During the restrictions on gatherings, a creative approach to organizing concerts was found in many municipalities / Article / LSM.lv

During the restrictions on gatherings, many municipalities found a creative approach to organizing concerts. Cultural events have taken place in meadows, on the water and even in the courtyards of apartment buildings. In addition, performing artists have become more accessible, and royalties are lower, municipalities say. Although this has been a difficult time for the cultural sector, it has its benefits.

At a time when the cultural sector is struggling with national collection restrictions, event organizers are creative and come up with different ways to provide the public with a cultural program. For example, yard concerts were held in Liepaja. For five weeks in a row, various musicians performed in several windy city courtyards without extensive announcements.

“The concerts took place as a surprise for the particular yard. They were ten different courtyards between the apartment houses covering the entire geography of the city. So that people can enjoy a live concert from their balconies, windows, watch a live artist, listen to the real artist’s voice. when the artists were very accessible, so to speak, most of them were interested in expressing themselves in some way, “says Nauris Lazdāns, Deputy Head of the Liepāja Culture Department.

Speaking about fees, Lazdāns admits that there is no unequivocal answer as to whether they have become lower during this period. However, in this particular project, the musicians’ fees were lower than usual. However, it depends on the funding allocated to the project. In recent months, small municipalities also seem to have sprung up, where musicians, who may not normally be available, often perform for the population. Popular artists in Latvia have been performing outdoors in Vilaka for several weeks. Sergejs Maksimovs, the chairman of Vilaka district council, also says that artists were more accessible at that time.

“Musicians are more affordable both in terms of price and attitude, because all the big concert halls have fallen out of circulation. If the hall can accommodate 300 people and the cost to the musician is thousands of euros – then a lot has to be paid. This year we have paid for somewhere – “We earned 34 euros, sometimes a thousand, two thousand,” emphasizes Maksimov.

In general, the municipality has managed to earn in cultural events this season. And it is precisely because musicians are ready to perform for a lower reward, Maksimov admits. There have been no problems with the responsiveness of artists in Mārupe region this year either. The concerts have taken place in a variety of ways. And this is also one of the biggest benefits – the ability to find various solutions to continue providing the cultural program, says Ira Dūduma, director of the Mārupe Culture House.

“A lot of people were looking for outdoor concerts, building stages from bales of hay, then there was a concert on the water, then there was a concert on soups, then there were concerts in meadows and courtyards. concerting in Latvia took a wonderful shape! ” claims the bagpipe.

In many places, the musicians have also offered their own concerts. And communication between stage artists and event organizers has improved, admits Dūduma.

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