschool Rīdze.When: End of May and end of August,early September.Concept author: Māra Vilciņa.Organisers: Riga City Council, Departmentof Education, Youth and Sport, Division ofinterest-related education.Cooperation partners: 14 institutions ofinterest-related education and primaryschool Rīdze, NGO’s that provide interestrelatededucational programmes.contemporary materials more inventivelyand to create their own souvenir.What: Interactive event with an ecologicalapproach.Where: On the ancient Riga street in thetrading centre “Galerija Centrs”.When: May.Concept authors AND organisers: IlgaReizniece, Interdisciplinary Art GroupSerde, www.serde.lv.Cooperation partners: Professionals, artists,craftsmen and amateurs, studios ofweaving and traditional applied art, StateAgency of Intangible Cultural Heritage.64 65