[vc_row row_height_percent=”40″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ border_color=”color-gyho” border_style=”solid” shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ css=”.vc_custom_1554365024531{border-bottom-width: 1px !important;}”][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]PROJECT \u201eCONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOODS\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n
This is a continuous creative project being developed in Kaunas district, during which the aim is to mobilize and strengthen local communities and foster the cultural sector of Kaunas district. The project \u201cContemporary neighborhoods\u201d started taking its first steps in 2019. At that time, 7 neighborhoods joined it. In 2020 the number of wards participating in the project increased to 15. Each neighborhood, as soon as they joined the project, undertook a search for traits identifying the identity of the local community. They are all related to the stories of the settlements, the experiences of the people living in them before and now, the way of life and the pursuit of positive change. The search for the identity of the local community was carried out by communicating with the residents of the neighborhoods. The data collected during this phase became a strong foundation for generating ideas for the organization and implementation of cultural and artistic community activities. Various Lithuanian and foreign artists, educational representatives and partners join local communities and, working together, they contribute to the dissemination of art and culture and the strengthening of community in Kaunas district: organizes creative workshops, educational activities, creates works of art, interactive guides, organizes cultural events. \u201cContemporary neighborhoods\u201d \u2013 a project that reveals how diverse and unique Kaunas district neighborhoods are, but despite the unique uniqueness of each neighborhood, they all become a proof of Kaunas district’s strength and constant motivation to grow and create favorable conditions for both residents. both for those coming to visit. We believe that this project is just the beginning, on the path of strengthening local communities, initiating and implementing original creative, cultural activities and creating sustainable, positive and long-term change in Kaunas district.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_gallery el_id=”gallery-183369″ isotope_mode=”packery” medias=”79317,79319,79325″ gutter_size=”3″ screen_lg=”1000″ screen_md=”600″ screen_sm=”480″ single_overlay_opacity=”50″ single_padding=”2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]PROJECT \u201eCONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOODS\u201c VISION:<\/strong><\/p>\n
A broad horizon of local communities\u2018 attitudes towards art and culture, involving as many community members, Lithuanian and foreign artists, representatives of the cultural field and partners as possible in the creative processes that are the basis for emerging works of art, cultural activities and mutual dialogue between local communities and cultural institutions in Kaunas district.<\/p>\n
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE \u201cCONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOODS\u201d PROJECT?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Together with the local community, cultural institutions, partners and artists, create sustainable art and culture projects in Kaunas district based on local identity and involving the local community.<\/p>\n
TASKS OF THE \u201cCONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOODS\u201d PROJECT:<\/strong><\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_gallery el_id=”gallery-167315″ medias=”79324,79321,79318″ gutter_size=”3″ screen_lg=”1000″ screen_md=”600″ screen_sm=”480″ single_overlay_opacity=”50″ single_padding=”2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”4″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]THE BEGINNING OF THE \u201cCONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOODS\u201d PROJECT<\/strong><\/p>\n
In 2019, the project \u201cContemporary Neighborhoods \u201d and its concept were presented to Kaunas district neighborhoods and cultural institutions during public presentations and individual consultations. Neighborhoods were invited to submit applications that helped identify their motivation and potential to participate in the Modern Neighborhoods project. In the mentioned year, 16 neighborhoods submitted applications, which were evaluated by Kaunas 2022 curators and external specialists. After the application review project, 7 neighborhoods were invited to participate in the project: Linksmakalnis, Garliava districts, Ringaudai, Rokai, Akademija, Vilkija and Karm\u0117lava. 2020 13 applications were received from different neighborhoods. After the evaluation of the applications, 8 neighborhoods joined the project: Raudondvaris, Ka\u010dergin\u0117, Kulautuva, Lap\u0117s, Samylai, Domeikava, E\u017eer\u0117lis and Babtai. So, in the end, we can rejoice as many as 15 neighborhoods that participate in the \u201cContemporary Neighborhoods \u201d project.<\/p>\n
After the involvement of each neighborhood in the project, a research part of community identity was started. Using different methods, representatives of local communities were interviewed to find out: their relationship to art and culture; the ways in which they would like to engage in cultural and creative activities; what cultural and artistic content they would most like; what problems they would most like to solve or change through art and culture in their living environment. Community surveys provided an opportunity to better understand the identity of local communities. Representatives of cultural institutions, who represent their own neighborhoods in the project \u201cContemporary Neighborhoods\u201d, together with the curators of Kaunas 2022, evaluated the information gathered during the community surveys and selected the most suitable areas of art for each community and possible directions of project implementation. This stage was followed by searches for Lithuanian and foreign artists. Artists who not only corresponded to the identified fields of art, but also applied community involvement methods in their activities were invited to generate projects and creative processes together with the communities. In many neighborhoods, activities with communities were also carried out by artists representing different fields of art. In this way, the aim was to discover the most acceptable field of art for the community and the one that could best reveal its identity.
