The Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art’s project “Appendix – a Cut into the Side Currents” is an international and interdisciplinary programme of events whose aim is to promote the social and cultural integration of third-country nationals in Latvia through contemporary art and cultural activities. At the same time, the project seeks to stimulate the local public’s interest in sustainable models of intercultural cooperation that reflect Latvia’s increasingly multicultural society.

By bringing together discussions, community events, curated art and contemporary culture mediation tours, the publication of a comic, as well as joint sessions and walks of inclusive friendship groups involving both newcomers to Latvia and local residents, the project aspires to become a long-term platform for social cohesion and for the confluence of as-yet unfamiliar but potentially compelling points of connection and interaction.

The outcomes visible to the wider public will include a programme of performances and community discussions at the international contemporary art festival “Survival Kit 17”, while the less directly observable benefits will strengthen the target group’s understanding, participation, and interest in Latvian cultural and artistic events, as well as in civic life.

WHO IS A THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONAL?

A third-country national is a person who is not a citizen or non-citizen of the Republic of Latvia, nor a citizen of another EU Member State, an EEA country or the Swiss Confederation. This may include people from India and Uzbekistan, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia and the USA .

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES:

Inclusive art and culture walks led by mediators

The project “Appendix – A Turn into the Side Layers” organises special visits to cultural, art and memory institutions and exhibitions in order to support a clearer and more inclusive understanding of contemporary art and to strengthen connections with local communities. As part of these activities, eight mediated cultural walks will take place in Riga. They will be led by art mediators specially trained for this purpose and are intended for third-country nationals as well as local residents.

Using simple, slow-paced and engaging Latvian, and—when necessary—adding short insertions and explanations in other widely spoken languages, the mediators will guide participants through a particular exhibition at a memory institution and provide an inclusive, informative talk/tour. The mediated walks and the discussions that follow will make contemporary art events more accessible not only to the project’s third-country target group but also to local residents, since contemporary art in “easy language” is one of the newest and currently very popular communication/mediation formats used in Latvia.

Women’s health and inclusive friendship movement group “Appendix”

Movement group sessions led by sports coach, movement teacher and artist Viktorija Fomenko will run for four months, beginning on 2 June 2026. Sessions will take place once a week and are intended for women living in Latvia, including representatives of the project’s target group from various non-European countries, as well as local participants.

Each session will be accompanied by informal “Contemporary Integration Club” gatherings featuring conversations and discussions on topics relevant to the participants and their families, including culture, society and everyday life. Alongside the shared movement practice, the initiative aims to foster an environment for exchange, mutual support and social connection, strengthening participants’ sense of belonging and community.

Women of different ages, professions and nationalities are invited to participate. Participation in both the sessions and the post-session gatherings is free of charge. As the number of places is limited, priority will be given to applicants who register early and are committed to participating throughout the full four-month programme. Each participant will be contacted individually by the project team.

Apply to join the movement group “Appendix” here

“Appendix” performance at “Survival Kit 17”

In September 2026, as part of the international contemporary art festival “Survival Kit 17”, participants of the movement group “Appendix” will present a dance/movement performance . The time and venue of the discussion will be announced in July within the Survival Kit 17 programme.

Discussion at “Survival Kit 17”

In September 2026, a public discussion with the festival audience on current issues of social integration will take place within the programme of the International Contemporary Art Festival Survival Kit 17.

The discussion will focus on the presence and integration of third-country nationals in Latvia, a topic that is often perceived—particularly in the context of approaching elections—as a social and political challenge. Public discourse surrounding migration and integration is frequently shaped by uncertainty, stereotypes and polarised narratives, which can contribute to social tension and misinformation.

The project addresses the existence of parallel social realities and the limited mutual understanding that can emerge between different groups within society. Through a public discussion in the context of contemporary art and culture, the initiative aims to create space for dialogue on existing challenges, as well as possible approaches to social inclusion and coexistence.

The discussion seeks to encourage a more open understanding of integration processes and to frame cultural diversity not as a burden, but as an opportunity for exchange, participation and new forms of social connection.

The time and venue of the discussion will be announced in July within the Survival Kit 17 programme.

Comic book “Latvia Step by Step”

The comic book “Latvia Step by Step” is an engaging informational guide to Latvia written in accessible language, designed to introduce readers to Latvian culture, state structure, traditions, cultural codes, and the basic principles of coexistence in Latvian society. Within this project, the bilingual (and in some versions trilingual) comic will be available digitally, as well as in print—1,000 copies.

Additional information about the project:

Project manager Līga Puriņa-Purīte: [email protected]
Project communications manager Kristīne Briede: [email protected]