BALTIC CURRENT
balticcurrent.org
Riga, 20th April 2023
No. 1
Ms Heidy Purga
Minister for Culture of the Republic of Estonia
Mr Nauris Puntulis
Minister for Culture of the Republic of Latvia
Mr Simonas Kairys
Minister for Culture of the Republic of Lithuania
Dear Ministers,
Please be kindly informed about the new initiative Baltic Current: a think tank for sustainable
performing arts in the Baltics started by the Latvian theatre Gertrudes ielas teatris (located in
Riga), Lithuanian Kaunas City Chamber Theatre (located in Kaunas), Estonian performing arts
platform Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava (located in Tallinn) in collaboration with the Goethe Institute,
supported by Nordic-Baltic Mobility Program for Culture.
The think tank was created to:
- increase the professional capacity for young artists and performing arts institutions in
the Baltics;
- generate knowledge and understanding of current topics and different discourses in the
contemporary performing arts and devise strategies for their implementation in the
practice;
- encourage networking – forming new partnerships among artists and organisations in
the Baltics.
The think tank Baltic Current took place in Riga, Kaunas, and Tallinn from August 2022 until
February 2023 in the form of workshops and online meetings bringing together almost 30
professionals – performing artists and producers from all three Baltic countries.
During the meetings, the concerns and challenges were shared regarding the artistic practice in
the Baltics. One of the repeatedly raised issues considered the cooperation among the Baltic
countries in the performing arts field. As concluded, one of the reasons for rather limited
collaboration among performing arts counterparts in the Baltics is lack of the financial sources
for the initiatives within the region.
Therefore, we address you as the founders of the Baltic Culture Fund, which was established
to promote cultural cooperation between the Baltic States to strengthen the internationalization
of Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian cultures and to present a common Baltic dimension. The
Baltic Culture Fund has fostered cooperation and joint activities aimed to represent the Baltic
culture on the international scene. Several performing arts initiatives such as Baltic Dance
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BALTIC CURRENT
balticcurrent.org
Platform, Baltic Visual Theatre Showcase, and others have been successfully launched.
Nevertheless, the struggle to carry out joint projects within the Baltic region remains, to
mention co-productions or touring as it is out of the focus of the Baltic Culture Fund priorities.
In addition, such sort of activities is not the main priority for the local cultural foundations too.
Without consistent and accessible support for regional cooperation, the common international
representation of the Baltics could be affected due to the fragmented collaboration.
Accordingly, we encourage you to take the next step in expanding the Baltic Culture Fund for
regional cooperation and regional representation as well, likewise the example of the Nordic
Culture Fund operation which aims to bring arts and culture into new forms of dialogue and to
provide flexible frameworks for the development of new collaborations and initiatives within
the region and globally.
We are at your disposal should you require any further clarifications.
Yours sincerely,
Maija Pavlova, board member
Gertrudes ielas teatris/ ass.TARBA
Triinu Aron, general manager
Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava
Jurga Knyviene, managing director
Kauno Miesto Kamerinis Teatras
For contacts: Maija Pavlova,
[email protected], +371 26355324
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