\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE \u201cCONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOODS\u201d PROJECT?<\/strong><\/p>\n
We are glad to be able to count as many as 15 districts of Kaunas district, which have joined the project and contribute to the strengthening of the spread of creative, community processes in Kaunas district. Neighborhoods participating in the project: Academy, Babtai, Domeikava, E\u017eer\u0117lis, Garliava districts, Ka\u010dergin\u0117, Karm\u0117lava, Kulautuva, Lap\u0117s, Linksmakalnis, Raudondvaris, Ringaudai, Rokai, Samylai and Vilkija.
\nThe neighborhoods participating in the project are represented by local cultural centers, leisure halls and community centers. The partners of \u201cContemporary Neighborhoods\u201d help to increase the accessibility of culture and art in Kaunas district: Linksmakalnis Primary School, Linksmakalnis eldership, Linksmakalnis Community, Ringaudai Community Center, Ringaudai Primary School, Rokai eldership, Kaunas Rokai Gymnasium, Public Institution Ka\u010din\u0117s seni , Kaunas kindergarten \u201cRokutis\u201d, Rok\u0173 school-kindergarten, Girininkai community, \u201cRok\u0173 keramika\u201d, Kaunas faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts, Kaunas college, LRT, Juragiai community center, Kaunas fortress park, Karkazai community, Academy eldership, Vytautas Magnus University, Karm\u0117lava eldership, B. Bura\u010das gymnasium, Kaunas FEZ, Kaunas district. Karm\u0117lava kindergarten \u201c\u017dilvitis\u201d, Vilkija gymnasium, A. and J. Ju\u0161kai museum.<\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_gallery el_id=”gallery-154606″ medias=”79326,79327,79328″ gutter_size=”3″ screen_lg=”1000″ screen_md=”600″ screen_sm=”480″ single_overlay_opacity=”50″ single_padding=”2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED SO FAR?<\/strong><\/p>\n
From 2019 until 2021 The participants of the \u201cContemporary Neighborhoods\u201d project managed to achieve inspiring results. In Kaunas district, in 15 neighborhoods, almost 500 various cultural and artistic activities and half a hundred different events were organized. More than 3,000 participants took part in the implemented activities, and over 10,000 spectators came to the events and enjoyed their content. Almost 150 artists from Lithuania and foreign countries, such as: Spain, Italy, Latvia, Chile, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, contributed to the strengthening of community and the organization of cultural and artistic activities in Kaunas district. During the project \u201cContemporary Neighborhoods\u201d, so far more than 30 long-term works of art have been created in Kaunas district, which invite to discover the uniqueness of Kaunas district.
\nActivities, initiatives and events organized in all neighborhoods were related to the result of the search for the identity of local communities. The Lapiai community chose to explore and nurture sustainability through creative activities, the Lapiai Sustainability Festival was held, Rokai embarked on an engaging clay road trip, Domeikava creates community history through the development of an interactive creative game, E\u017eer\u0117lis began to spread his identity through the prism of photography in 2021, after the E\u017eer\u0117lis Photo Club was open to the public, Ka\u010dergin\u0117 gathers the community on musical picnics and intends to look back at the relationship of the country\u2018s famous writers with the town and create its own history and the COOLAUTUVA game, which is the result of a joint creative process between artists and the community, develops the idea of an angel city in Linksmakalnis, and Garliava area can be proud of its interactive atlas, Raudondvaris invites the community to share good emotions with the dance rhythm, Babtai seeks to establish a traveling creative food laboratory, when the community gathered at the Academy, the doors were opened by local suppliers Lokali: Made in Akademija, a shop selling products and works, Samyla is on the path of learning about earth art and can invite locals and guests to enjoy nature in the newly established amphitheater. The symbolism of the town is marked by souvenirs and is preparing to start the journey towards the preparation of the Midsummer celebration. In addition, long-term works of art and objects have emerged in many neighborhoods, the source of inspiration for which has become local communities and their relationship with the living environment and its uniqueness.<\/p>\n
WHAT AWAITS \u201eCONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOODS\u201c IN THE FUTURE?<\/strong><\/p>\n
2021 are designed to further strengthen local communities by developing and implementing cultural and artistic activities that build on what has already been achieved. Until 2022 is expected to prepare for creative and engaging activities and events that will culminate several years of work. The year of the European Capital of Culture \u2013 2022 \u2013 in Kaunas district will be a period of presentation and enjoyment of the results of the activities developed and implemented during the \u201cContemporary Neighborhoods \u201d project, generated ideas. In that year, plein airs, festivals, events fostering contemporary and traditional art, presentations of works by foreign and Lithuanian artists, and effective performances await the residents and guests of Kaunas district. It will be a year that will inspire you to enjoy and be proud of communion, art and culture in Kaunas district, celebrating the title of \u201cKaunas and Kaunas district \u2013 European Capital of Culture 2022\u201d.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_gallery el_id=”gallery-129541″ medias=”79331,79332,79333″ gutter_size=”3″ screen_lg=”1000″ screen_md=”600″ screen_sm=”480″ single_overlay_opacity=”50″ single_padding=”2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\u201eContemporary neighborhoods\u201c project coordinator:<\/strong> Milda Rutkauskaite. E. mail for more detailed information and inquiries: milda@kaunas2022.eu<\/a><\/p>\n