The concept of Liepāja application

A five-line program has been set up under the (un)rest guideline to address important challenges facing both Europe and Liepāja in particular.

The shared vision of the program is to provide everyone with landmarks and beacons in the ever-changing world of rest and unrest. Each of the five lines of the program – “European‌ ‌Dream”, “‌New‌ ‌Eyes”, “Port‌ ‌Paradox”, “Deliberate‌ ‌Modesty” and “Creative‌ ‌Foresight‌” – reveals a story closely linked to Liepāja and its roots to Europe.

With the extensive and diverse cultural program, Liepāja is eager to create a perceptible orientation plan that would help to better understand both each other and the world in which we live, promoting public activity and also growth of a healthy dose of rest and unrest.

Five lines of the program

European‌ ‌Dream

We all know what the “American dream” is – more comfort, more prosperity and more opportunity for everyone to “hit a home run”. But do we know what the European dream is? As intricate as it may be, it has not been defined yet. By participation in the competition for European Capital of Culture 2027, Liepāja is up for the answers to this quest and intends to team up with both local residents of the city, region and our country, and people from all across Europe and the world.

One of the five lines of the artistic programme of the European Capital of Culture 20207 is the “European dream”. Interdisciplinary projects under this programme will be based on the principles of solidarity, diversity, cooperation and dignity values that constitute the European dream and are worth advocate for around the whole world.

The “American dream” focuses on the individual, whereas the European dream will be focused on communities and mutual cooperation. We hope that through this programme line we will be able to make this dream more accessible and more comprehensible to people and to society as a whole.

New Eyes

As the famous French writer Marcel Proust once said in his novel “In Search of Lost Time”: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

One of the five lines of the artistic programme of Liepāja European Capital of Culture 2027 is called “New Eyes”. With this programme's diverse range of events in our pocket tour guide, we plan to discover Liepāja with Proust's “new eyes.” We want to dive into the depths of the city to better understand and appreciate what and who surrounds us. Neighbours to neighbours, colleagues to colleagues, residents of Karosta to residents of Jaunliepāja, young locals and newcomers to old and experienced ones. Sharing common responsibility and the common joy of creation in favour of our city, our region and the wider European community as a whole.

Let us find answers to the following questions: how to participate and engage in the development and building of our common living space. How to encourage the expansion of creative industries and boost the exchange of thoughts and ideas among local residents who reside in the periphery. How to enjoy life in their own vicinity

Port‌ ‌Paradox

Liepāja is a paradox port city – the (un)rest has over time determined its shape and cultural looks. Opposites and differences exist side by side, and their mutual tension often forms the unique identity of our Liepāja, which we are truly proud of. In fact, in this standardized world, we have to learn to appreciate paradoxes as something that leads to bold decisions with somewhat outstanding means of expression.

The third of the five lines of the artistic programme of the Liepāja European Capital of Culture 2027 is called “Port Paradox”. With these topic activities we shall discover the paradoxes of Liepāja and identify the city's heritage through their prism. We have not always been able to properly assess and disclose them to the rest of Europe. Thanks to our participation in the European Capital of Culture 2027 race, this time we are ready to make full use of the opportunities provided.

Deliberate‌ ‌Modesty

Liepāja is encircled by the Baltic Sea, Lake Liepāja, the untamed forests and meadows. It makes us feel like in God’s pocket, nevertheless all this beauty is also affected by climate change and the human activities effect.

Although the Blue Flag is flying over the Central Liepāja Beach, the Baltic Sea is also experiencing problems – it is still sending us occasional reminders of the Soviet army presence, washing up explosive phosphorus particles on the shore. Neglect has not only affected our nature, it has also affected our body and mind, drowning us in consumption, losing physical and mental balance.

The fourth of the artistic programme lines of our European Capital of Culture 2027 is called “Deliberate Modesty”. With the activities of this line, we want to restore our balance of existence. Let us think about the impact of art on green innovation, make smart and innovative business principles based on the circular economy a part of our daily routine, hence raising the awareness of the significance of the moderation and spur even greater awareness of taking care of your local vicinity and environment in general.

Creative‌ ‌Foresight‌

Following the processes of technological development and the fight against the pandemic worldwide and in Europe we understand more than ever that we must be prepared for the future challenges. Social innovations and creative communities along with the high-tech know-hows are and will be a powerful driver for sustainable urban regeneration, including in Liepāja.

Education is crucial in this process, it allows young generations to take smart and propper decisions, combine online and offline worlds and adapt to the effects of technology, such as artificial intelligence.

The fifth of the Liepāja European Capital of Culture 2027 artistic programme lines is called “Creative foresight”. These projects will ignite an active debate on what footprints do we want to leave behind, not only in this city, but also around the world.