Co-urbanism and #ParticipationMatters Conferences

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7 April, 2017 I will be speaking at ‘Co-urbanism 2o17’ event in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Annual Co-urbanism event, that brings together active residents, urban artivists, designers and architects, municipal workers, representatives of NGO sector and governmental organisations to share the methods and cases in participatory urban development.

Location: Conference hall Swedbank, Konstitucijos pr. 20A, Vilnius.
Time: 13.30-19.00. Language – English. Free.

3 – 4 May 2017 I will be speaking at ‘The Participation Conference’ in Tønsberg, Norway.

#ParticipationMatters – The Participation Conference 2017, will gather people who are interested in how to involving youth or others in their decision making processes and look at what role participation plays in our society. We will look at the values and theory that lies behind participation, and some tools and methods that are used to ensure that participation has an impact. This conference will have a focus on sharing and co-creation, and there will be allocated space for you as a participant to discuss, share and harvest the experience of others.

The conference will have a cross-sectorial approach and there will be people from the field of youth, employment, public health, school, universities, public sector, NGOs and other interested parties both from Norway and abroad. The working language of the conference will be English.

Location: Quality Hotel Tønsberg, Ollebukta 3, 3126 Tønsberg, Norway.

Institute for Public Art-Research Network meeting

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I am currently attending Institute for Public Art-Research Network meeting in China, where I’ve been invited to talk about my work in Kaunas. I am very grateful to College of Fine Arts, Shanghai University for the opportunity to share my work and meet colleagues who share the passion for public art. You may read an abstract from my speech below.

 

‘Šilainiai Project’: Connecting people and places through art

 

The microdistrict of Šilainiai is the largest residential complex in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania. Built in 1980s, the area and its residents make up more than 50,000 people, however there are currently no space or centre for cultural events or activities. The local library is the only non-commercial space for residents to come together or to have any sense of a community gathering. They usually have to travel to the town centre or the countryside in order to spend any leisurely time.

 

During my research into the history of Šilainiai, I had discovered a large number of creative people living and producing work within this area, but later found out that none of them had any recognition whatsoever. I found that young people of whom desire to follow a creative path were unable to pursue their ambitions, due to the lack of support and space for them to practice and share ideas. Even a larger number of residents who simply want to engage in activities closer to home or after work, there is no place for. Having lived in Šilainiai myself, I have noticed that the people within this district have become disconnected and the communities fragmented.

 

In 2015, I started the ‘Šilainiai Project’ in order to address some of these issues. The project has 5 branches of activity:

 

• Šilainiai Archive

• Walks and Talks

• Events in Unconventional Spaces

• Workshops

• Artist Residences

 

The project is ongoing, but already some positive changes have came as a result, e.g. A growing number of people actively participating in local events, new creative support networks being formed, abandoned and unused spaces are being utilised for creative activities and new artworks inspired by Šilainiai are being created. What is also important is that the volunteers and team members from this project are all developing the talents within their field as well as learning new skill sets via practice and social interaction. But what I found most interesting and rewarding at the same time, is that the residents of Šilainiai are starting to reconnect and are finding new connections with the place they live in. Through creative activities, they have the opportunity to re-examine their personal histories and the relationships they have with this place.

This process can affect each and every person in a different way. It can evoke such feelings of nostalgia, curiosity or even be part of the healing process from past trauma. This is invaluable for each participant as they in return will be a lot more connected, encouraged, inspired, and ultimately content living in Šilainiai, and that is a lot.

 

Since the start of this project, culture de-centralisation and better access to cultural activities has become an important part of the official strategy within the culture sector for the city of Kaunas.

Become an art patron

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I invite you to become my art patron by supporting my crowd-funding campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/silainiai

And by donating 2% of your income tax (Lithuanian taxpayers only):

Sveiki,

Šiemet LR Kultūros ministrė suteikė man, kaip meno kūrėjai, paramos gavėjo statusą ir paramos gavėjo identifikacinį kodą – 72000461.

Turite galimybę tapti mano kūrybos mecenatais pervesdami iki 2 % pajamų mokesčio sumos.

