PRESS RELEASE Kaunas Is Shortlisted for the Title of European Capital of Culture 2022

PRESS RELEASE Kaunas is shortlisted for the title of European Capital of Culture 2022

We are more than happy to announce that Kaunas City and Kaunas District have submit- ted an application to European Commission to become the European Capital of Culture in 2022. The concept of the programme is CON- TEMPORARY CAPITAL. Once Kaunas (1919– 1940) was a Temporary Capital of Lithuania and that period had a great impact on the city’s development, culture and identity. With a second chance to become a temporary capital (for culture and Europe this time) we strive to explore our city’s contemporaneity and establish culture as an engine, which drives the strategic aim of Kaunas city to become home for learning and happy people.

The first Jury meeting took place in Vilnius on 20th June, 2016. Kaunas was shortlisted along with Klaipėda and our city is ready to work on further programming of the biggest cultural project, which will reach its culmination in 2022.

The final Jury’s decision will be made after a visit to Kaunas and the second Jury meeting in spring 2017.

In this document you will find information on Kaunas City and its District, concept and artistic programme, and partnership possibilities.

The Creative team of Kaunas 2022 welcomes ideas, proposals and initiatives from Euro- pean partners in order to open up this programme for European audiences. RARY CAPITAL 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS

2 CITY, METRO & BEYOND

KAUNAS – THE HEART OF LITHUANIA

Kaunas is situated in the centre of the coun- try and is one of its most important logistic intersections. In fact, within one-hour drive Kaunas can be reached by 2 million people, that’s 2/3 of the Lithuanian population.

Airport Rail Baltica Public transport

Just 14 km outside the city is Kaunas Air- Rail Baltica is a major railway infrastruc- Many cultural objects in Kaunas city can be port, which can be reached by car, bus or ture project, which is supposed to link Fin- visited using public transport, which takes taxi. Trains and buses also take passengers land, the Baltic States and Poland and also passengers from the City centre to the out- to Vilnius Airport, which is located only improve the connection between Central skirts of the City in less than 30 min for a 100 km away from Kaunas. and Northern Europe. It is envisioned as a price of under 1 euro. continuous rail link from Tallinn to Warsaw, via Riga and Kaunas and is being imple- 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS mented in sections. 3 Foundation TEMPORARY CAPITAL CONTEMPORARY CAPITAL

It is believed that Kaunas was founded The interwar period when Kaunas became Using its various historical moments as in 1030. Surrounded by rivers from three the Temporary Capital of Lithuania was a well as the City’s current strengths and the sides the City was an intersection of trade second big jolt after the Hanseatic League involvement of its citizens as reference routes and a river port with the only Hansa for the City to grow. The modernist urban points, Kaunas seeks to create and estab- merchant office Kontor in the Grand Duchy and architectural heritage in Kaunas re- lish its identity as a city that is modern, of Lithuania. flects the diversity and importance of the progressive, full of culture, science and in- modernization as a universal process of novation. human and European history.

Hotels Heritage Green city

There are 89 places to stay in Kaunas, in- Kaunas has the largest density of heritage Kaunas is located at the confluence of two cluding hotels, motels, private lets, rural objects in Lithuania and recently the City largest Lithuanian rivers, the Nemunas and tourism as well as very affordable student has been awarded the European Heritage the Neris and near Kaunas Reservoir, the accommodation. Label. The City is also en route to becom- largest artificial lake in Lithuania. The City ing the UNESCO site for Modernist Archi- has an abundance of green zones, includ- tecture. ing public parks and riverside beaches. 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS 4 Concept – CONTEMPORARY CAPITAL

