RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
LAC Representatives Meet ACE²-EU Partners in Austria to Strengthen Cooperation in Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
12.02.2025
From February 11 to 12, the European University Alliance ACE²-EU WP3 meeting took place in Villach, Austria. Hosted by the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CUAS), representatives from all ACE²-EU Alliance countries participated in dynamic workshops to generate ideas and explore ways to enhance collaboration in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) was represented by Lolita Ozoliņa and Elizabete Palasiosa.
Latvian Academy of Culture to Launch Cultural History Lecture Series with Alexander Etkind
11.02.2025
On February 14, 2025, at 5:00 PM the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) Gara māja (Miera street 58) will host a lecture "Cultural History of Natural Resources" by Alexander Etkind, which will launch a lecture series dedicated to the history of culture, aiming to introduce students and a wider audience to contemporary research in the history of culture. In his lecture, Etkind will use examples from modern history to argue that economies thrive on productive labour and human creativity rather than the exploitative depletion of natural resources.
Call for Papers "Embodied Visions: Performativity, Visuality, Materiality (1960s–1980s)"
10.02.2025
The interdisciplinary conference "Embodied Visions: Performativity, Visuality, Materiality" invites scholars, artists, and curators to explore creative strategies employed in visual and performative arts from the 1960s to the 1980s, with a particular focus on how space, form, materials, and movement shape artistic expression. This period often saw radical shifts in artistic practices, including the expansion of performance art, conceptualism, experimental theatre, kinetic art, and site-specific interventions, all of which challenged conventional modes of artistic production and spectatorship.
Until February 10, submissions are open for articles to be included in the scientific journals of the Latvian Academy of Culture
21.01.2025
Until February 10, 2025 researchers are invited to submit papers for the thematic issue of ‘Culture Crossroads’ on issues related to the social and economic impact of culture. The issue will continue the discussion on the issues and methodologies of impact assessment in the cultural and creative industries (CCI) – which was initiated during the thematic session ‘How to Make It Visible? Assessing Social And Economic Impact In Creative And Cultural Industries’ within the framework of the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) conference series ‘Cultural Crossroads XVIII’ in autumn this year.
International Advisory Board for strengthening scientific cooperation established at the Latvian Academy of Culture
27.12.2024
The International Advisory Board of the Institute of Culture and Arts of the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) is launched for strengthening scientific cooperation. The aim of the Advisory Board is to strengthen the links between the research initiatives of the LAC and the international scientific community. The Advisory Board's network of researchers will support access to global expertise for LAC scholars in several aspects: research priorities, interdisciplinary and innovative methodological solutions, research quality, ethics and other issues.
The Latvian Academy of Culture, in Partnership with Eight European Universities, to Launch the Societal Partnerships and Cultural Engagement Centre
08.01.2025
On 20 January 2025 at 4:00 PM, the Societal Partnerships and Cultural Engagement Centre (SPACE Centre) will mark its official opening at the Latvian Academy of Culture’s “Gara māja” at Miera Street 58a, Riga. The event highlights a pivotal point in a four-year collaboration under the European university alliance ACE2-EU (Applied, Connected, Entrepreneurial and Engaged – European University), with LAC working together with eight European universities to address future challenges in higher education.
Latvian Academy of Culture opens its doors on quarter of Miera Street
17.12.2024
On 16 December, the former Tobacco Factory Quarter opened its doors in a new form, now home to the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) Film School, the Institute of Culture and Arts, postgraduate students and the LAC Centre of Continuing Education. The project has given a new look, breath and space to a wide range of artistic expressions in another degraded area in the center of Riga, as well as increasing opportunities for professional development for students and researchers at LAC.
Call for submissions for the thematic issue of Culture Crossroads on the social and economic impact of culture
25.11.2024
Researchers are invited to submit papers for the thematic issue of Culture Crossroads on issues related to the social and economic impact of culture. The issue will continue the discussion on the issues and methodologies of impact assessment in the cultural and creative industries (CCI) – which was initiated during the thematic session "How to Make Visible? Assessing Social And Economic Impact In Creative And Cultural Industries" within the framework of the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) conference series "Cultural Crossroads XVIII" in autumn this year.
