On Friday, December 12, at 5:00 PM, a new public space called 'Pietura' will open at the Liepaja Concert Hall 'Lielais dzintars' for the residents and guests of the city.
'Pietura' has transformed the first floor of the concert hall, previously known as the art space 'Civita Nova'. At the end of 2024, with the support of the 'Liepaja 2027' fund, a public project workshop was organized, where youth, retirees, cultural and artistic figures, as well as representatives from the social sector outlined the city's needs for a new public space. Taking into account the suggestions made, the design bureau 'H2E' developed a design concept for the space, with a main focus on caring for people and the environment, using local materials and ideas from Latvian producers.
The open lounge will be accessible to everyone during the concert hall's working hours. It is equipped with a relaxation area for meetings and socializing, as well as a workspace for individual computer work or group activities. In the room, visitors will also be able to charge their phones, interact with children, or use a rest cabin. Guests will be able to read books provided by the publishers 'Aminori', 'Dienas grāmata', 'Neputns', and 'Pētergailis'. Representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), educational, cultural, and community initiatives, as well as private individuals, will be able to organize non-profit events of public significance.
Every quarter, a new contemporary art exhibition dedicated to environmental and sustainable development themes will open in the space. On December 12, an exhibition of works by students and teachers from the textile department of the Latvian Academy of Arts (LAA) titled 'Stop Time' will be inaugurated. In line with the concept of the new space, each work represents a pause in the artist's life – a specific period, feeling, or context of life events. The exhibition will showcase textile products created for airplanes – a small part of what is taught in the textile specialty at LAA.
The opening of the space will be conducted and organized by the youth of Liepaja, who will perform musical acts and offer various activities to visitors. 'Pietura' will become an important meeting and learning place for young people. The youth development platform 'YOU+' will implement the first 'one-stop agency' in Latvia here, where young people can receive an individual 'roadmap', obtain both emotional and practical support, learn about educational and employment opportunities, meet specialists in various fields, and safely seek help without prior appointment.