TEMPORARY CAPITAL versus CONTEMPO- – CONTEMPORARY LEGEND. Creating a TIME IS OUR CAPITAL. Let’s use “capital” RARY CAPITAL legend for the City. There will be dragons as a visionary state, as a notion of cumu- on steroids and love stories to die for. lative place where intellectual resources, Our concept is Contemporary Capital. Why? community will and collaboration of per- Because we realise that when we talk – MODERNIST CAPITAL. A friendly face of sons from different cultural, economic and about our City we tend to look back to the modernity: the history of Kaunas’ modern- academic fields can generate power for in- period when Kaunas was Temporary Capi- ism can educate people and it can contrib- novations, which are relevant to contem- tal of Lithuania. This was between 1919 ute to European culture by presenting a porary life. and 1940. Ironically this was the time missing link between Art Nouveau of Paris when our “real” Capital went to Poland for and Bauhaus of Berlin. Let’s reinstall the European ways of city a while. planning and management. – FRIENDLY CAPITAL. Kaunas can become But it is time for us to move on. To create an eco-city with its longest pedestrian Let’s create permanent places to live and a new “golden age” for Kaunas. And the ve- street in Europe and an abundance of work. hicle for doing so is to become a tempo- green zones. rary capital once again. European Capital Let’s reclaim permanency. of Culture. A contemporary one. Just for one AND FINALLY HERE IS HOW WE BREAK year this time. But its impact will be huge. CONTEMPORARY CAPITAL INTO TWO IM- Permanency is an everlasting contempora- PORTANT STIMULI FOR ACTION: neity. Our concept of Contemporary Capital means: TEMPO MUST BE RECLAIMED AS “TIME”. We are fully aware that we need to change – EUROPEAN CAPITAL. Restoring sover- Let’s have four hours per day dedicated to our identity based not on whom or what eignty of a city as a self-assured and self- family, neighbours, charity, voluntary work, we were a hundred years ago, but rather conscious place among other old European leisure, cultural activities – exhibitions, whom or what we are now. cities. theatre, concerts, public events, guided tours or just exploring the city. So being a temporary capital again can be – FUN CAPITAL. Kaunas will be the city, a catalyst that clears the blocked mind-set, which no longer needs to fight nor strug- Let’s call it a conTEMPOrary style of living which holds us back. Let’s say it could be gle – it has earned its right to have fun. in 2022. our last and ultimate temporariness.

– EDGY CAPITAL. The City with cutting edge Let’s make it a habit. technical and progressive humanitarian skills, the City for start-ups and rebellious Habits are very powerful; you may take our 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS souls. word for that. 5 RARY CAPITAL 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS

Our Artistic Vision is to create a new cul- strategy also applies to presenting cutting- open the City to the outside as well as tural and civil tempo in order to make the edge, high quality international contempo- to the inside through the influx of artists citizens take a step from a Temporary Capi- rary art forms and introduce their cultural and groups from all over Europe and the tal to a Contemporary Capital. tempo to our citizens. world through projects, such as Communi- ty Culture in Action, intergenerational and Our Artistic Strategy makes participation A unifying narrative school projects, and through opening up a key value. Every citizen will have a right shared memories like in Yiddishe Mame. to participate. We will bring arts, design, … adresses the general amnesia for parts and architectural projects to the streets of our history and heritage. We envision a Platform for young generation and will aim for cultural activity to become city, which knows its history as a contin- an everyday occurrence instead of being uum. Not as a patchwork of random and The task is to empower young people to “something special”. temporary events. The events can be good see the City as their own and to remain and bad, glorious and shameful, but we here. More than 70% of all activities are planned must learn to see them as an eternal play to take place in communities, neighbour- of cause and consequence. We have officially declared that at least hoods and public spaces. 30–35 Cultural 50% of Kaunas ECoC 2022 team members Labs will be established in Greater Kau- Along with international conferences and will belong to the young generation. The nas territory starting in 2018, where cul- exhibitions about heritage and Modernist strongest example of this in Kaunas 2022 ture professionals will work closely with architecture as well as digital tools and programme is Centuryans – a project com- community members to create their own animations to experience heritage as part pletely led by the young generation. The programme of exchange with internation- of what makes our city contemporary, a project started in Spring 2016 and will al artists, gardeners, circus troupes, chefs, new narrative – a working contemporary run until 2022, growing in participation street artists and activists. All Labs will be legend – will be created. and projects with large scale and high- international and experimental. light events organized by the generation Listen and act of 2000’s. Along with participation our artistic strategy has 7 key elements: Our strategy includes listening and taking Creating a platform for young people to be steps that empower the City’s residents involved in and lead important parts of the Learning happens everywhere and visitors, encouraging a greater sense of programme will encourage more of them personal and collective identity. We have to to stay connected to the City not only on a The task here is to sow the idea among our start acting on the need of establishing a temporary basis, but to put roots here. citizens that if you want to be contemporary concept of cultural institutions, which need you have to learn something new every day. to become more accessible – physically, so- This is exactly how modern Europe was built. cially, culturally and intellectually, and truly We will do this, for example, through capac- connect with community, look beyond tra- ity building activities, such as The New Cul- ditional means and work with and for peo- tural Tempo School starting in 2017 with in- ple, not against them (e.g. The New Cultu- ternational practitioners as tutors for Kaunas ral Tempo School, Museum for the City and 2022 team, cultural operators, partners and City for the Museum). participants of our programme (e.g. youth programme Centuryans) and others. Cross-sector communication