Borders in culture, art, and science: The eighteenth conference series “Cultural Crossroads” will take place at the Latvian Academy of Culture
23.10.2024
Starting from november 5th to 8th, 2024, the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) will host the eighteenth conference series “Cultural Crossroads XVIII”, that will offer over 90 presentations, lectures, and discussions for those interested in culture and the arts. Both latvian and international scholars, artists and cultural practitioners will reassess the scale of our freedom and value hierarchies, revealing and illuminating the boundary situations, external and internal barriers that the modern individuals, communities and countries face. The event itself - “Cultural Crossroads” conference series - celebrates its coming of age this year, which will be reflected in the program’s theme, which features new and surprising research directions and bold proposals for addressing topics and issues. The 18 year history of the conference allows for discussions on the maturity, significance, and even identity of cultural and arts research in Latvia.
Conference invites researchers to focus on social and economic impact assessment in the cultural and creative industries
03.10.2024
On 8 November 2024, within the framework of the conference series "Culture Crossroads XVIII" of the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC), a thematic session "How to Make it Visible? Assessing Social And Economic Impact In Creative And Cultural Industries" is planned. The session will be held in English, and both international researchers and Latvian researchers, PhD students and graduates of the Latvian Academy of Culture are invited as participants.
Seminar on Hanseatic subaltern in the late Middle Ages at the Latvian Academy of Culture
11.09.2024
On 30 September and 1 October, the Latvian Academy of Culture will host a seminar Hanseatic subaltern: Methods and approaches in the research of social, economic and ethnic exclusion in the Hanseatic cities (c. 1350-c. 1550).
IX Baltic Sea Region Film History Conference “Exploring the Past and Future of Audiovisual Media in the Baltic Sea Region: Archives, Digital Platforms, Researchers and Spectators”
23.05.2024
From 6-8 June 2024 at the cinema K.Suns (Elizebetes Str. 83/85) will be held the IX Baltic Sea Region Film History Conference. The conference is an annual international event that offers a platform for discussions on the past and present of film culture of the Baltic Sea Region. The first conference took place in 2014 in Tallinn, Estonia, but from 2019 the conference became mobile, now alternating between three Baltic countries. In 2024 it will return to Riga for the second time, and will be hosted by the Latvian Academy of Culture, Baltic Audiovisual Archival Council, and LAC Riga Film Museum. The IX conference will address a dual, interrelated focus: the histories of audiovisual collections within the region, and the burgeoning impact of digital technologies on facilitating access to these collections.
Call for Applications: International Doctoral Summer School
21.05.2024
Doctoral students from the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC), Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (LMTA), and Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music are invited to apply for the International Doctoral Summer School, which will take place from August 19 to 22 in Stameriena (Gulbene district, Latvia). The School will cover topics related to artistic research in the fields of music, film, performing arts, and interdisciplinary students. The application deadline is June 3.
The Latvian Academy of Culture’s latest collection of scholarly articles “Culture Crossroads Vol. 23” is published
10.01.2024
The Latvian Academy of Culture's collection of scholarly articles "Culture Crossroads Vol.23" contains 19 articles covering various current issues in culture, arts and creative industries research. The volume includes a particularly rich range of theories and empirical research on a variety of topics - e.g. cultural and artistic consumption, social participation, cultural heritage and technology, historical architectural styles, stylistic nuances of specific artists, issues of language and narrative, etc. This volume is characterised by interdisciplinarity, broad scope and originality of the authors' perspectives. All articles are freely accessible.
IX Baltic Sea Region Film History Conference “Exploring the Past and Future of Audiovisual Media in the Baltic Sea Region: Archives, Digital Platforms, Researchers and Spectators”
09.01.2024
From 6-8 June 2024, the National Film School of the Latvian Academy of Culture (Riga, Elijas Street 17) will host the IX Baltic Sea Region Film History Conference. The conference is an annual international event that offers a platform for discussions on the past and present of film culture of the Baltic Sea Region. The first conference took place in 2014 in Tallinn, Estonia, but from 2019 the conference became mobile, now alternating between three Baltic countries. In 2024 it will return to Riga for the second time. The IX conference will address a dual, interrelated focus: the histories of audiovisual collections within the region, and the burgeoning impact of digital technologies on facilitating access to these collections.
