Our participation in the (Un)conference and the Homo Novus festival in Riga was not only a conclusion of the second year of The Big Green project, but also an opportunity to reflect on how contemporary artistic practices can meaningfully respond to environmental and social challenges. The festival programme, combining activities in natural environments with debates and presentations, highlighted art as a form of care—for the environment, for communities, and for creative processes.
During the event, we took part in a wide range of activities: from the performance Ummis and Lobelia, presented in the urban space of Riga, to a workshop and philosophical discussion in the Kūdra peatlands titled Rehearsing Murky Bogland Futures. One of the most inspiring experiences was the subsequent walk and outdoor conversation with Latvian artist Evarts, hydrobiologist Marta, and botanist Uvis at Lake Ummis, where art and ecological knowledge came together in a performative dialogue about the interdependence between humans and the natural world. Days filled with performances, workshops, and shared train journeys between Riga and nearby nature reserves illustrated how ideas of sustainable mobility can be woven into artistic practice and cultural production.
During the partners’ session, we presented the work of Ania Siekierska, the artist selected through the Polish open call within The Big Green, whose project explores the relationship between humans and nature. It was an opportunity to exchange perspectives on creative practice with representatives of partner organisations from Portugal, Hungary, and Latvia, as well as with local artists and producers of the Homo Novus festival. For our foundation, it was particularly valuable to see how partners integrate artists, researchers, and activists into one shared working process.
A significant personal experience was also participating in outdoor performances—such as the Peatland Justice workshop in the peatlands, where themes of nature conservation and collective storytelling took on a performative dimension.
After completing the programme in Riga, we visited the 16th Survival Art Kit exhibition and then travelled to Kaunas (Lithuania), where we met with partners of the Deconfining project and visited the Kaunas Biennial. This additional stage allowed us to take a broader look at ecological responsibility in culture in the context of various EU-cofunded initiatives.
Our participation in the event strengthened our belief that the future of the European cultural sector requires not only reflection on artistic content, but also changes in how institutions operate—towards transparency, sustainability, and international solidarity. The knowledge and connections gained in Riga provide the Foundation with an important impulse to continue developing “green” standards for artistic production and to deepen cooperation with partners from Central-Eastern and Southern Europe.