Tai galima padaryti atsispausdinus paramos formą FR0512 ir ją pateikus Valstybinei mokesčių inspekcijai.
Arba per savo elektroninę bankininkystę prisijungus prie deklaravimo sistemos.
https://deklaravimas.vmi.lt/lt/Pradinis_Prisijungimo_puslapis/Prisijungimasperisorinessistemas.aspx 

Instrukcija pildant internetu:

Paramos gavėjo identifikacijos nr. (kodas) rašomas 1 eilutėje E2 stulpelyje: 72000461.
2% paramą galite skirti užpildę deklaraciją Valstybinės mokesčių inspekcijos interneto svetainėje:

1. Prisijunkite prie Elektroninės deklaravimo sistemos (EDS) VMI svetainėje arba per Jūsų elektroninės bankininkystės sistemą;
2. Pasirinkite “Pildyti portale”, FR0512 formos 02 versiją;
3. Užpildykite aktyvius laukelius:
5 Mokestinis laikotarpis 2016;
6S Mokesčio dalį skiriu paramos gavėjams – uždėti varnelę;
E1 Gavėjo tipas – įrašyti 2;
E2 Gavėjo identifikacinis numeris (kodas) – 72000461;
E4 Mokesčio dalies dydis (procentais) – kaip nuspręsite skirti 2 ar 1 procentą (kitą procentą galite skirti kažkam kitam);
E5 Mokesčio dalį skiriu iki mokestinio laikotarpio – galite įrašyti iki 2020 arba nerašyti nieko, tada bus skiriama tik tiems metams.
4. Spauskite “Pateikti”.

Gautos lėšos bus skiriamos kūrybinėms veikloms Šilainiuose tęsti.

Mano kūrybos portfolio galite pamatyti www.evelinasimkute.com

Ačiū Jums!

Evelina Šimkutė

Conferences

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I will be presenting Šilainiai Project and my further research in public art practices at these conferences/ events:

Audience Links Xchange Conference and Baltic Audience Links workshop, Stockholm, Sweden 20-24 February 2017.

3rd International Pulblic Art Research Network Meeting for global research about art in public space and place-making, Zhejiang Province,  China 13-16 March 2017.

College of Fine Arts, Shanghai University.

Art, Place-making and Resilient Cities Conference, Hong Kong 17-20 March 2017. 

IPA-Hong Kong Baptist University Conference, and the IPA-HK Govt. Dept. of Leisure and Culture Services – Oi! Workshops.

 

It is important to me to share my practice and learn from other good examples. I feel very privileged to be able to do so.

Fundraising for 2017

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evelina-simkute-2016-silainiai-project

Photograph by Artūras Bulota

I invite you all to support the continuation of an amazing, community based art project in Šilainiai post-war housing estate in Kaunas (LT). In 2016, with minimal resources I was able to organise a global artist residence in the neighbourhood, several exhibitions, public walks introducing residents to their seemingly generic but actually extremely diverse community, poetry readings and photography workshops. I would like to continue doing amazing things for the community in 2017 too! Please support and/or share. Thank you very much.

https://www.gofundme.com/silainiai

Kind regards, Evelina

In the press

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Šilainiai Project was extensively covered by Lithuanian press this year. Here are a few highlights. More radio and TV interviews you may find in the Press section.

Publications

Evelinos Šimkutės Šilainiai – balta drobė kūrybai. Kaunas pilnas kultūros. December 2016. Online: http://pilnas.kaunas.lt/2016/12/14/evelinos-simkutes-silainiai-balta-drobe-kurybai/

Audronė Meškauskaitė, Gyvenimą keičiantis menas. 2016 11 24 – 2016 12 07. Nemunas, Nr. 20 (980) Online: http://www.nemunas.net/archyvas/20%20mazesnis%20.pdf

Vaida Stepanovaitė, Decentralizacijos projektų patirtys Lietuvoje. 2016 11 25. Online: http://literaturairmenas.lt/2016-11-25-nr-3591/3625-daile/5588-vaida-stepanovaite-decentralizacijos-projektu-patirtys-lietuvoje

Pokalbis apie kultūros decentralizaciją Lietuvoje. 2016 11 21. Online: http://www.letmekoo.lt/author/vaida-stepanovaite/pokalbis-apie-kulturos-decentralizacija-lietuvoje/

Neringa Krikščiūnaitė, Kitoks Šilainių veidas. 2016 11 25.  Online: http://literaturairmenas.lt/2016-11-25-nr-3591/3625-daile/5587-neringa-kriksciunaite-kitoks-silainiu-veidas

