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From 12 to 13 June 2026, the international symposium “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” will take place in Liepāja and Pāvilosta as part of the programme of “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027”. The symposium will bring together artists, researchers, curators, and cultural historians from Latvia and abroad to collectively reflect on the significance of amber and other fossil resources in culture, economy, and human relationships with the environment. Visitors are invited to register by filling out the application form. Participation is free of charge.

The public programme of the symposium will open on 12 June at 5:00 PM in Liepāja with a lecture by German artist Lisa Rave at the Art Research Laboratory (MPLab) of the RTU Liepāja Academy, located at Kūrmājas prospekts 13, Liepāja. In her artistic practice, Lisa Rave explores the relationship between humans and geological environments, combining perspectives from art and anthropology. The lecture will be followed by a screening of her essay film “Europium” (2014). The film highlights the history of colonialism and examines how fossil resources and exploitative relationships from the past continue to shape contemporary economies and everyday objects.

On 13 June, the symposium will continue at the Pāvilosta Culture House. From 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, a programme of lectures will explore the cultural-historical significance of amber and its potential within contemporary art and technological culture. Speakers will include artist and curator Zane Cērpiņa (Norway), professor and designer Barbara Ābele from the Art Academy of Latvia, new media artist and researcher Paula Vītola, as well as the director of the Palanga Amber Museum, Sigita Talačkiene (Lithuania), and other guests.

From 4:00 PM onwards, symposium visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the artistic concepts developed within the research processes of the PAiR residency programme as part of the project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber”. Presentations will be given by Michael Saup (Germany), Mikus Svikulis (Latvia), Ieva Viese (Latvia), Zane Zelmene (Latvia), Aistė Ambrazevičiūtė (Lithuania), Kim Hankyul (Norway), Trevor Yeung (Hong Kong), and Helen Liene Dreifelds (Canada).

The project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” addresses questions surrounding the depletion of fossil resources and the need to redefine humanity’s relationship with the geological structures of the Earth. Amber, much like other fossil resources, has influenced culture, trade, mythology, and scientific thought for centuries. The very concept of electricity derives from the ancient Greek word “elektron”, meaning “amber”.

The symposium forms part of the broader project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber”, which seeks to rediscover amber as a marker of Baltic Sea coastal identity while critically re-examining ideas surrounding fossil resources and their place in the contemporary world. Developed through collaboration between art and science, the project highlights amber’s cultural-historical, material, and symbolic potential in the context of the future.

The international symposium is part of a wider artistic and research process whose results will be presented in the exhibition “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” at the Liepāja Museum from 8 January to 27 June 2027, marking the opening of the “Liepāja 2027 – European Capital of Culture” programme year.

The project “ElektrON – The Future of Amber” is implemented by the association “ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education” in collaboration with the VV Foundation, Pāvilosta Artist Residency (PAiR). The project is realised within the framework of the “Liepāja 2027” programme with funding provided by the Ministry of Culture of Latvia, the City of Liepāja, and the municipalities of South Kurzeme and Kuldīga.

The “Liepāja 2027” programme is supported by its main partner in environmental education and sustainability, CleanR Group; its main partner in mobility and international communication, airBaltic Corporation; its legal partner, Sorainen Law Office; and its land mobility partner, Lux Express Latvia. Media partners include Latvian Public Media and Kurzemes Radio. The symposium venue support is provided by RTU Liepāja Academy.

The activities of the association “ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education” are supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia.

From September 28 to October 5, the Art Research Laboratory (MPLab) of RTU Liepaja Academy in Liepāja hosts the UPDATE Media Art and Technology Festival, where participants and international guests and artists explore themes of creativity through audiovisual tools, artificial intelligence systems, marine ecosystems and various conceptual themes. The festival will close on Saturday, October 5, from 12:00 to 16:00 at MPLab (Liepāja, Kūrmājas prospekts 13, entrance from the back yard) with an exhibition of workshop results and a Family Day – workshops for children and young people on various creative technologies.

The exhibition will showcase more than 30 works created during the workshops. The festival featured 8 workshops where students and artists explored technology, created conceptual works, sound art installations, performances, as well as several short films dedicated to Liepāja.

Workshop hosts: Zil Lilas (DE/LT), Vytautas Michelkevicius (LT), Tata Frenkel (LT), pETER Purg (SI), Oleksandr Sirous (UA), Heinrich Lenz (DE), Gustavs Lociks (LV), Carlos Munnoz (ES).

