EVENTS IN RIGA IN OCTOBER 2020. A useful shortlist.

Not only we foolishly lost an in-depth article that celebrates place rejuvenation in Riga last month, we also lost a little battle over covid-19 in Riga as the infected numbers begin to reappear. However, if you find yourself in Riga in October, we hope we all will get around reasonably enough and stay safe in order to let everyone enjoy another rich cultural month in the capital. Here is a list of relatively safe events worth a visit.


NOT out of sight, NOT out of mind
When: until 17 October
How much: free admittance
"Through 14 artworks made by artists from 9 countries, the WasteArt project and Institute for Environmental Solutions invites you to travelling exhibition “NOT out of sight, NOT out of mind”. It will help you to look at the waste differently – as a material, resource and opportunities for the future!"
 
TOČKA
When: until 18 October
Where: culture space TOČKA
How much: 3€
TOČKA is a newly created platform "for artists to create their own projects, as well as collaborating and creating interdisciplinary projects with other artists, that is why exposition is constantly changing and evolving - some works are made on site, during working hours, some are brought directly from artists workshops. Exhibition takes place on 3 floors within the walls of a former rubber factory that is currently abandoned and empty. Now the place is occupied again, giving opportunity for emerging new artists to express themselves."
Tickets (in Latvian)
 
ANDREJS STROKINS
Cosmic sadness
When: until 28 October
How much: free admittance
Andrejs Strokins is one of the most known and prolific Latvian contemporary photographers, "working across documentary photography as well as with vernacular images and found archives. The exhibition is a visual diary and an experiment in private experience made public. Combining the immediacy of instant sharing and blue, desaturated, grainy filters, the series comments on the analogue nostalgia of the current digital generation and offers a new take on street photography, which embraces technological development rather than turning to the past. [..] The ordinary and mundane is turned into its opposite: the exceptional and the extraordinary."

ARE WE THERE YET?
When: until 1 November
Where: PILOT
How much: free admittance
The exhibition will showcase works by students, teachers and alumni from the The Art Academy of Latvia, whose talents have gained local and international recognition. The works featured at this exhibition will also be presented at the international contemporary art fair ‘ArtVilnius’20’, which will take place in Lithuania from 2 – 4 October 2020.

WE AIM TO LIVE
When: until 8 November
Where: Zuzeum
How much: 2,50 - 5€
"We, the makers of the Zuzeum Art Centre and its inaugural exhibition We Aim to Live, invite you to feel safe in our new home and believe in the future. We encourage you to look at the works of contemporary painting, sculpture, and ceramics from the Zuzāns Collection and find an action strategy for the evening to come, for tomorrow, for next year."
 
UNICON 2020
When: 10 - 11 October
How much: 15 - 25€
"UniCon is one of the first multigenre conventions in Eastern Europe. It's an event for comics, anime, book, movie, cosplay, crafting, and other geekery! Due to COVID-19 regulations, no more than 3000 visitors can visit this event per day.
 
FROM THE DEPTHS
Leo Lobrev & Sinfonia Concertante
When: 11 October
How much: free admittance (registration for tickets required)
Concerto for Cello and String Orchestra) - "Imagine the depths of the ocean. Or the boundless magnitude of the universe... that is how deep and vast are the internal worlds of human beings; they shift and change like the movement of water. This piece is about the connection that humans have with nature; like any creation it has its own characters and its own pulse."
 
RIGA IFF
When: 15 - 25 October
How much: 4 - 10€
"Spanning eleven days and featuring 129 films presented in ten thematic programs – the seventh Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF) will take place this year. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy films that have played at prestigious international film festivals, get acquainted with expressive and bold viewpoints from the Baltic Sea region and the Nordic countries, as well as experience strong directorial debuts and long-awaited domestic films."
 
BLACK MARKET 18+
design•art•shopping
When: 17 October
How much: free entrance
From fashion to interior objects to little useless trinkets, this annual market is also a showcase of local designers of any discipline. Its organizers warn that some things on display or some topics discussed in works might not work with a regular taste and children.


PORTA 2020
Puuluup & Maija Kauhanen
When: 24 October
How much: 20 - 25€
World music festival PORTA returns, however for one day this year. "Maija is a Finish composer and a versatile multi-instrumentalist as well as a charismatic performer with an entrancing stage presence. The rural music traditions of Finland and Karelia are her main influence and inspiration and she deftly gives their time-honoured melodies a new life." Puuluup is an Estonian duo that mixes "surrealism, modern folklore and talharpa revival! [..] The lyrics and melodies are a mixture of our musical memories and improvisation. Inspiration is often drawn from leiks from Vormsi, Finnish jouhikko repertoire, Sahel’s blues, chastushkas and other elements from the musical traditions from around the world."

MORE INFO

It's obligatory for the venues to take care of the visitors during these uncertain times. HOWEVER, please, take care for yourself and others as well. Bear in mind that if you feel ill or have faced some of the covid-19 symptoms recently, no event is for you. Also, keeping distance of 2m is more than recommended the same with washing or disinfecting hands. 

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