Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate

open door dayOne-day transformations offering everyoneaccess to places that are usuallylocked. Open, Sesame!The idea of “Open Door Day” is a simpleone. However, this time we want to opendoors that are usually locked to visitors.Who has never thought – I wonder what thewater tower looks like inside, the weatherstation, backstage at the theatre or the telecommunicationexchange. To implementthe campaign “Open Door Day” 30 suchplaces, that are usually locked to inhabitantsand therefore so enticing, will be selectedand their doors opened to visitors.In its way the campaign “Open door day” issimilar to the already well-known “MuseumNights”. Routes will be developed and foreach place an artistic formation will besought – orchestra concerts, performances.However, the objects themselves will bethe force majeure of the campaign – noneof these have been developed as publiclyaccessible tourist site and none will everbecome that in the long-term. These willbe one day transformations that will reveala world unknown until now to visitors.What: Campaign.Where: 30 different event locations.When: September.Concept author: Riga’s ECC task group.Cooperation partners: x-aģentūra,managers of selected objects, Riga cityamateur art groups.map of creative rigaRiga is full of various points of creativeenergy, idea geysers, that can convertdaily events into festivals. Maybe youhave already noticed a hairdressingsalon, library or fashion boutique inwhich good films are shown, a caféin which artists are invited to preparefood? If not, we will show you.The world is flooded by poor quality, impersonal,aesthetically and materially worthlessproducts and unified services andpeople live according to the rules of a‘throwaway’ society, resulting in a degradationof values. In times of personal, economicand social trauma the realisationoften dawns on people and they look forthe way back to what is real, personal andcreative. The Society of Design Workersbelieves that Riga accumulates a hugecreative potential, and therefore proposesan alternative road map, which, if followed,will take the traveller to the city’s creativedimension. The historically powerfulbolderājaThe map of creative education institutionsin Bolderāja outlines the specificcharacter of the area and the uniqueatmosphere that is expressed not onlythrough the testimonies of history, butalso through the process of the creationof new work and cognition.The educational and cultural road map ofBolderāja will reveal the opportunities forinterest-related education for children andyoung adults in Bolderāja. Every day anevent is planned in one of Bolderāja’s educationalestablishments with a culturallyeducational programme. It will end with ajoint celebration in Daugavgrīva’s fortress.traditions of craftsmanship and appliedarts are an excellent basis for the developmentof Latvian contemporary design andfashion.In 2009 project organisers are collectinginformation about extraordinary places inRiga – local designer shops, craft workshops,cafės, clubs and other creativeprojects – to which friends and acquaintanceswould be taken and that are notincluded in traditional tourist guides, andare not widely known to the local audienceeither. Within the project, a graphic map ofRiga will be published with “Creative Riga”objects. The aim of the project is to promotethe interest of local and foreign audiences(read: consumers) in unique, originaland creative high quality local productsand services, helping creative industries todevelop (textile industry and others).Before and during 2014, it is intended toregularly organise ‘open’ performancesin Creative Riga objects. For example,street fashion shows open to everyonenear designer shops, inviting musiciansWhat: Cycle of events throughout the week.Where: ‘Bolderāja’ Children’s and youngadults’ centre, Bolderāja School of Artand Music, Riga’s 33rd secondary school,Riga’s 19 th secondary school, Daugavgrīva’ssecondary school, the seaside nature parkand Daugavgrīva’s fortress.When: May.Concept authors and organisers: ‘Bolderāja’Children’s and young adults’ centre.Cooperation partners: Bolderāja Schoolof Art and Music, Bolderāja Library,Daugavgrīva’s secondary school, Riga’s19 th secondary school, Riga’s 33 rdsecondary school, the Young Guards’group Junga.to participate, organising food-tastingsand involving members of the Associationof Design Workers and other creativepeople.What: Performances, informative material.Where: Riga, virtual space.When: 2009–2014.Concept authors and organisers: Society ofDesign Workers84 85