Projects like Café du Monde aiming at cul- We will establish a free flow of cultural tural dialogue amongst local and interna- know-how amongst local cultural, educa- tional residents as well as the interdisci- tional and business communities, and al- plinary school project Animate Your City so amongst partners in Baltic, Nordic and will help citizens and cultural operators in other countries in order to ensure cross- Kaunas learn something new every day. sectoral co-creation and partnerships. We will bring together artists and scientists Kaunas as experimental site (e.g. art exhibition at the Science Centre), cultural producers and business compa- The City as an experimental site will en- nies (e.g. Design Flood), sports and per- courage people to try something new they forming arts (e.g. Kaunas Marathon). have never done before. The experimental character aims to create new links, find Openness for the Other new ways of living, consuming and enjoying life and this will contribute to the at- We have to transform our fortress-like mosphere and happiness rate in the City. mentality into openness in order to experi- This is mainly achieved through projects ence the encounter of what Kaunas born like The Museum for The City where peo- philosopher Emmanuel Levinas called fa- ple curate their own exhibitions of what is ce-to-face and become a true part of Eu- 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS important to them. The Experimental Site ropean intercultural partnership. We will 7 ARTISTIC PROGRAMME

The structure of the proposed Kaunas 2022 in 2017 and run through the prepara- programme has four main strands: CON- tory years before our finalised 2022 pro- KAUNAS 2022 – The Programme FLUENCE, CONFUSION, CONTEMPORARY gramme unfolds. and CONSCIOUSNESS. Each of them re- Kaunas – Contemporary Capi- flects challenges, ambitions and visions of Four Highlight Events frame four impor- tal 2022 programme will host 4 how Kaunas can use culture to underpin a tant moments in our European Capital HIGHLIGHT events, 12–15 Plat- process of change. Under each of the four of Culture year and structure our Kaunas forms (Large Scale Projects), oper- strands we have projects that are connect- 2022 programme: The Opening Weekend ated by the Kaunas 2022 Office in ed – often creating project clusters. Many on 20–22 January 2022; Kaunas Days – our close collaboration with local and of them take as their starting point some main summer event on 20–22 May 2022; international organisations, and of the challenges of the City and its com- The Contraflow event organised by Centu- several hundred projects initiated munities and address these issues on mul- ryans on 20–22 September; The Closing and led in partnership with local tiple levels: with a professional, special- Event starting on the 6 December 2022. cultural operators and universities, ist-driven approach that includes artistic European and worldwide organi- expression, community and participatory sations, cultural producers and art- activities, audience-oriented performances ists. These projects will cover the and exhibitions. In this way, we want to se- aims and conceptual directions of cure a legacy that makes a real mark on the programme strands. Kaunas and its citizens – moving things forward and everyone enjoying the ride at HIGHLIGHT EVENTS will be the the same time. main tools to celebrate the (newly created) Contemporary Legend. The premise of involving everyone in Kau- Each of the events will open a new nas and the Metro area in Contemporary season and will be directed by in- Capital is through a community building ternationally recognised directors. Meet RARY CAPITAL 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS platform that we call THE NEW CULTURAL Kaunas 2022 TEMPO SCHOOL. Its activities will start Executive Team 8 PROGRAMME STRANDS

CONTEMPORARY Projects of this strand are dedicated to creating a new cultural tempo of the City, raising the quality and quantity of cultural services in Kaunas, encouraging innovative ideas in social, science, and creative fields, building a healthy, green, recreational environment in Kaunas and promoting contemporary culture. Platforms: – A Working Contemporary Legend; – Contemporary Art Center / Public Art; – Slow Down Tempo – Kaunas Marathon.

