Artihost Art & Culture Residency I: 2021 Edition Opening

There is no better time to open a new cultural and artistic initiative as during difficult times, as they are now with Corona virus hitting the record numbers. Lets lift the spirits of Panevėžys with the launch of A R T I H O S T, The Only in the World Hostel & Co-working space to offer Art & Culture Residency.

Here are the outcomes from the opening! Prepare yourself, as it was a fruitful session and this post is going to be rather long and ”to be continued…” than sugar coating.

We started with a talk – Justinas Brikys and Ieva Brikė welcomed the guests, 15 art and culture activists in Panevėžys and 2 residents, who came for 3 months to participate at the Artihost art & culture residency programme – and continued with the intro game, that was intended to disturb, shake and leave everyone without prejudice and prior experiences. A blank page, that we could all work out.

Stefania Pasare (Brasov, Romania) and Agne Nemanyte (Marijampolė, Lithuania), two residents, Artihost artistic DUO presented themselves and their works, followed by questions and discussion.

Ștefania Pasăre combines wood engineering and gilding skills intoconservation-restoration and transformation of wooden objects. She seeks to have a private studio in Brasov, Romania to convert furniture with an art of gilding. Stefania loves to express her work with photography, literature and graphic design.

Agne Nemanyte is a contemporary theatre practitioner with experience in international laboratories and theatre performances around Europe. Agne has worked in various community based projects and youth education institutions. At a present moment Agne is pursuing a masters degree in theatre directing at the Lithuanian academy of music and theatre and aspiring to make her directorial debut on stage.

After a short networking, we moved to the creative engaging games. Bonding helped to move to a more serious part – The World Cafe method was applied to divide guests into 5 groups and let them travel to all 5 questions to discuss, share and later present the results about Panevėžys Art & Culture domain.

“Is it culture or economy is the primary drive for the growth?” – once we had a long discussion. We could not come up to the uniting answer. Regardless, we decided to have more culture in Panevėžys and in this evening we wanted only culture and art to be discussed and shared. Since culture and art representatives came, this was an easy endeavour.

Overall, what was heard between the lines and repeated on some of the posters, was the need of: C E L E B R A T I O N ! And what does it mean in this context? It might mean that there is the desire of easy-going cultural and artistic initiatives, of being yourself, of enjoying the moment, of feeling free, flexible, of meeting new people, of making networking, of getting inspiration and exchanging ideas in a friendly environment. It might mean the need of places where the artist could meet and present their artworks to public, not to keep them only for themselves. Yes, a productive party, celebration of the creativity. What would it be the point in beauty if there are no people to see it? What would be the meaning of knowledge if there is nobody to share it with? Sharing is caring and a growing community!

What is also important for a healthy community, is a F A I R – P L A Y. The best, simple, and natural booster for keeping up the motivation, to squeeze out all the passion in you. This implies R E S P E C T between the players (artists of all arts), maturity, good communication, and personal limits/boundaries to be maintained when collaborating.

All these couldn’t be possible without a S P A C E where the art can be conceived, another where to be produced, and finally a space where to be exposed to properly shine.

Is there anything / anybody that doesn’t allow those beautiful souls to flourish? Yes. There is a lack of flexibility and trust coming from the society regarding experimental, avant-garde and new arts, new concepts / ideas. Besides this rigid behavior (which was inherited after all), it is also the power of some people, who is controlling the space where the artist could expose their concepts. Art is alive, constantly changing, as it is a fluid; once the culture is not circulating, it stops, and it perishes. What is civilisation without culture? How can this be changed? First of all, providing more educational workshops for the people after 30s / 40s / 50s (…), to connect the generations and always refresh the ideas.

Thank you for all the people who participated to the opening of the ARTIHOST and shared with us their observations! Contact them via the artistic brand (see the first poster).

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