The Association"Latvian Folk Art Union" was founded in 2002 with the aim of preserving and developing Latvian Folk applied arts. 

ATTENTION!

We ask all those who is bound to be informed about the ongoing cultural events to send information to: latviesu.tautas.maksla@gmail.com for insertion on the website.

The Association “Latvian Folk Art Union” (hereinafter – LFAU) was founded in 2002 with the aim of preserving and developing Latvian Folk applied arts. It’s should be acknowledge that the activity of LFAU was initially relatively small, but in 2007, following the invitation of the chairman of the Estonian Folk Art Union, Liivi Soova, active cooperation with Estonian Folk art masters and similar folk arts organizations in Europe began. 

Already in the summer of 2008, LFAU had the opportunity to organize an International Conference on Folk Art and to host the delegates from the European Folk Art and Crafts Federation (hereinafter - EFACF) in Riga. The Conference participants from Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Slovakia, Denmark, and France attended the events of Latvian Song and Dance Celebration, as well as are acquainted with the situation of folk art in Latvia.

In March 2009, the LFAU was re-elected. New board elected. Under the leadership of the new board, LFAU has resumed active action:

From 23 April to 26 April 2009, members of the Folk Applied Art Studies "Bārbele" (Riga) and “Saulīte” (Valka) participated in the 10th International Lace Festival in Kiskunhalasha, Hungary.

In July 2009, in cooperation with the Latvian Folklore Society, a craft market was organized during the International Folklore Festival “Baltica-2009” in Vērmanes Garden, Riga. The event took place for 3 days and involved 184 craftsmen and organizations.

In July, the Knitting camp in Mazsalaca was partly supported by LFAU, with 26 members from different regions of Latvia.

During the period from 27 August to 30 August 2009, the LFAU participates in a conference organized by EFACF in Bratislava, Slovakia, to present the folk art situation in Latvia and to announce the membership of the LFAU in the EFACF. The conference held the re-election of the Board of the EFACF

In September 2009, LTMS representatives exchanged experience with folk art masters of Lithuania. The meeting took place in Vilnius, the Center for Culture and Folk Art. Members of LTMS also visited the Lithuanian folk applied art exhibition.

A Conference was held on October 22, 2009 entitled “Folk Art – Situation, Problems and Solutions”. (Financial support from State Culture Capital Foundation – SCCF).

In June 2010, LTMS organized the Fair in Vērmanes Garden, as well as from July 8 to July 11, within the framework of the X School Youth Song and Dance Celebration, in Riga, Vermanes Garden, LFAU in cooperation with the State Education and Content Center was organized the Fair of folk applied art and trade show demonstration.

On 20-22 August 2010, Riga Festival took place in Riga. LFAU organized the project “Rīgas logi” (the exhibition of folk applied arts, crafts skills demonstrations and fair), which aims to promote the grassroots arts sector and promote public participation in traditional Riga celebrations of Riga.

Between 3 October and 6 October 2010, with partial financial support from the SCCF, Chairman of the LFAU board D.Prīberga, together with scientists from Riga Technical University, represented Latvia at Fifth International Conference “The Magic of the Textile World” in Croatia. D.Prīberga participates in a conference with a scientific publication and a paper entitled “Lace Item Systematization and Classification in the Territory of Latvia”

On 17 January 2011, LFAU, in cooperation with Riga City Council, organized a conference “Folk applied art in Riga”, aimed at updating the most important problems of the applied arts sector and highlighting future fundamental principles for the developments of the sector.

In August 2011 – LFAU organized an exhibition of folk applied art and demonstration of craft skills in the Fair of the “Riga 810” festival and represented Latvia at the 25th National Folk Arts Festival in Budapest, Hungary.

In October 2011 – LFAU in cooperation with Riga City Council organized a folk applied art exhibition as part of Riga Days in St.Petersburg, Russia’s Ethnographic Museum.

In November 2011, LFAU represented Latvia at the International Conference “Ornament – Kay to the world” in Tallinn, Estonia, with the scientific paper “Ornament - Lace identity and originality”. EFACF meeting took place in the framework of this conference. LFAU report on the current events in folk applied art in Latvia was provided.

From 18 April to 31 May 2012, LFAU with 9 masters for 13 works participate in the International Art and Craft Exhibition “ART@CRAFT 2012 EUROPE” in Gradeca City, Slovenia.