CONFUSION Activities of this strand are related to conflicting and contradictory issues, involving reconstruction of the multicultural memory of the City, creating an environment open to different cultures, encouraging critical thinking and self-reflection, facing the forgotten history. The concept is based on many confusion points related to the City – the discrepancies in how the City sees itself and is seen, the history of the City as it was and how it is perceived by the citizens. Platforms: – Modernity for the Future; – Matters: Industrial Culture; – Yiddishe Mame; – Fortress Mentality; – Sites of Memory.

CONSCIOUSNESS The projects of this strand help create a new identity of Kaunas city through community involvement, civically engaged businesses, establishing connections with the city’s housing projects, environmen- tal projects, generating positive identity of the City and raising citizens’ pride and happiness. Platforms: – Community Culture in Action (Cultural Labs); – Museum for the City and City for the Museum; – Centuryans; – Ladislas Starevich Animation Laboratory.

CONFLUENCE This programme strand is about encouraging multidisciplinary, inter-institutional co-operation. Expand- ing the scope for collaboration and quality of cultural service providers, initiating art and science projects, culture and business collaboration, international partnerships and exchanges, boosting the creative industries sector. Platforms: – Design Flood; – No Border Radio; – Digital Diplomacy; – Baltic Song Festival; – Theatre Flux; 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS – Science Island. 9 KAUNAS 2022 – EXPANDING EUROPEAN NETWORKS

CONTEMPORARY NETWORKS: FROM of the Design Forum, conferences and ex- e.g. IFTR Conference (International Feder- INSTITUTION TO INDIVIDUAL hibitions, as well as urban interventions. ation of Theatre Research), European De- sign Forum, IBA Conference (International For the preparation of Kaunas 2022 we 4) Twin Cities partnerships will be renewed Biennial Association’s annual meeting), In- will tap into all of the European exchange and strengthened (Riga, Wroclaw, Tampere, ternational Award for Public Art – Award networks, in which the City is already an Tartu, St Petersburg, Grenoble and more). Ceremony. active participant, as well as creating new connections. Our aim is to create a CON- 5) ECoCs 2022 paired towns (Kaunas and 8) Many of our projects will promote in- TEMPORARY network of European cities, Esch-sur-Alzette 2022) providing more tercultural networks of new technologies initiatives and individuals: possibilities for individuals and local com- across Europe as new social bonds (No munity members to exchange talents, Border Radio project, Science Centre, Digi- 1) International diplomatic missions that ideas, share their culture, food traditions, tal Windows to Europe, IT conferences and were located in Kaunas during our time gardening knowledge, crafts, etc. through fairs). as temporary capital (project Digital Di- introductory weeks and year-long pro- plomacy) will become a starting point for gramme exchanges. 9) We have agreed with Pula in Croatia contemporary – digital – diplomatic initia- to develop the concept of a network of tives. 6) Looking at other temporary capitals fortress cities, which include Pula itself, in Europe we will connect to Weimar and Magdeburg, Herceg Novi (Montenegro) 2) New Hanseatic League partnerships Bonn in Germany, Iasi in Romania and Kau- and Viborg near Aarhus. focusing on new / contemporary ways of hajoki in Finland to explore possible paral- trading and communication between Eu- lels and share the experiences at The Lega- 10) And finally, all programmes will ensure ropean cities. cy of Temporariness conference on Europe long-term networking between various Day (9 May, 2022). European institutions and individuals, will 3) UNESCO Creative Cities, especially in help cultural operators share their experi- the Design category, to which Kaunas 7) Kaunas 2022 programme is going to ences, strengthen their skills and knowl- belongs, will become a platform for part- become a platform of strong partnerships edge in European partnerships and com- nership between institutions, municipali- and collaborations between international munication, and will prompt new initiatives 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS ties and NGOs through the establishment scholars, researches and cultural networks: of networks and international projects. 10 © RŠ

