Survival Kit 17, an international contemporary art festival curated by Elena Sorokina and Simona Markel Dvorák alongside the Initiative for Practices and Visions of Radical Care, explores the shared territory of art and healing. According to festival organizers, the upcoming public program features performances, talks, guided walks, and tours designed to bridge contemporary artistic expression with somatic practices.
Opening Program Collaboration With Centre Pompidou
The Survival Kit 17 opening program launches with a direct collaboration with the Centre Pompidou in Paris. According to festival schedules, events on August 27 from 18:00 to 20:30 at the Riga Congress Centre include three distinct performances blending ritual, healing, and knowledge transfer. The lineup features a dialogue between musician and composer Naima Nefertari and choreographer Zora Snake. Additionally, Maya Minder hosts a multisensory communal meal focusing on fermentation and the interconnectedness of humans and microorganisms.
Healing Nightclub at Kaņepes Culture Centre
The opening night continues at 21:00 at the Kaņepes Culture Centre on Skolas iela 5, hosting what organizers term a Healing Nightclub. According to festival documentation, the interdisciplinary program blends sound, music, and dance into a nocturnal experiment. Artist Timo Tuhkanen opens the evening with a performance exploring the intersection of music, medical hypnosis, daseinanalysis, and touch. This is followed by Mo’ong performing on self-built electroacoustic instruments that interpret Indonesian cultural heritage through ancient and modern ideas of trance and shamanism. Finnish DJ culture pioneer DJ Bunuel closes the night, with entry requiring a festival ticket.
Pro Tip: Navigating Festival Spaces
To experience the full scope of Survival Kit 17, visitors can utilize VV Foundation-supported art mediators. Stationed at exhibition venues on Thursdays and Fridays from 16:00 to 20:00, these trained professionals guide audiences through contemporary art themes via shared conversations and structured tours.
Performances, Public Walks, and Institutional Change
On August 28 at 17:00 at the Riga Congress Centre, artist Zaiga Putrāma leads a healing movement practice utilizing tango communication principles. Later in the season, on September 5 at 21:00 as part of the White Night contemporary culture forum, artist T.I.E. presents the performance Veins of Daugava/Uterine Waters. According to event descriptions, the piece reimagines the Daugava River as a symbolic axis connecting Baltic pagan cosmology and diaspora practices.
Furthermore, the Appendix project opens at 18:00 to address coexistence, belonging, and inclusion in Latvia through a movement performance directed by Viktorijas Fomenko, featuring Latvian artists and third-country women residing in Latvia. Later in September, writer Agnese Krivade leads an inspiring presence practice walk titled Saikņotās ainavas: navigācija on September 12 at 14:00. On September 17 at 18:00, literary scholar and media theorist Ilva Skulte moderates a discussion titled Mākslas izglītība kā rūpju forma: vērtība, ilgtspēja un institucionālās pārmaiņas, featuring representatives from past and present art organizations.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where does Survival Kit 17 take place?
Survival Kit 17 events are hosted across multiple venues in Riga, including the Riga Congress Centre and the Kaņepes Culture Centre, starting in late August and running through September.
How can visitors access guided tours of the exhibition?
Visitors can request individual, group, or school tours led by trained art mediators. VV Foundation-supported mediators are also present on Thursday and Friday evenings to assist visitors.
Where can I find the complete schedule and ticket information?
Detailed program schedules and ticketing information are available directly on the official festival website at www.survivalkit.lv.
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