Call for Papers: Conference Series “Culture Crossroads XIX”
Applications are now open for participation in the thematic sections of the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) conference series “Culture Crossroads XIX”. Those interested in the study of cultural and artistic phenomena are invited to register by 6 October 2025. The section sessions will take place on 7 November at the LAC Gara House (Miera iela 58a, Riga), providing an opportunity for researchers and professionals to share their findings, conclusions, and proposals.
This year, the “Culture Crossroads” conference series will run from 4 to 7 November, with more information about the events to be published in mid-October. On 7 November, the conference will feature work in six thematic sections:
· Stage and Audiovisual Arts
· Cultural Heritage
· Culture and Society
· Intercultural Communication and Language Use in Culture
· Art, Literature and Visuality
· Philosophy in Latvia (1944–1991): Conversions and Ruptures
To apply for participation in the section work, please complete the online application form: https://forms.office.com/e/BRfRPgsgtM. The deadline for applications is 6 October 2025. For conference publicity purposes, applicants are kindly asked to attach a photo. Abstracts will be published in the digital edition “Conference Series Culture Crossroads 2025: Abstract Collection / Programme.” Each presentation will be allotted 20 minutes (including questions). Participation in the conference is free of charge. Submitted and accepted abstracts will be peer-reviewed; the number and content of the sections may be adjusted depending on the range of submitted papers.
Suggested (but not limited) topics by section
Stage and Audiovisual Arts
Stage Arts Section | Immersive theatre elements and practices in contemporary and historical contexts. Suggested topics include:
· audience engagement;
· work with senses and perceptions;
· the role of space and environment in theatre;
· relations between theatre and play;
· other issues related to the theory and practice of immersive theatre.
Audiovisual Arts Section | Dedicated to the anniversary year of film director and cinematographer Juris Podnieks (1950–1992). Suggested topics include:
· the creative legacy of Juris Podnieks and its relevance today;
· stylistic directions, genres, and social significance of documentary cinema;
· analyses of filmmakers’ work or individual films;
· visions of the future of Latvian cinema;
· global contexts of film art and related issues.
Cultural Heritage
Main theme: tangible, intangible, and digital heritage. Researchers from different fields are invited to share their experience and discoveries on current and significant issues in cultural heritage, with a special focus on methodology and accessibility.
Culture and Society
The section is structured around three core themes:
1. Development of cultural and creative industries, incl. digitalisation and digital transformation, green transition, cultural entrepreneurship, sustainability.
2. Cultural and arts management, incl. cultural organisation operations, governance and marketing processes, supply and demand in culture, audience development, accessibility issues.
3. Current issues in the sociology of culture and art – cultural identity, globalisation, culture and inequality, art worlds, art and social activism.
Interdisciplinary topics are also welcome, including cultural policy, cultural economics, cultural education, impact measurement, and research methodologies. Submissions are invited from researchers in the humanities and social sciences, doctoral and master’s students, as well as cultural management and creative industry practitioners.
Intercultural Communication and Language Use in Culture
Main theme: Encounters of cultures and languages in intercultural communication, art, and practice; creative use of language – stylistic devices and their role in expressive thinking. Researchers and practitioners are invited to share original studies on the interaction between culture and language, as well as other interdisciplinary topics significant to intercultural communication. Working languages: English and Latvian.
Art, Literature and Visuality
Main theme: Text and Space: Literature and Art in the City. Topics include:
· representation of the city in literature and art;
· documentation of urban stories and experiences;
· poetics and visuality of urban experience;
· interactions of art and literature with architecture and public space;
· social, political, and aesthetic aspects of urban space in texts, images, and places;
· street art, performance, and digital forms of expression.
Philosophy in Latvia (1944–1991): Conversions and Ruptures
Researchers are invited to share their studies and reflections on the Soviet legacy in Latvian philosophical thought, the relationship between literature and Soviet philosophy, the fates and roles of intellectuals in totalitarian regimes, as well as new trends and methodological challenges in the study of the Soviet experience.
The conference series is organised by the Institute of Arts and Cultural Studies of the Latvian Academy of Culture.
The scientific focus of the LAC is on interdisciplinarity in the study of cultural and artistic phenomena. Over 19 years, the annual international conference “Culture Crossroads” has become a significant academic event. Its multidisciplinary programme attracts experienced researchers, students, cultural practitioners, and creative professionals alike. Each year, the conference achieves its strategic aim: to provide a communicative platform for the theoretical and practical validation of research results in the fields of culture and art.
The mission of the conference is to disseminate research on issues of national importance and international relevance in culture and the arts, and to foster academic discussion on the role and social responsibility of culture, art, and the creative sector in times of political, economic, and demographic change.
A particular challenge for the organisers is the integration of scientific and artistic practices in reflecting on cultural phenomena, especially in a time when the boundaries between art and research are increasingly blurred and new spaces of interaction are emerging.
For further information:
Aija Lūse
Coordinator, “Culture Crossroads XIX” Conference Series
Latvian Academy of Culture
aija.luse@lka.edu.lv, +371 29107218