Download radi!2017 Events' Calendar

**Events within radi!2017 Creativity Week continue to involve, educate and inspire as the year comes to an end**

This October was particularly creative and full of exciting events, as the seventh Creativity Week radi!2017 was taking place and being implemented on an even larger scale. For more than a month participants gathered in 24 fascinating, educating and inspiring events; several radi!2017 events took place in Riga and elsewhere in the regions of Latvia during November, the month of the country’s anniversary, however the final closing event is to be expected in December. Also, this time the aim of Creativity Week was to highlight the local ideas, talents, achievements, as well as the potential of creative and culture industries and their interaction with other sectors. Moreover, this autumn’s events within radi! were also organised outside Latvia, gathering representatives of creative industries and promoting international experience exchange.

"radi!2017 marked several new and topical trends, which were highlighted this year with the support of our professional team and partners: creation of partnership, transfer of inter-branch competencies, application of design thinking to everyday life processes, development of urban environment and architecture, new creation and generation of new ideas, co-working, use of the potential of degraded territories, promotion of visual understanding processes, studying the cultural heritage, as well as decorative arts and culinary heritage, involvement of the regions of Latvia and their inhabitants, including minorities and youth, and interaction of new technologies with creative industries. At the beginning of radi!2017 week, representatives of various industries were invited to ask themselves a question, “Is Latvia user friendly?”, which made everyone reflect on the current achievements and aspects to be improved in the future to make the surrounding environment more comprehensible and friendly. Ideas created are currently being implemented and will be developed further when planning the event calendar for radi!2018, which will be set in the mood of the centenary of Latvia,” says Līva Stūrmane, radi!2017 coordinator.

Since particular stress was placed on the involvement of the regional population, the recent events gathered culture and creative industry representatives, entrepreneurs, municipality and NGO sector workers, as well as other interested parties in the “Design thinking workshop in Daugavpils” and “Design thinking workshop in Lūznava Manor”. The aim of the workshop was to introduce participants to design thinking methods in order to identify client needs and ensure effective communication that would help successfully implement ideas and projects by attracting an audience. Meanwhile the workshop at Lūznava Manor was dedicated to the potential of the manor’s complex, participants learnt the design approach, offering creative ideas regarding the ways to fill the degraded manor buildings with live content and inhabitants. Similar brainstorming activities were also implemented at the end of October during the Creativity Lab academy workshop for state authority staff, which gave the participants basic knowledge for the application of design thinking to the development of public services and processes to make them more user-friendly.

In November, the discussion “Design in education” within the third discussion cycle “Design of Latvia 2020” took place, which gathered widely experienced experts and various interested parties at the Art Academy of Latvia to share opinions about the inclusion of design thinking in the education of various industries, as well as current market trends and society development trends, thus once more proving the significant role of design thinking and doing. The fourth discussion “Role of design in establishing state reputation”, which closes the radi!2017 events, will follow on 19 December; it will consider the interaction of design and the public image of the state from various perspectives.

Full agenda of Creativity week with a broader description and application links is available at http://www.radilatvija.lv/lv/notikumi. You can also follow radi!2017 latest news via social media on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. #radilv. radi!2017 publicity materials are available in the media folder: http://ej.uz/radi_mediju_mape.

Creativity Week radi!2017 will offer a varied event programme

In October, Latvia will host the annual Creativity week radi!, the aim of which is to highlight domestic achievements, as well as the potential of creative and culture industries and their interaction with other sectors. This year, the central events of Creativity week will take place from 9-15 October, while various related satellite events in Riga and other regions of Latvia are planned for more than a month. Everyone who is interested is welcome to discover the radi!2017 agenda, and participate in the upcoming discussions, seminars, workshops, think tanks, conferences and other exciting and easily implementable co-thinking, working and creative activities.

One of the first opening events of Creativity week radi!2017 is the annual "Reinhold Schmeling's conference — Livable City Forum Riga", which will take place from 4 to 6 October and will be dedicated to the adaptation of architecture and the urban environment to the development of modern science centres. The key topic this year will be "How to create a successful city: architecture and urban planning as part of the knowledge economy", and the lectors of the conference will discuss elements of the knowledge economy such as academic centres, knowledge and technology quarters and the innovation-driven urban environment.

On 5 October, at 12.00, the second of four discussions regarding the role of business in state administration, entrepreneurship, education and development of state reputation will take place. This time, participants in the discussion "Design and entrepreneurship" will talk about design as a strategic tool in entrepreneurship – about design competency in the development of various businesses, and in the context of economy processes on a national level. Participants in the discussion will be as follows: the Minister for Economics of the Republic of Latvia Arvils Ašeradens, and various business representatives – Ingmārs Pūķis, Aldis Circenis, Alise Baltgalve, among others.

The event will continue with the SECOND VISUAL UNDERSTANDING WEEK of the University of Latvia 2017 from 9 to 14 October, which aims at promoting interest in the significance of visual understanding in the modern world of images, and, by drawing inspiration from cultural heritage, to create new ideas and long-term values. All week long, various lectures and creative workshops will take place every afternoon, giving a wide insight into different contexts of visual understanding problems and the education process.

From 9-15 October radi!2017 will also host the annual UNESCO week. Knowledge of the country's diverse natural and cultural heritage is an invaluable resource for inspiration, innovation and development, therefore this year the topic for UNESCO week is "Cultural heritage in use", and the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO invites everyone to use this week to focus on topics that tangible and intangible cultural heritage faces every day, particularly highlighting the significance of culinary heritage and its role in the promotion of sustainable tourism.