Šilainiai driokstelėjo: forto tuneliuose – kaukianti sirena ir menininkų projektas. 2016 10 15. Online: http://kauno.diena.lt/naujienos/kaunas/menas-ir-pramogos/silainiai-driokstelejo-forto-tuneliuose-kaukianti-sirena-ir-menininku-projektas-776600

Evelina Šimkutė: „Šilainių fasadas tėra viena dėlionės dalis“. 2016 09 28. Online:http://kamane.lt/Kamanes-tekstai/Kinas-ir-fotografija/Evelina-Simkute-Silainiu-fasadas-tera-viena-deliones-dalis;

Tyrimų laukas – Šilainių mikrorajonas. 2016 09 19. Online: http://kauno.diena.lt/naujienos/kaunas/menas-ir-pramogos/tyrimu-laukas-silainiu-mikrorajonas-771776

A sleeping district of poets and painters: redefining Kaunas’s Šilainiai. Deep Baltic Blog. 2016 10 31. Online: https://deepbaltic.com/2016/10/31/a-sleeping-district-of-poets-and-painters-redefining-kaunass-silainiai/

Evelina Šimkutė: „Kūryboje ir darbuose Šilainiai visada buvo su manimi“. 2016 08 31. Online: http://kalbasilainiai.lt/evelina-simkute-kuryboje-ir-darbuose-silainiai-visada-buvo-su-manimi/

Daugiaaukščių Šilainių istorija domina net japonus ir australus. 2016 08 28. Online:http://kultura.lrytas.lt/meno-pulsas/daugiaauksciu-silainiu-istorija-domina-net-japonus-ir-australus.htm?utm_source=lrExtraLinks&utm_campaign=Copy&utm_medium=Copy;

Kaip miegamasis rajonas virsta kultūriniu židiniu. 2016 08 09. Online: http://www.15min.lt/kultura/naujiena/asmenybe/kaip-miegamasis-rajonas-virsta-kulturiniu-zidiniu-285-666627;

Kokie yra tikrieji Šilainiai? 2016 08 05. Online: http://klaipeda.diena.lt/naujienos/kaunas/menas-ir-pramogos/kokie-yra-tikrieji-silainiai-763975

Evelina Šimkutė: „Šilainių ilgesys išaugino idėją surengti rajono nuotraukų parodą“. 2015 10 22. Online: https://www.silainiubustas.lt/index.php/puslapiai/kalba-silainiai/naujienos/ evelina-simkute-silainiu-ilgesys-isaugino-ideja-surengti-rajono-nuotrauku-paroda/336770

 

Šilainiai Project: exhibition of international art residency

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the-lake-twins_silainiai-project

Šilainiai Project: exhibition of international art residency
31th of October – 14th of November, 2016
Opening on 31th of October, 6 p.m.
Project space ‘Kabinetas’ in Kaunas (A. Mapu str. 20)

On 7th of November, 6:30 p.m. we are inviting to a discussion led by project director Evelina Šimkutė with other artist-led initiatives of cultural decentralization in Lithuania.

Project curated by artist Evelina Šimkutė is one of the first who stepped into Šilainiai micro-district of block multistory houses, culturally separated from the city centre. The artists were staying in this micro-district by means of ‘couch-surfing’ in summer of 2016, where they developed new artworks. Also they made connections with local community, presenting their creative work publicly and participating in open meetings in a public library of Šilainiai.

Šilainiai Project is an initiative oriented to the local community of various generations and in this way is part of other Lithuanian and foreign practices seen in micro-districts – open creative social platforms, community and participatory arts and others. International artist residency is one of the many activities led by Evelina Šimkutė in Šilainiai, which help and start to reveal the cultural identity of the last developed micro-district in Kaunas in Soviet times. The project conducts an artistic, also historical and social research of Šilainiai, communicating with the people who created it and examining the collected archival material.

Works created during the residency will be presented in the exhibition. Brooke Carlson (Australia) joins performativity, materiality of drawing and will present documentation of performance shown in Šilainiai. Francis Olvez-Wilshaw (Great Britain) connects abstract sculpture with graphic. The Lake Twins (Great Britain) use drawing as their medium. Milda Gailiūtė (Lithuania) reveals landscape of Šilainiai in paintings based on photography. The landscape is also a theme for Marija Nemčenko (Lithuania/Scotland) in her screen prints. Evelina Šimkutė (Lithuania/Great Britain) transfers objects from Šilainiai.