MAPPING PARTNERSHIPS concert of the programme and one of the Alvis Hermanis to direct their programme biggest Highlight events The Liberty Para- in 2022. We are in contact with Gundega The newly established Contemporary Art de including 2,000 musicians from all over Laiviņa (Riga 2014, Road Map curator), Centre will focus on public art initiatives Europe. who will help to connect communities in and will be strongly supported by an in- Latvia and Lithuania for our Community ternational network ensured by Kaunas CONNECTING NEIGHBOURS Culture in Action platform. Biennial, which has 20 years of international partnership experience, and Lewis The European Capital of Culture is neither Kaunas 2022 is open for networking op- Biggs (UK), who will be the Artistic Direc- a local nor a national project. We strong- portunities, linking organizations and art- tor for visual and public art programme ly believe that this title is awarded to all ists, pairing communities and individuals. for Kaunas 2022. The Artistic Director is Europeans, especially our neighbouring constructing the public arts programme countries. That is why we focus on the in partnership with more than 10 interna- partnership with countries around Lithu- tional organisations. ania: Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia, and Belarus. We have transnational connec- Internationally recognized artists, com- tions with the Wroclaw Industrial Festival posers, conductors, theatre directors have (Poland) and the Ural Industrial Biennial been invited to take part in preparing in Ekaterinburg (Russia), National Philhar- the programme and commisioned to cre- monics in Minsk (Belarus) and we intend ate works in relation to the main strands to connect with partners in the Russian of the programme: e.g. Philip Miller (ora- enclave Kaliningrad, with whom we want tory, Yiddishe Mame programme), William to explore the ways of working for the pro- Kentridge (new video works and personal ject Modernity for The Future. The Polish exhibition), Roberto Magro (contemporary curator Krzysztof Stanislawski will be a circus festival in “the sleepy suburbs”), Pa- part of the curatorial team for contempo- tricia Piccinini (Kaunas legend character / rary art actions: exhibitions, public art, and a sketch for an air balloon travelling across performance. With Latvia and Estonia we Europe), Rafael Lozano Hemmer (coordina- are planning a symposia and a tour across tor Designing for Emotions, Up in the Air), Europe by the Baltic Sea Youth Philharmo- Neville Gaby, Will Self (artistic interven- nic and a planned concert by Kremerata tions in modernist apartment buildings Baltica (LV, EST, LT musicians), as well as in Modernity for the Future project). Mirga initiating the Baltic Song Festival (based

Gražinytė-Tyla, who is the conductor and on our mutual singing traditions listed by Read support RARY CAPITAL 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS Music Director of the City of Birmingham UNESCO). Kaunas National Drama Theatre letters from our Symphony Orchestra will lead the opening has invited the Latvian theatre director partner cities 11 KAUNAS IN NUMBERS

387,158 inhabitants The longest pedestrian street 29 museums 58 libraries (combined City and Metro) in Europe Liberty Avenue – stretching for 1.6 kilometres

1,556 cultural heritage 13 theatres and 9 international 7 music schools and objects 4 theatre festivals contemporary arts 9 music festivals festivals

12 universities and 30,000 university and 115 schools and 109 churches and colleges college students 44,257 school students houses of prayer

15 bridges Average monthly wage 18,549 enterprises BC Žalgiris has won 696 Eur, minimum wage 17 Lithuanian Basketball 350 Eur Championship gold medals. 1 Euroleague gold medal. RARY CAPITAL 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS

25% of population over age 60 34% of population under age 30 Unemployment rate 5,7% 12 Pre-selection stage, 2016

The Applicant Kaunas City Municipality in partnership with Kaunas District Municipality

Contact person: Vaida Venckutė-Nagė Public Relations Officer [email protected] +37067206529

Special thanks to all contributors to the content of this project:

Design Darius Petreikis Creative Team Mamaika

Useful links www.kaunas2022.eu www.facebook.com/kaunas2022 #kaunas2022

Kaunas City Municipality RARY CAPITAL 2022 CAPITAL RARY TEMPO CON KAUNAS

Kaunas District Municipality 13