Contacts:
Festival website: www.updatefestival.lv
Maija Demitere (maija.demitere@gmail.com, +371 29948430)

UPDATE is organised by the association of Liepaja media artists ASTE (https://aste.gallery) and RTU Liepaja Academy Art Research Laboratory (MPLab, https://mplab.lv). The activities of the association ASTE in 2024 are supported by the VKKF for professional non-governmental cultural organisations. UPDATE is supported by the Liepaja Municipality institution “Culture Department”, the VKKF, RTU Liepaja Academy and RIXC, a network for art, science, culture and innovation. The event is co-organised by the foundation “Liepāja 2027 Foundation” and the European Union Creative Europe Programme project “CreArt 3.0 #STRINGING_TOGETHER”. The workshop “Soundscapes” is realised in the framework of the Artillery 35 project “Soundfields”, supported by Nordplus Horizontal.

From 16 February to 5 March 2024, the exhibition “Automatic Creativity” will take place in the exhibition hall of the Liepāja School of Music, Art and Design, 18 Alejas Street. Opening of the exhibition is on 15 February at 18.00. 

The artworks of the international exhibition “Automatic Creativity” depict the role of contemporary technologies and automated processes in shaping the perception, identity and well-being of society and the individual, as well as the unconscious, automatic actions that humans perform when adapting to the performance of machines. Estonian artist Taavi Suisalu’s poetic video installation sheds light on the autonomous interaction of devices to maintain human electronically mediated communication and relationships. Liepaja-based artist Gustavs Lociks reveals the creative reality constructions of artificial intelligence in multi-layered large-scale digital prints, while Ukrainian artist Oleksandr Sirous has constructed a decentralized archive in virtual reality from data digitally collected from the bodies of his compatriots as a monument to the painful existence of his people. The artist Krista Dzudzilo captured a moment in the practice of the performing artist, where routine and creativity, the precision of bodily performance and the interpretation of sound in the imagination meet.

The exhibition is part of the new media art festival UPDATE, inviting renowned artists from different countries and artistic disciplines to reflect on the processes of automating creativity together with new media artists and designers from Latvia and abroad. 

The UPDATE New Media Art Festival is organized by the artists’ association ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education and the Art Research Laboratory of the University of Liepaja (MPLab) with the aim to build an international network of creativity, exchange and collaboration in art and technology and to promote contemporary and innovative expressions of art and design in the region, as well as to enable the professional development of young artists by implementing an extensive free art and education programme in Liepaja every year.

From May 27 until June 4, the annual international interdisciplinary festival “Sound Days” will take
place in Liepāja, Kuršu street 20, at the Liepāja University and in the cultural center “Pegaza
Pagalms”. The 2023 festival is dedicated to the search for the in–between space in visual arts, audio
culture and literature. The festival is a meeting and cooperation platform for young artists, musicians,
students, professionals and others interested in sound, art, music and technology.

The interaction of sound and text will be discovered and researched in various forms – there will be
creative workshops, audiovisual performance evenings, an exhibition, readings of poetry and creative
texts, artist’s presentations, activities for families and children, demonstrations, as well as other
activities.

The festival will be opened with the opening of the exhibition and performances on May 27, it will be
open for the entire week of the festival until June.

Until May 29, those interested have the opportunity to apply for the central activity of the festival –
creative workshops led by internationally known artists. The workshops will take place from May 30th
to June 3rd and their results will be presented as part of the festival’s final performance program.

Under the leadership of Antye Greie-Ripatti (AGF) (DE/FI), audio sculptor, composer, sound artist &
curator/facilitator of sound art, poemproducer & intersectional feminist networker, there will be an
opportunity to study and create sounds – in the workshop we will explore, make sound and listen,
critic, reflect and sonify. We will listen to the current world and identify space for artistic positioning.
We will be looking to explore the questions: What is political sound? What is collective sound? How to
have a sonic position? Does sound have a transformative quality?

In the creative workshop of the programmer, artist and educator Olivia Jack (US/DE), you will have
the opportunity to learn visualization with the live coding using web–based video synthesizer “Hydra”
developed by the artist.

In the workshop of the experimental musician, sound and text artist Friedemann Dupelius (DE), it will
be possible to try out and try to find different formats to synthesize sound, thought and/or fiction –
such as Audio Papers, Sonic Fiction, Experimental Hörspiele or epistemic DJ Sets.

Under the guidance of sound artist and architect Maksims Šenteļevs (LV), participants will be invited
to use the environment as a composition tool and the objects found in it as sound tools in various
unusual places in the environment of the city of Liepāja.