More information: silainiaiproject.com, Silainiai Project, Instagram@silainiaiproject. Partners: Public library of Kaunas municipality of Vincas Kudirka subdivision of Šilainiai, PE Arts Management Platform. Šilainiai project gives thanks to supporters of Crowdfunding platform Vanessa Kilduff, Niamh Grogan and Anonymous.

The exhibition is on view I-V, 1-7 p.m. For more information info@arthesis.lt, +37061183444.

LT

Šilainiai Project tarptautinės meno rezidencijos paroda
2016 10 31 – 11 14
Atidarymas 10 31 18:00
Projektų erdvėje ’Kabinetas’ Kaune (A. Mapu g. 20)

Lapkričio 7 d. 18:30 kviečiame į projekto vadovės Evelinos Šimkutės vedamą diskusiją su kitomis menininkų organizuojamomis kultūros decentralizacijos iniciatyvomis Lietuvoje.

Menininkės Evelinos Šimkutės kuruojamas projektas yra vienas pirmųjų, įžengusių į šį kultūriškai nuo centrinės miesto dalies atskirtą blokinių daugiaaukščių Šilainių mikrorajoną. Jame ‘couch-surfingo’ būdu 2016 metų vasarą apsistoję menininkai įgyvendino kūrinius ir mezgė ryšius su vietos bendruomene, pristatydami savo kūrybą viešai bei dalyvaudami susitikimuose viešojoje bibliotekoje Šilainiuose.

Šilainiai Project kaip į įvairių kartų vietos bendruomenę nukreipta meninė iniciatyva įsilieja į Lietuvoje ir užsienyje vis plačiau veikiančias praktikas miestų mikrorajonuose – atviras kūrybines socialines platformas, bendruomeninius ir dalyvaujamuosius menus bei kita. Tarptautinė menininkų rezidencija – viena iš daugelio Evelinos Šimkutės vykdomų veiklų Šilainiuose, kurios p(r)adeda atrasti šio paskutinio sovietmečiu Kaune išplėtoto mikrorajono kultūrinį identitetą. Projektas atlieka ir meninį, ir istorinį, socialinį Šilainių mikrorajono tyrimą, bendraujant su jį kūrusiais asmenimis ir nagrinėjant surinktą archyvinę medžiagą.

Parodoje bus pristatomi rezidencijos metu dalyvių įgyvendinti kūriniai. Brooke Carlson (Australija) jungia performatyvumą, piešinio materialumą ir pristatys video performanso Šilainiuose dokumentaciją. Francis Olvez-Wilshaw (D. Britanija) sieja abstrakčią skulptūrą su grafikos kūriniais. The Lake Twins (D. Britanija) kaip priemonę pasitelkia piešimą. Milda Gailiūtė (Lietuva) fotografija paremtuose tapybos darbuose atskleidžia Šilainių peizažą. Apie jį kalba ir Marija Nemčenko (Lietuva/Škotija), pasitelkdama šilkografiją. Evelina Šimkutė (Lietuva/D. Britanija) iš Šilainių perkelia betoninius objektus.

Daugiau informacijos: silainiaiproject.com, Silainiai Project
ir Instagram @silainiaiproject. Projekto partneriai: Kauno miesto savivaldybės Vinco Kudirkos viešoji biblioteka Šilainių padalinys, VšĮ “Meno vadybos platforma”. Šilainiai Project dėkoja Crowdfunding platformos rėmėjams Vanessa Kilduff, Niamh Grogan ir Anonymous.

Paroda veikia I-V, 13-19 val. Papildoma informacija: info@arthesis, +37061183444.

Save the Date

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Please save the date for Šilainiai Project artist residency group exhibition opening at Kabinetas project space 6-8pm 31 October 2016.

There will be a group discussion (speakers to be confirmed) 6:30-8pm 7 November 2016.

The exhibition will be on view 31 October – 14 November, Monday to Friday 1-7 p.m. (A. Mapu st. 20, Kaunas, Lithuania).

For special appointments and other information please contact +37061183444, info@arthesis.lt

For most up to date news please visit our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/silainiaiproject/