The international program “Culture” has made a significant contribution to the cultural revival of the regions.

The four-year-long European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism program “Culture” has been completed. The results are 16 projects that have significantly contributed to the cultural revival of the regions in our country. The final notes of this program were celebrated at one of the EEA-funded sites, the “Pragiedruliai” Creativity Center in Panevėžys.

In his welcoming speech at the event, Deputy Minister of Culture Rimantas Mikaitis noted that many important cultural facilities have recently opened their doors, which will shape the future development of Lithuanian culture, and “Pragiedruliai” is one exemplary project we can truly be proud of: “This ‘Culture’ program is very diverse and multifaceted, combining cultural education, accessibility to culture, and cultural entrepreneurship projects. The cultural entrepreneurship projects implemented based on the principles of creative placemaking are unique, empowering various locally operating organizations and segments to collaborate through culture and the preservation of its heritage. I hope that the method of creative placemaking will become increasingly popular in our country.”

Lidija Kašubienė, Director of the Central Project Management Agency, stated that it was gratifying to administer this program, the results of which give meaning to the agency’s work, and to see how culture is spreading in the regions and how much creative potential we still have. “When we announced the call for proposals for cultural services and products projects, we received five times more demand than we could finance. We received 16 times more applications for major infrastructure projects. This shows that Lithuania has many creative people whose ideas need financial opportunities to be realized,” said L. Kašubienė.

Representatives of the donor countries who participated in the closing event emphasized the active involvement of local communities in the program’s activities, the impressive number of bilateral partnerships, and that the achieved results are indeed something to be proud of. In this respect, the program could be considered exemplary.

One part of the closing event was a discussion moderated by Rytis Zemkauskas titled “Culture in the Regions – Changes and Perspectives,” featuring Vegard Berggård, Senior Advisor at the International Cooperation and World Heritage Section of the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage “Riksantikvaren”; Thea Breivik, Senior Advisor at the International Cooperation Section of the Norwegian Directorate of Arts and Culture “Kulturdirektoratet”; Dr. Arūnas Gelūnas, General Director of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art; Rūta Stepanovaitė, Director of Administration at the Lithuanian Council for Culture; and Monika Rinkevičiūtė, Head of the cultural entrepreneurship project “Innovation Valley.” The discussion focused on the role of culture in the regions, how to bring culture closer to communities, strengthen local community cohesion, increase cultural accessibility, cultivate a habit of engaging with culture, and understand the cultural needs of smaller town residents. The importance of municipalities’ contributions to culture, the strengthening of non-governmental organizations, and the hope that the next financial period’s culture program could also improve cultural conditions in the regions were emphasized.

The following projects were presented at the event:

– On September 17th, the film “You Don’t Remind Me of Anything” (2023) by Marija Kavtaradzė was screened for the residents and guests of Panevėžys near the recently opened “Stasys Museum.” The director herself attended the screening. This event was part of the “Film Caravan” project, which aimed to improve the dissemination of professional cinema culture in the Lithuanian regions, ensuring equal access to cinema culture products and services.

– The creativity center “Pragiedruliai” was established in the center of Panevėžys, in Skaistakalnis Park. The project aimed to encourage public involvement in cultural processes within a revitalized cultural heritage site that meets the needs of local communities. It hosts daily activities in studios for visual arts, textile design, applied theater, audio-video, and alternative photography, as well as an exhibition space, community events, and an open forest garden for city residents.

– A joint interactive play titled “Tower of Babel” was created specifically for 13-16-year-olds by artists from Norway, Iceland, Hungary, and Lithuania. During the development of the play’s storyline, insights from numerous teenagers were gathered, and some young people were also involved in the play’s communication activities. The play tells a fantastic story about the creation of a new world and a new tribe of people after a global planetary catastrophe. The audience was divided into four groups, each belonging to different tribes trying to survive after major disasters: a nuclear war, a natural drought, an oil spill, and a polluted ocean. The play’s creators were inspired by the biblical story of the Tower of Babel. After the project and collaboration with foreign partners ended, it was included in the repertoire of the National Kaunas Drama Theatre, with foreign partner actors replaced by actors from the National Kaunas Drama Theatre.

– The VOSS model was tested in Lithuania, where professional leaders of musical ensembles, who became mentors, shared their knowledge and experiences with young professionals. During this project, current and future leaders of orchestras, bands, choirs, vocal music ensembles, and folklore groups were trained. The VOSS model provided young leaders with the opportunity to gain professional practical experience with various ensembles through individual lessons, while also strengthening a close connection with the local musical life. During the project, musicians created two concert programs.

– The educational project “Traveling Museum” provided an opportunity to reach more remote towns and villages. The residents were introduced to the MO Museum’s exhibition “The Celebration of Change,” giving them a chance to familiarize themselves with modern art. A significant part of the project consisted of educational activities – training sessions were held in each city for cultural, art, and education workers, as well as workshops for local school students and families.

– The initiators of the virtual game “Friendship Library” decided to encourage children and youth to read in an appealing way. By playing and virtually wandering through library spaces, students will meet five unfamiliar teenagers. The goal of the game is to befriend them and collect as many hearts as possible, symbolizing true friendship. Once the strangers become friends with the player, they will share their stories about how they solved difficult life issues and how books helped them understand important things.

– The Traveling Aristavėlė Manor provided an opportunity to learn about manor culture through different senses. The Aristavėlė Manor traveled around Lithuania in a special tent, where visitors were welcomed with an exhibition telling the history of that time, along with educational sessions. This became an excellent history lesson not only for children and youth but also for adults.

– The “FIXUS Mobilis” team takes care of preventive maintenance of cultural heritage objects. The project’s activities are similar to those of doctors: visiting patients – cultural objects; providing them with the most appropriate treatment – performing preventive maintenance work; and finally, offering recommendations on how to continue caring for the object in the future.