News

The Power of Art and Cultural Impact Fields in Economy, Politics, Security, Health: "Culture Crossroads" is Approaching

From November 4 to 7, the conference series "Culture Crossroads XX" will bring together researchers, students, culture industry professionals, and policymakers to highlight the contribution of culture and arts to modern society – ranging from art's unique ability to address severe social issues to the socio-economic impact of culture, the therapeutic effects of cultural experiences, and the ideological power of soft power. The focus of the anniversary conference series will be on how cultural and artistic experiences help individuals and society as a whole respond to political, economic, security, social, and new technology challenges. These issues are particularly important in the context of threats to democracy, when citizens' right to culture requires special protection. The organizers of the conference emphasize the need not only to study cultural and artistic processes, but also to explain their significance in shaping individual and collective values.

LAC Researcher Ieva Zemīte Highlights Women's Opportunities and Regional Development Potential at European Commission Policy Discussion

On 13 October, Ieva Zemīte, Associate Professor and Leading Researcher at the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC), participated in the international policy discussion “Women Driving Regions Forward: Achievement, Innovation and Social Progress”, organised by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Brussels. During the discussion, she shared insights from the gender equality and social well-being analysis conducted within the ACE²-EU European University Alliance and highlighted the potential of cultural and creative industries to contribute to regional development, drawing on research carried out at LAC.

International Students Explore Gastronomic Heritage and Development Opportunities for Vidzeme Market

From 5 to 9 October, the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) hosted the international ACE²-EU European University Alliance microlearning programme “Taste of Culture: Cultural Heritage in Transition”, bringing together 30 students from nine partner universities to explore creative approaches to preserving and revitalising gastronomic cultural heritage. The programme centred on the development of Vidzeme Market in Riga, challenging students to explore ways of strengthening its identity, attracting new audiences and transforming the market into a vibrant urban space and community meeting place.

Students from Nine Countries Explore Gastronomic Cultural Heritage and Its Future in an International Programme

From 5 to 9 October, the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) in Riga is hosting the ACE²-EU European University Alliance microlearning programme “Taste of Culture: Cultural Heritage in Transition”, bringing together students and academic staff from ACE²-EU partner universities to explore food-related cultural heritage and its role in a changing urban environment. The programme has been developed and is led by LAC lecturer and researcher Lolita Ozoliņa, whose research interests include cultural heritage, place identity and branding, and Ieva Vītola, leading researcher at the LAC Institute of Arts and Cultural Studies and a researcher of traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage. The programme has brought 33 students from nine ACE²-EU partner universities to Riga, representing Austria, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, North Macedonia and Latvia.