Baltic Current: a think tank for sustainable performing arts in the Baltics is a joint initiative of theatre Gertrudes ielas teatris (Riga, LV), Goethe Institute (DE), Kaunas City Chamber Theatre (Kaunas, LT) and dance performance and development center Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava (Tallinn, EE) created to provide a platform for mutual learning, sharing of expertise and support for the next generation of performing artists from the Baltics. Financial support for think tank is provided by Nordic-Baltic Mobility Program for Culture. 

Find out more about the think tank outcomes and recommendations HERE. 
Platform webpage: https://balticcurrent.org/

Baltic Current is based on creative workshops designed for young stage artists, in which 16 pre-selected participants develop their artistic activities and raise awareness of the current stage art environment in the Baltics. The central interest of the think tank is to create new collaborations between Baltic performing arts artists and organisations, to promote co-creation and process based works. But the picture is not complete without performing arts organisations. Reality of today – ongoing pressing issues of climate, Covid and war – encourages us to question, re-think and re-imagine the mode and models of how we engage in the work with artists, audience, and other organisations. We invite you to join us and take a closer look on human, social, artistic, economic, and ecological aspects of the performing arts in the Baltics today. As part of each meeting, members of the think-tank are presented with local contemporary art environment by visiting theatres and performances, taking part in discussions with representatives of performance art field organisations and artists.

Workshops and meetings:
24th - 27th of August, 2022, Riga, Ģertrūdes ielas teātris
Focus of the first workshop was the formulation, development, resilience, and flexibility of one's own artistic practices and interests. The workshop and the public lecture “No collective without the individual” place under the leadership of the producer of the Gob Squad and the dramaturg Eva Hartmann.
23rd - 25th of September, 2022, Kaunas, Starting point festival, Kaunas City Chamber Theatre
Focus of the meeting: the development of group ideas and processes, analysis of stage works, and the role of the festival in the ecology of stage arts. The workshop was run by the Lithuanian dramaturg Gabriele Labanauskaite.The representatives of the organisations at the meeting commonly defined the topics and interests which will be developed in the three groups in the forthcoming meetings: Professional training in performing arts (summer schools, workshops, etc.); sharing resources: mapping, information exchange, resources, and developing joint activities; lobbying for support of the performing arts on the Baltic level.
26th October, 2022, online
Focus of the meeting: organisational and artistic stages of the project development, the development of collective works by artists, led by Eva Hartmann.
24th - 26th November, 2022, Tallinn, Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava
The focus of the meeting was co-creation, collective development of creative ideas. The workshop was led by Sascha Sulimma and Alexander Karschnia, artists of the theater association andcompany&Co
11th January, 2023, online: development of creative projects
8th - 11th February, 2023, Riga, Ģertrūdes ielas teātrisSharing of the process and results of the think tank.

Curators of the think tank programme for artists: Evarts Melnalksnis, Linda Krūmiņa
Programme for organisations: Maija Pavlova, urga Knyvienė, Evelyn Raudsepp. 
Participating artists: Artūrs Čukurs (LV), Barbara Lehtna (LV/EE), Elīna Matvejeva (LV), Greta Štiormer (LT), Indrė Vėlyvytė (LT), Jana Jacuka (LV), Jarmo Reha (EE), Kadri Sirel (EE), Karolin Poska (EE), Katrīna Dūka (LV), Keithy Kuuspu (EE), Keity Pook (EE), Līga Ūbele (LV), Modesta Jakeliūnaitė (LT), Monika Klimaite (LT), Toma Čepaitė (LT). More about artists HERE.
Representatives of organisations: Maija Pavlova, Ģertrūdes ielas teātris (LV), Jānis Znotiņš, Istabas teātris, Valmieras vasaras teātra festivāls (LV), Biruta Eliza Kirmuska, Stars well festivāls "Vides deja" (LV), Jurga Knyvienė, Kauno miesto kamerinis teatras (LT), Anna Sīle,  Dirty Deal Teatro (LV), Marie Kliiman, Tartu New Theatre (EE), Anupras Jucius, Bį Panevėžio teatras "Menas" (LT), Evgeniya Shermeneva,  Production company KATLZ RIGA (LV), Evelyn Raudsepp, STL  (Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava / Independent Dance Stage) (EE), Gildas Aleksa, Teatronas  (LT), Liisi Aibel,  Estonian Theatre Agency (EE), Eneli Järs,  Kanuti Gildi  SAAL (EE), Alma Kušķe, ISTABAS TEĀTRIS, Valmieras vasaras teātra festivāls (LV). 

E-mail address for communication and more information: current @ git.lv

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