On 19 April, an International Conference was held at Gradec’s Mladinsky Cultural Center, which was one of the largest cultural events in Slovenia under the “Maribor – European Capital of Culture (ECC Maribor 2012)” project. LFAU presented a paper “Folk Applied Arts and Traditional Crafts in Latvia” (Participation in the project was financially supported by SCCF).

From 20 August to 15 September 2012, the exhibition continued in the town of Klagenfurt, Austria.

From 11 June to 15 July, 10th anniversary of LFAU exhibition ART AND CRAFTS was held in St. Peter's Church under the International Folklore Festival “BALTICA-2012. Latvia” agenda (6-15July). Only members of the LTMS participated in it. More than 5,000 viewers attended the exhibition. (Riga City Council financially supported the project).

6th-8th July of 2012 – the International Folklore Festival BALTICA 2012 at the Master Fair in Vermanes Garden took place (the project was supported financially by SCCF).

On 18-20 August 2012 - LFAU participate in in the conference of the General Assembly of the EFACF in Stockholm, Sweden, and report on the progress made in the LFAU over the last three years. The organization of an international conference on arts crafts development in Latvia in 2014 was highlighted. 

Since 1 August 2012, the Coordinator for International relations G.Prīberga was approved to participate as an expert on the project INNOCRAFTS under the European Union Structural Funds Objective 3 “European Territorial Cooperation” under the interregional cooperation program “INTERREG IVC 2007-2013”. The INNOCRAFTS Project has been approved and co-financed in the framework of the Interregional Cooperation Programme INTERREG IVC, financed by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund. The Programme helps European Regions to work together in order to share experiences and good practices in the fields of innovation, knowledge economy, environment and risk prevention.

The overall objective of the INNOCRAFTS project is to promote entrepreneurship and business creation in the artistic and contemporary crafts sector by improving the effectiveness of regional and local development policies through sharing and exchanging good practices and experiences.

INNOCRAFTS´ activities officially started on 1 January 2012 and will last until the end of 2014.

From 14 November to 16 November 2012, LFAU in cooperation with Riga City Council, Education, Culture and Sports Department, under project Riga Days organized the exhibition “Riga’s Masters” in Moscow, Russia.

In December 2012, the largest children's and youth art project in the city of Jūrmala was completed - 12th International Visual Plastic Art Contest "I live by the sea" with subtitle “Melodies of Sea”. The LFAU took part in the jury's work, welcomed, and awarded seven sympathies awards.

In December 2012, the Riga City Council, Education, Culture and Sports Department supported the LFAU project "Let's Make Christmas Decorations".

In 2013, following a request by the European Union Structural Funds Objective 3 “European Territorial Cooperation” for the project “INNOCRAFTS” (PVS ID 2951) approved by the Interregional Co-operation Programme “INTERREG IV C 2007-2013” and the project promoters to put forward an expert project for successful execution from LTMS, G.Prīberga represented the association LTMS in the round table discussions of the project INTERREG IVC project “Regional Cooperation for the Development of Crafts”.

In 2013, from 21June to 8 September, the exhibition of Folk Applied Art "Dziesma top citādi" (the song can be different) took place in the Riga Art Space within the framework of XXV General Latvian Song and XV Dance Celebration. On the other hand, from July 2 to 7 in, the Fair of Applied Arts objects or product and Crafts skills demonstrators took place in Vermanes Garden, Riga.

In September 2013, the Finnish Craft |Organization celebrated its 100th anniversary and held variety of events, as the most important of them (EFACF) meeting of Board of the General Assembly on 25 September, and the Conference "Culture living in Crafts", and the attendance of workshops in the city of Jyväskylä on 26,27 September, 2013. At the General Assembly Board meeting on 25 September, Latvia, as one of the 10 EFACF member states, accounted for the work done at the level of LTMS institution in the conservation and development of traditional crafts.

In June 2014, the INNOCRAFTS project held an Interregional Training Meeting in Riga on 18 and 19 June. 16 Member States participated in this project and representatives visited Riga, closely linked to arts and crafts and its development, which was a great opportunity to show the works of Riga masters promote discussions and establish contacts for further cooperation (international markets, fairs, exhibitions).