In the creative workshop “Sound, Media and Text”, by choosing the materials and media closest to
them, the workshop participants will create and develop their creative works under the guidance of the
poet and artist Artūrs Punte (LV).

Academic composer, pianist and improviser Platons Buravickis (LV) will offer the participants to
learn various analog and digital methods for sound synthesis and will share his experience of using
improvisation in the creation of a piece.

Sound artist, lecturer and one of the creators of the internet radio platform “Tīrkultura / Unexpected
Sources Audio Gallery Radio” Reinis Semēvics (LV) will present methods and techniques for
creating sound compositions, using digital effects and realizing creative ideas using sound.

The rich range of “Sound Days” creative workshops will be complemented by a short format creative
workshop on May 30 and 31, 17.00 – 19.00, led by researcher and digital sound artist Tobias
Hartmann (DE) – there will be an opportunity to learn about a variety of free online tools for the
creation of interactive and reactive digital online artworks.

On June 2nd, activities dedicated to literature and experiments will take place throughout the day –
readings by Elīna Bākule–Veira (LV) and Ivars Šteinbergs (LV) and short–format creative
workshops, with the opportunity to learn unique methods of creating and performing sound poetry.
The evening will end with readings and multimedia performances by young writers of Liepāja
University.

On the closing evening of the “Sound Days” on June 3, there will be presentations of the results of
the creative workshops and a diverse and experimental program of sound performances, in
which the leaders of the creative workshops will take part. Several experimental music groups and
artists will also participate: Rabenau and Mellamellene with listening poetry, text and media artist
Diana Lelis in synergy with electronic music artist Mahi F. Bukimi, media artist Paula Vītola,
audiovisual organism Trihars and others.

On the other hand, all age groups, especially families with children, are invited to visit the open
creative workshops on May 28. Paula Vītola and Krista Dintere created a series of creative
workshops within the framework of the Latvian School Bag project “Senses – sounds”. Workshops will
study different listening techniques with or without technology, as well as introduce different methods
of sound creation and recording, unusual microphones and instruments. Text and media artist Diana
Lelis invites you to a poetry–collage workshop, (re)discovering ways, methods, laws and systems for
creative thought – to activate the ‘motor skills’ in the creation of short stories.

In recognition of new cultural places, on May 30, the performance of Juan Duarte Regino (MX/FI)
and Anton Felatov (DE), will take place on Tirgus Street 9, Jaunliepāja Cultural Centre “Fosfors”.
Duarte is a Finnish–based Mexican artist who creates artworks with environmental sounds to explore
ways of perceiving nature and technology. Until June 30, Duarte is the artist in residency of the Baltic
and Nordic art, science and techno-ecology residency program organized by the new media culture
center RIXC.

You will find the form and description of the application for workshops, as well as the full festival programme and other information on the festival’s website: sound.mplab.lv

“Sound Days” is organised by ASTE. Art, Science, Technology, Education and University Liepaja
University Art Research Laboratory (MPLab), in collaboration with the Liepaja University writing study
programme and the cultural site Pegaza Pagalms.

The festival is supported by the Liepaja Culture Board and the State Culture Capital Foundation
(VKKF).

The information was prepared by the festival’s representative, Paula Vītola, and Diana Lelis.

During the Film and Animation Festival UPDATE participants acquired such skills as laser scanning, script writing, the role of video in activism, different approaches to green screen and special effects in film and live stream, 3D sculpting for virtual reality (VR) and machine learning for creating visual artworks. On Friday at the Art Research Laboratory (MPLab, Kūrmājas pr. 13 (basement)) anyone interested will be able to see the workshop results presented in a pop-up exhibition. Doors open from 19:00.

Friday evening program:

19:00 – workshop hosts and participants will present their works,

20:00 – performance by “Random Encounters”,

21:00 – audiovisual performances by festival participants.

Visitors will be able to try various activities themselves, such as 3D sculpting in VR, take photos in front of a green screen, view different VR, sound, video, and animation works created during the week.

The main event of the evening is the performance by “Random Encounters”, a unique project created as part of this festival. “Random Encounters” is a collaborative project between the experimental music group “Nejausi” (Roberts Dinters, Valdis Skarevics) and the French performance group “Live Animated Orchestra” (Marie-Anne Bacquet, Stephanie Cadoret). The performance will start around 20:00.

All performances will be also available for online. Register on the website to receive the link: https://update.mplab.lv/.

UPDATE is organized by ASTE, a collective of media artists based in Liepaja and Liepaja University Art Research Lab (MPLab, https://mplab.lv). UPDATE is created with the support of State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia (VKKF).