On Wednesday, 11 October, the Latvian Academy of Arts will host an on-premises educational lecture "Fashion and new technologies – modern trends" with the participation of the French expert Claire Eliot. Innovative textile products is the theme that Institut français de Lettonie offers to discuss within the Creativity week radi!, therefore it has invited the artist to share her experience of working with interactive textiles and her passion for fashion and new technologies.

Also, on 11 October the "BalTicket Partnership and Creativity Forum" will take place, inviting event organisers to share their knowledge and experience on how to attract the target audience and effectively use opportunities provided by digital marketing. During the forum participants will discover ways to attract their audience and persuade it in this information-abundant period; the discussion will involve industry experts such as Mārcis Gulbis, Board Member at Untitled, Ģirts Majors, POSITIVUS festival organiser, Artūrs Mednis, one of the leading social media and digital marketing experts in Latvia, and others.

Meanwhile, 12 October will offer a conference "Riga: Empty space + creative industries = Creative space-making?" on the development opportunities of abandoned buildings and creative industries; the conference will only be available with prior reservation. The conference and creative workshops will gather industry opinion leaders, experts, practical staff, developers and civil society representatives from Latvia, Germany, Denmark and France, who are able to appreciate the potential of empty buildings and envisage territorial planning and support for creative industries as an opportunity for a new beginning and economic development of Riga.

**Creativity Week radi!2017 will once again take place in Latvia nationwide**

This autumn, for the seventh consecutive year, Creativity week radi!2017 will take place; its aim is to highlight the progressive ideas of our nation, our strong talents, year-long experience and initiatives, thus building common ground for the next hundred years that is open, creative, smart and innovative. Creativity week will take place from 9-15 October, while various related satellite-events in Riga and other regions of Latvia are planned for more than a month before and after it. Everyone who is interested is invited to register their event for the radi!2017 programme and participate in interactive events around Latvia.

The main message of the 100-year anniversary programme is as follows: "I AM LATVIA", and it is permeated with a motif of cooperation “I create Latvia. I make Latvia." In 2017, the key word of the public holidays is WILL, symbolising every inhabitant of Latvia as part of its creation process. In preparation for the 100-year anniversary of Latvia, radi!2017 encourages everyone to actively participate in the "creation" of modern Latvia and raise awareness of its values. Thus within the event programme, numerous interactive events are to be expected; their aim is to highlight local achievements, the potential of creative and culture industries and their interaction with other sectors, putting particular stress on the significance of innovative entrepreneurship, education and smart management. It is significant that so far Creativity week radi!2017 has taken place in spring; however this year, as we're all waiting for the state birthday, it is to be expected in autumn.

"You can't miss the latest trends in the global space of communication. They are most definitely directed towards changes and development, using a smart approach, minimalism and efficient methods. And above all, the HUMAN matters the most. Only a human being can create, can approach complex things in creative ways, promote renewal, generate motivation for learning and apply already-proven things more widely than are normally accepted. These are the values which radi! partners not only think and speak about, but also do, thus inviting everyone else to join. It is not important, whether we talk about abandoned buildings that could be used as co-working spaces, or about smart management that will promote well-being by employing design thinking methods, or about participation, and dispersion of prejudice among different thinking members of society – the HUMAN stands above all. radi! will also concentrate on these topics this year and continue dialogue with everyone who cares about the future of Latvia,” such is the vision of Lilita Sparāne, the head of the Department of Creative Industries of the Ministry of Culture.

Similarly to the previous year, this year each inhabitant of Latvia is welcome to participate in the upcoming discussions, seminars, workshops, think tanks, conferences, hackathons and other exciting and easily implementable co-thinking, working and creative activities. Local creators, visionaries, entrepreneurs and representatives of various state and non-governmental organisations are also welcome to join radi!2017 and submit their event to the general programme of Creativity week by 26 September. The aim of radi! is to be open to new partnerships among people, organisations, disciplines, regions and share their ideas on how creative industries invest in the improvement and development of society. More information, the agenda of the upcoming events and application form can be found on the official radi! homepage www.radilatvija.lv.

This year the main directions of radi!2017 are the following: Interaction of creative industries and other sectors, emphasising their potential and involvement in progressive and innovative entrepreneurship in the context of the development of social well-being, life quality and urban environment of the Baltic sea region; Design thinking methods and an interdisciplinary approach in public administration management and education processes, promoting the future of Latvia based on a knowledge economy and creating a working environment together, which focuses on citizens’ needs, as well as active involvement of regional inhabitants, minorities and youth, thus implying an idea that each inhabitant of Latvia is part of the state-creation process and thus focusing on the idea of participation, promotion of interests and strengthening of dialogue.

You can follow Creativity weekradi!2017news onwww.radilatvija.lv, as well as via social networks: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. #radilv.

Initiators: The Ministry of Culture, The British Council in Latvia. Strategic partners: Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture, UNESCO Latvian National Commission, Danish Cultural Institute, Institut français, Goethe Institute in Latvia. Event partners: The Nordic Council of Ministers in Latvia, Royal Danish Embassy in Latvia, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The State Chancellery, The Latvian School of Public Administration, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Latvian Institute, Riga City Architect's Office, Latvian creative industries' communication platform FOLD, Riga Planning Region, Vidzeme Planning Region, Creative industries incubator, Latvian Music Export Office, Art Academy of Latvia, Latvian Academy of Culture, University of Latvia, Creativity Lab, The Red Jackets, Design Elevator, Ticket Service, Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia, Valmiera City Council, Valmiera Development Agency, Liepaja City Council, Liepaja City Culture Department, Liepaja Business Incubator, etc.