The “Riga 2014” exhibition “Surprising Lace” was open in St. Peter’s Church on the 11th of November, presented works by artists, designers and craftsmen inspired by themes and motifs in traditional and folk art. The broad range of the exhibits includes old, new, authentic, intricate and not so intricate designs, including ones inspired by other cultures.

Artists, designers, experts from traditional applied art studios, craftsmen from twelve countries were participated in the exhibition, including 25 international artists representing Finland, Germany, Norway, Bulgaria, England, France, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Ireland, Georgia, as well as 81 artists from Latvia. The exhibition was held from 11th November 2014 until the 18th of January, 2015.The exhibition and its participants were filmed in documentary film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOnRzoqFm2o

On 18 November 2014, a general meeting of the EFACF was held. LFAU was elected to the election commission.

On 19 November 2014, the International Cultural Conference "Surprising Lace. Creativity and interdisciplinary cooperation in arts and crafts" was held.

In 2014, within the framework of the project “INNOCRAFTS” approved by the European Union Structural Funds Objective 3 “European Territorial Cooperation” Interregional Cooperation Program “INTERREG IV C 2007–2013”, the study was conducted titled “Internationalization, Professional Networks, Information Exchange in the Craft and Art Sector. Applied Art of the Latvian People.”

In March 2015, the largest children's and youth art project in the city of Jūrmala was completed - 14th International Visual Plastic Art Contest "I live by the sea" with subtitle “Rest by the Sea”. The LFAU took part in the jury's work, welcomed, and awarded eight sympathies awards.

In July 2015 - the project "BURTISKI BURVĪGS BURZIŅŠ" (Craftsmen products’ trade fair and demonstration of craftsmen’ skills. Concerts, performances, workshops, exhibitions) was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science (within the framework of XI Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Celebration).

BALTICA is the largest and internationally recognized traditional culture festival in the Baltic States. The theme of the Festival in 2015 was “Heritage”. LFAU in cooperation with Latvian National Centre of Culture organizes the project “MEISTARI VĒRMANĒ” (the artisans’ fair, folk applied arts skills and crafts demonstrations)

2015, 4, 5 September - LFAU participates in the conference of the European Folk Art Crafts Federation / EFACF General Assembly in Bratislava, Slovakia and reports on what has been done in the Latvian National Art Union over the past three years. The organization of an international conference on artistic craft development issues in Latvia is marked in 2018.

In March 2016, the largest children's and youth art project in the city of Jūrmala was completed - 15th International Visual Plastic Art Contest "I live by the sea" with subtitle “I live near the Sea”. The LFAU took part in the jury's work, welcomed, and awarded eight sympathies awards.

Art’s and craft’s exhibition “Creative dominance. Black and White” was open from January 25 to March 12, 2017. Art’s and craft’s exhibition “Creative dominance. Black and White” - very thematic, elegant, laconic, solemn and graphic. It is an announcement of opportunities, creativity, talent, good ambitions and inherited skills.

In 2018 5.-7.July, LFAU organized the 3-year General Assembly Meeting in Riga. The association Latvian Folk Art  hosting the meeting. Delegates from 8 countries are together discussing future possibilities for networking and cooperation.

From 1 September until 7 October, 2018 LFAU was organizes the Exhibition of Arts and crafts “Creative Dominance. Celebration”. National cultural identity. St. Peter's Church in Riga.

2008 - 2016 - Cooperation with the Latvian National Cultural Center - Work in the working group on the draft Law on Intangible Cultural Heritage. Proposals have been developed for the renewal and establishment of an Institute of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Folk Crafts Masters.

2010-2018 (annual measure) –LFAU with the support of the Riga City Council, in cooperation with the Latvian National Cultural Centre and the Central Library of Riga, has been hosting event fashion show “Radošais nemiers”  (Creative Anxiety - ARTWORK! CREATIVE! BRIGHT! CLASSY! CRAZY!) in various art work techniques, where traditional, modern and even avant-garde gowns can be viewed.

The show of handiwork  self-made clothes makers consists of individuals working in the grassroots arts and crafts sector, masters from folk applied art studios, students of educational establishments, masters of individual companies as well as masters from salons, arts studios and associations

The association “Latvian Folk Art Union” calls on all leads to come together and work for the growth of folk art.