The state research programme project "Cultural capital as a resource for sustainable development of Latvia" / CARD to close with a series of conferences in September
06.09.2022
On 27 and 28 September 2022, a series of conferences will present the results of the state research programme project "Cultural capital as a resource for sustainable development of Latvia" / CARD. The two-year programme has involved almost a hundred researchers of Latvian culture and arts, doctoral students and other students from three culture and arts universities, the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC, the leading partner of the programme), Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (JVLAM) and the Art Academy of Latvia (AAL), as well as scholars from the National Library of Latvia (NLL) and the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia (ILFA).
The Latvian Academy of Culture convenes the International Research Conference Series “Culture Crossroads XV”, running online for a whole week
25.10.2021
From the 1st to the 5th of November, the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) invites you to follow online events of the conference series “Cultural Crossroads XV”, which will showcase the research profiles of the LAC, as well as reveal topics and main results of various interdisciplinary and interinstitutional teams of culture and art researchers, including the objectives of the National Research Programme project “Cultural capital as a resource for sustainable development of Latvia” / objectives and first-year results of CARD. “Cultural Crossroads XV” will also host the closing conference of the Latvian National Centennial Programme “From the first to the next century: performance, experience and perspective” with a presentation on the results and evaluations of the programme by the cultural sector representatives on topics such as creative status, cultural policy emphases in the new Cultural Policy Guidelines and perspectives on development in the culture sector.
On October 14th first lecture of series "Born in Latvia, Made in America.” will take place
11.10.2021
Next year marks the centennial of the multi-strand relationship between Latvia and the United States. One of the most fascinating--as well as less-known--strands of that rich relationship, is the long line of artists, photographers, architects and other artisans and craftspeople who were born in Latvia, emigrated to the US, became successful there, and left an imprint on their respective crafts, the US and the world. Explore this remarkable dimension of the Latvian-American relationship with noted journalist and historian Gordon F. Sander on Thursday, October 14th at 2:45 in Room 10 when Gordon presents the first lecture of his series "Born in Latvia, Made in America." In his talk Gordon will discuss the work of two members of the first wave of Latvian artists who emigrated to the U.S. in the early part of the 20th century, artist Mark Rothko and photographer Philip Halsman.
Recordings from the Conference Series "Cultural Crossroads XIV" Available on the LAC Youtube Channel
11.11.2020
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who participated in the conference series "Culture Crossroads XIV" on November 2nd - 6th! Please be reminded that video recordings of all the events are available:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWc9_Lzvluo&list=PL8m71dsW0sId3cKx890bpUk4pVwdMDBcF
An International Conference on the Impact of Arts and Cultural Education Will Take Place Online on November 3
22.10.2020
On November 3 at 11.00–17.00 (EEST time) the international day of the international scientific conference “Culture Crossroads” will be dedicated to the topic “The Impact of Arts and Cultural Education: Arguments and Evidence”. The conference will be streamed online on the Youtube and Facebook profiles of the Latvian Academy of Culture. This will be a shortened and more focused online version of the conference scheduled for March 19, 2020 at the Riga Latvian Society House.
6th International Conference on Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language
12.10.2020
On October 17 and 18 the 6th International Conference on Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language will be held at the Latvian Academy of Culture (Zirgu Pasts). The event is organized by the Department of Cross-cultural Communication and Modern Languages with the aim to offer a multicultural environment to promote the research on language acquisition and the exchange of innovative teaching proposals. This year the Conference program joins together professors from the University of Bergamo (Italy), University of Alicante (Spain), University of Barcelona (Spain), University of Harvard (United States) and the Latvian Academy of Culture among others.
The annual international research conference “Culture Crossroads XIV” taking place for a whole week this year: call for applications for the break-out sessions of the conference
28.09.2020
If you are interested in researching culture and art phenomena, you are kindly invited to apply for participation at the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) International Research Conference “Culture Crossroads XIV”, which will take place for a whole week:
02.11.-06.11., 2020. November 6 will be a Section Day, which will take place on November 6 at the LAC Theatre House Zirgu pasts to share research results, conclusions and suggestions. The deadline for applications to participate is October 11, 2020.