UPDATE website: https://update.mplab.lv/

Get in touch: Maija Demitere (maija.demitere@gmail.com, 29948430).

As a concluding event of the UPDATE festival, a weeklong work-lab for new media, digital art and technologies, this Saturday, November 26, from 12:00 until 16:00 Zivju Street 10/12, Liepaja, we offer a special program for the public with virtual reality (VR) works, interactive installations, spatial sound artworks, new media, and contemporary art.

During the week, starting from November 21, the UPDATE festival took place at the Liepaja University Art Research Lab (MPLab) and online, where participants took part in technology and research-based creative workshops, participants learned artificial intelligence (AI) and interactive installation creation tools, experimental photography techniques, spatial sound composition approaches, etc. The participants also took part in 5 different master classes, discussions on ecology and the future vision of Europe.

Saturday, November 26 (Zivju iela 10/12). Plan of the day:

from 12:00:

• talks about the inclusion of permaculture principles and ideas in any garden – the goal of the conversation is to create a context for the theme of the festival and the exhibition – the merging of ecology and technology,
• talks on the use of technology in the garden, garden automation, creation and use of aquaponics and hydroponics,
• presentations of all the creative workshops that took place during the UPDATE festival.

from 14:00 to 16:00:

• special workshops for Families with children (no need to apply in advance, you can join at any moment),
• you can see the exhibition and meet the artists.

Opening of the exhibition “Techno / eco / systems” on Saturday, November 26, at 18:00 (Zivju street 10/12)

The works in the exhibition explore the relationship of modern man with nature and technology. VR works, works created by artificial intelligence, interactive installations, etc. will be on display. The exhibition also includes the VR exhibition created as part of the UPDATE festival, the fully automated garden created in the prototyping workshop by Krisjanis Rijnieks, the works created as part of the “Collage and Decollage” workshop by Kristians Brektes, and interactive systems created in the workshop hosted by Martins Dabolins (created with cables.gl).

Exhibition artists: Bartaku (FI), Maria Verstappen&Erwin Driessens (NL), Jan Georg Glöckner (DE/LT), Maija Demitere (LV), Kristīne Martinova (LV), Paula Vītola (LV).

The exhibition will be open until December 18 (Zivju iela 10/12).

Opening hours:

Tuesday – Friday 15:00 – 20:00

Saturday – Sunday 12:00 – 18:00

More info: https://aste.gallery

More info about the UPDATE festival: update.mplab.lv/.

Access to all Saturday and past events online: https://ej.uz/update22.

Get in touch: Maija Demitere (maija.demitere@gmail.com, +371 29948430).

As the festival brings together international artists, the festival events are mainly held in English.

UPDATE is organized by ASTE (https://aste.gallery), a collective of media artists based in Liepaja and Liepaja University Art Research Lab (MPLab, https://mplab.lv). ASTE activities in 2022 are supported by Liepaja Municipality support for NGO’s and State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia (VKKF) support for NGO’s. UPDATE is created with the support of Liepaja Municipality, Liepaja City Municipality institution “Culture Department”, Kurzeme Planning Region, State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia (VKKF), Liepaja University and RIXC. UPDATE events are created as part of the EIT Community New European Bauhaus project “Growing Food in Liepaja” and is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.

Responding to the current uncertainity and socio-economic storms, artists and researchers of MPLab are exploring the fragile structure of mental ecology in processual works, interactive installations, immersive sound and VR environments, and their online exhibition offers a journey through physical and virtual gardens planted for self-sustainability, mental exercise and retreat.

Connect to the neuroacousting and photosonic online performances live on 12^th of September 21:00 CET and on 13^th of September 13:00 CET via resort.aste.gallery.

People of Liepaja know very well that a garden is essential for keeping the status quo – without planting a park along the coast, the little seaside town would be consumed by sand, wind and water. The roots of trees keep the structure of the dunes stable, and people of Liepaja can retreat from the everyday struggles and storms in a safe and constant calmness of the garden environment.

“Planting a Resort for Mental Ecology” is a response to the current overwhelming political, environmental and economic uncertainity of today. Residing in the coastal resort town of Liepaja, the artists and researchers of MPLab are exploring the concept of mental ecology (Guattari 1989) and developing techno-ecological systems and strategies for well-being during the times of change. In the web-based exhibition online visitors will be able to discover vernacular social practices of building places for psycho-emotional retreat; deep technology driven methods for the exploration of the mental sphere, and intimate acts of nurturing the well-beign of oneself.

Visit the exhibition online: https://resort.mplab.lv