In 2025, the Latvian National Centre for Culture (LNCC) will launch the implementation of the European Social Fund Plus project “Cultural events as an instrument promoting civic participation”. The aim of the project is to develop students’ cultural understanding and expression competence and, by using cultural events as a resource, to promote active civic participation and strengthen civil society. The idea for the project was inspired by the successful operation of the “Latvian School Bag” program, ensuring the accessibility of cultural events to children and young people and a connection with the learning content.
Research shows that professional art in particular can be an important resource for changing attitudes towards what is happening, promoting empathy, mutual understanding, reflection on values and the ability to perceive one’s role in society (OECD “Learning Compass 2030”). In the context of the current global turmoil, our society is increasingly facing challenges related to low trust in democratic values and processes, a lack of a sense of belonging to the local community and the state, and insufficient participation of young people in public processes.
Often, civic participation is presented to children and young people as their duty and the “right thing to do” in a world ruled by adults, rather than a right. However, human rights are respectful treatment and care for one’s fellow human beings, and this begins in school, in the classroom and on the playground. Therefore, it is particularly important to help children and young people to be aware of the impact of their actions and decisions on the processes taking place in society. For this to happen, it is necessary to provide targeted and high-quality support to educators, developing their ability to meaningfully and systematically integrate cultural developments into the educational process and strengthening students’ skills to reflect, discuss and act as active citizens.
Often, civic participation is presented to children and young people as their duty and the “right thing to do” in a world ruled by adults, rather than a right. However, human rights are respectful treatment and care for one’s fellow human beings, and this begins in school, in the classroom and on the playground. Therefore, it is particularly important to help children and young people to be aware of the impact of their actions and decisions on the processes taking place in society. For this to happen, it is necessary to provide targeted and high-quality support to educators, developing their ability to meaningfully and systematically integrate cultural developments into the educational process and strengthening students’ skills to reflect, discuss and act as active citizens.
Experts from the cultural and educational sectors will evaluate the cultural events offered by the “Latvian School Bag” programme with the highest potential to encourage civic participation, and in autumn 2026, general education schools and vocational education institutions from all over Latvia will be invited to apply for the project. When selecting participating schools for the project, regional coverage, different types of educational institutions with different numbers of students, socio-economic background and experience in cultural participation will be taken into account. This approach will ensure that the project represents different communities and student groups with different needs and opportunities, including vulnerable groups.
Schools will highlight issues in their community that require more active civic participation, find cultural events of appropriate content, and look for ways to improve the situation. Inspired by the cultural events experienced within the project, school teams, in cooperation with representatives of non-governmental organizations and cultural professionals, will organize appropriate activities at school or in their community in order not only to find ways to solve the identified problems, but also to reduce the risks of the possibility of new similar situations.
During the project, teachers will have the opportunity to develop professionally and test new knowledge in practice with their students. The experience and conclusions gained will be recorded and included in methodological materials, becoming an aid for any Latvian teacher, cultural professional, and representative of non-governmental organizations.
After four years of joint work, at least 20 educational institutions from 20 municipalities will have received long-term professional support and improved their skills in using professional arts and culture events as a resource for promoting civic participation. To consolidate the new skills, these schools will act as support for colleagues in at least 20 other educational institutions within the framework of the project. It is planned that in total at least 200 educators and at least 5,000 students will participate in the project.
The allocated funding from the European Union funds for the 2021–2027 programming period (ESF+) provides a unique opportunity to implement targeted and sustainability-oriented solutions. The project team begins work with a commitment to use this opportunity to the maximum extent possible, ensuring a real and sustainable contribution to social cohesion, strengthening democracy and equal access to culture throughout Latvia, strengthening the use of cultural events as a tool for promoting civic participation, as well as strengthening cooperation between the education and culture sectors.
Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 287 of 13 May 2025 on the implementation of the project (in Latvian).
Project 4.2.3.3/1/25/I/002 “Cultural events as an instrument promoting civic participation” is co-financed by the European Union and is implemented from 7 May 2025 to 31 December 2029.
The total eligible costs of the project are EUR 1,758,911, of which EUR 1,495,074 is European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) funding, and EUR 263,837 is state budget co-financing.
More about the project:
www.lnkc.gov.lv
latvijasskolassoma.lv
For further information:
Inga Bika
Communication expert for the “Latvian School Bag” programme and the
ESF+ project “Cultural events as an instrument promoting civic participation”
Latvian National Centre for Culture
E-mail: Inga.Bika@lnkc.gov.lv
Tel.: +371 26443166
(Translated with the help of DeepL Translate)