Teachers of general education invited to apply for the online professional development conference ‘Film and Media for Education’
25.08.2020
From September 17 to September 22, 2020 the Latvian Academy of Culture together with partners from Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are organizing a professional development conference ‘Film and Media for Education. Take 2’, and for the first time it will take place online with live webinars and digital hands-on workshops. The target audience of the conference are teachers of general education representing all disciplines and fields of study, as the information and materials offered within the seminar are universal and can be integrated into any subject, be it history, literature, math or sciences.
Call for papers for Culture Crossroads, Journal of the Research Centre of the Latvian Academy of Culture
20.05.2020
We kindly invite researchers to send in their papers for publishing in the Special Issue on Impacts of Arts and Cultural Education for the international peer-reviewed journal Culture Crossroads (http://www.culturecrossroads.lv).
The submission deadline is September 15, 2020.
Call for applications for the 6th annual Baltic Sea Region History Conference is extended til April 17, 2020
01.04.2020
Baltic Sea Region Film History Conference is an annual international event; it aims to bring together film scholars and researchers, who analyse the film history of the Baltic Sea Region. The conference seeks to share the insights of the latest findings and to promote film cultures of this yet often unacknowledged region. One of the aims of the conference is to encourage scholars to develop international cooperation in historical and theoretical research of Baltic cinemas. The first conference was held in 2014 in Tallinn (Estonia). From 2019, the conference became mobile, and Riga (Latvia) is the host of the conference in 2020. The main organisers of the VI Conference is the Latvian Academy of Culture, in partnership with Lithuanian Theatre and Music Academy, and Film Archive of the National Archives of Estonia.
Guest lecture at the Latvian Academy of Culture by prof. Peter Gouzouasis from the University of British Columbia
27.02.2020
On March 18, 2020 students, faculty members and researchers of the Latvian Academy of Culture are all invited to take part in the guest lecture by the professor of the University of British Columbia Peter Gouzouasis ‘Where are teachers and learners in arts education research?’ The lecture will take at the Latvian Academy of Culture (24 Ludzas Street), Room 5 from 15:45 till 17:15. It is also part of the international research conference “Impacts of Arts and Cultural Education: Arguments and Evidence“.
Call for applications for the 6th annual Baltic Sea Region History Conference until March 31, 2020
17.02.2020
Baltic Sea Region Film History Conference is an annual international event; it aims to bring together film scholars and researchers, who analyse the film history of the Baltic Sea Region. The conference seeks to share the insights of the latest findings and to promote film cultures of this yet often unacknowledged region. One of the aims of the conference is to encourage scholars to develop international cooperation in historical and theoretical research of Baltic cinemas. The first conference was held in 2014 in Tallinn (Estonia). From 2019, the conference became mobile, and Riga (Latvia) is the host of the conference in 2020. The main organisers of the VI Conference is the Latvian Academy of Culture, in partnership with Lithuanian Theatre and Music Academy, and Film Archive of the National Archives of Estonia.
Research on Cross-culture Communication at the Latvian Academy of Culture
07.02.2020
Five academics of the Latvian Academy of Culture attended the XXX International Research Conference of the Faculty of the Humanities, Daugavpils University, and presented the results of their research on various aspects of cross-cultural communication on 30-31 January, 2020.
Call for papers for the International scientific conference “Impacts of Arts and Cultural Education: Arguments and Evidence“
18.12.2019
The conference will take place on March 19–21, 2020 in Riga.
In the last two decades, considerable evidence has been accumulated on the multiple benefits of cultural and art education for children, young people and adults – contributing to their innovation capacity, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking skills, improving mental health of individuals, cohesion of communities and more. Arts and cultural education is increasingly discussed not only in terms of intrinsically valuable personal development of individuals, but as a broader societal issue, e.g. of social justice: as a right to equal access to opportunities vital for life and work in the 21st century.
