Rīga hosts its 21st Baltā nakts cultural forum on September 5, featuring over 30 free events across the city. The theme The city flourishes where we are emphasizes urban ecosystems, with installations, performances, and discussions on art, nature, and community.
The Baltā nakts (White Night) cultural forum returns to Riga for its 21st edition, transforming the city into a hub of artistic experimentation on September 5. Over 30 free events will unfold across Riga’s historic districts, parks, and cultural venues, centered on the theme The city flourishes where we are. This year’s program blends traditional celebrations with contemporary installations, inviting residents and visitors to engage with the city’s living ecosystem.
Rīgā notiks kultūras forums "Baltā nakts
The event’s central motif, The city flourishes where we are, frames Riga as a dynamic network of human, natural, and artistic interactions. This concept is visually translated through Ieva Putniņa’s artwork, which features three original paintings depicting urban animals in various combinations. The theme encourages attendees to notice overlooked elements of city life, from insects and other living beings to unseen processes that keep the city alive, as described by the Riga City Council’s External Communications Department.
Activities span multiple districts, including Vecrīga, Zasulaukā, and Bastejkalna Park. Key locations include the Latvian Universitātes Botāniskais dārzs, SunsStudio, AB dambī, Rīgas Laikmetīgās mākslas telpa, Neatkarības laukums, Bastejkalna parkā, Rīgas Kongresu nams, Vērmanes dārzs, Latvijas Leļļu teātra pagalms, Francijas institūts Latvijā, radošajā kvartālā Veldze, K. K. fon Stricka villas pagalmā, Latvijas Kultūras akadēmijas Nacionālajā filmu skolā, Kim? Laikmetīgās mākslas centrā, Ghetto Games amfiteātris, VEF Kultūras pilī, Kultūras pils Ziemeļblāzma parkā, and others. Taureņu tramvajs will connect Iļģuciemu and Teiku.
Sestdien Rīgā vairāk nekā 30 vietās norisināsies "Baltā nakts
Notable installations include the interactive Elpa/Relaxation field in Bastejkalna parkā and a performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s slavenie Četri gadalaiki vēsturiskā atskaņojumā satiekas ar elektronisko mūziku Grīziņkalnā. The forum also features discussions on Māksla par gaļas nodokli radošajā kvartālā Veldze. This festival in the Veldze radošajā kvartālā includes discussions with international artists about the impact of meat consumption on the environment, public health, and animal welfare.
The event showcases works and programs by artists and arts organizations, including performances and installations by Voldemārs Johansons, Krista Vindberga-Auzniece, Oto Holgers Ozoliņš, Those Guys Lighting, Līga Spunde, Hanele Zane Putniņa, and Ieva Putniņa. Traditional elements like the ikgadējo eksperimentālās mūzikas festivālu Skaņu mežs, projektu Videogrāfija un Satori dzejas diskotēku return, alongside events from Dzejas dienas, laikmetīgās mākslas festivāls Survival Kit, īsfilmu festivāls 2ANNAS, and nakts galeriju programma Riga Last Thursday.
Pilsēta atplaukst tur, kur esam mēs. Uz norisēm aicina
The forum’s program includes a variety of activities, such as the Skaņu mežs annual experimental music festival, the Videogrāfija project, and the Satori dzejas diskotēka. Additional events include the Dzejas dienas, the laikmetīgās mākslas festivāls Survival Kit, the īsfilmu festivāls 2ANNAS, and the nakts galeriju programma Riga Last Thursday. Foruma ietvaros notiks izstādes, dārza svētki, koncerti un diskusijas.
The Riga City Council’s External Communications Department informs that the city’s vitalitāti un identitāti neveido tikai ēkas, ielas un infrastruktūra, bet arī attiecības starp cilvēkiem, dabu un apkārtējo vidi. This perspective is reflected in the event’s design, which encourages participants to engage with the urban ecosystem and recognize the interconnectedness of all its elements. The forum’s visual identity, created by Ieva Putniņa, features three original paintings that highlight the interactions between urban animals, reinforcing the theme of coexistence and mutual dependence.
The event runs from plkst. 12.00 sestdien, 5. septembrī, but pēdējie noslēgsies plkst. 2.00 naktī uz svētdienu. Attendees can access a full schedule at www.baltanakts.lv.