Border-crossing in art and research, folk oratorio and more than 80 research papers presented within the international research conference "Culture Crossroads XIII"
25.10.2019
For 4 days in the autumn of 2019, from October 29 to November 1 the Latvian Academy of Culture is organising the 13th annual international research conference in the field of culture and arts „Culture Crossroads”, which will incorporate several unique events, including a folk oratorio at the National Library of Latvia, international day with world renowned researchers, plenary session with local artists and field experts, who will present their best practices and research results on the various forms of interaction between research and art, as well as break-out sessions with more than 80 research papers presented in nine parallel sessions. The conference is organized by the Latvian Academy of Culture.
Seminar by the guest lecturer from France Dr. Nicolas Escach taking place at the Latvian Academy of Culture on 8th October
07.10.2019
Dr Nicolas Escach is a lecturer and the head of the MA programme “Stratégies innovantes des territoires urbains : anticiper les transitions”, as well as the director of the Campus of Caen at one of the leading French universities “Sciences Po Rennes” located in Northern France, in Normandy, city of Caen.
Call for papers for the international research conference "Culture Crossroads XIII"
25.09.2019
All researchers and practitioners in the field of culture and arts are invited to submit their applications for the international research conference of the Latvian Academy of Culture “Culture Crossroads XIII” in order to share their research findings, conclusions and suggestions in the field. The application deadline is October 14, 2019. This year, the head topic of the conference is ‘The Crossing of Borders: Research-based Art and Arts-based Research’. The conference will take place from October 29 until November 1, 2019 in the Theatre House of the Latvian Academy of Culture ‘Zirgu Pasts’ (46 Dzirnavu Street, Riga, Latvia) and the National Library of Latvia (3 Mūkusalas Street, Riga, Latvia). The conference is organized by the LAC Research Centre.
Published the special volume “Poetics and Politics of History in Film and Theatre” marking 14th issue of journal “Culture Crossroads”
15.07.2019
On July 15th, the specialized, 14th volume of a journal “Culture Crossroads” by The Research Centre of the Latvian Academy of Culture (the LAC) has been published in a digital format (ISSN 2500-9974, http://www.culturecrossroads.lv/en/latest). In this issue are gathered articles in English as a continuation of thought-provoking discussions and studies at a conference “Poetics and Politics of History in Film and Theatre” which took place in Riga, at the LAC, from November 29 till December 1, 2018. In the conference, as well as in the journal the attention has been paid not only to the representation of the centenaries of the Baltic States in film and theatre, but also to a scrupulous analysis of interpretations and problematics of historical time, events and how these processes have shaped and influenced fates of people, as well as theatre creators and filmmakers and their artistic decisions.
The new research journal of the Latvian Academy of Culture „Culture Crossroads/ Vol. 13” dedicated to street art and graffiti
04.06.2019
On May 24, the 13th edition of the research journal „Culture Crossroads” was presented during the student research conference of the Latvian Academy of Culture „The Art-of-Knowing”. The latest edition dedicated to street art and graffiti is titled “Graffiti and Street Art - Challenges for Artists, Society and Conservators”. This volume of articles is an output of the research project “Graffiti in Latvia: challenges for artists, society, and conservators”, developed and implemented in close cooperation among the lecturers and students of the Latvian Academy of Culture and funded by the LAC Research Centre. The journal is available digitally: http://www.culturecrossroads.lv/en/latest
Anita Načisčione and Elīna Veinberga from the Department of Cross-cultural Communication and Foreign Languages taking part in an international conference on metaphor in Genoa
27.05.2019
Prof. Anita Načisčione and Ass. Prof. Elīna Veinberga, lecturers of the Department of Cross-Cultural Communication of the Latvian Academy of Culture went to the University of Genoa, Italy to participate at the international metaphor research conference on May 13-15, 2019 as part of their research project Metaphor and Metonymy in Conceptualisation of Human Lives in the Cognitive Linguistic Framework.
Call for papers for "Culture crossroads"
27.02.2019
Call for papers for "Culture crossroads", Journal of the Research Centre at the Latvian Academy of Culture
We kindly invite researchers to send in their articles for publishing in Journal of the Research Centre at the Latvian Academy of "Culture Crossroads".