The Art Academy of Latvia announces a call for applications for Latvian State scholarships for foreign participants in the International Summer School of Ephemeral Architecture and Spatial Design "FestivaL'and 5.0". The Summer School will take place in Valmiera from 22 July to 3 August 2024.

“FestivaL'and” is a summer school format developed in collaboration with the Valmiera Summer Theatre Festival (VVTF) and held for the first time in 2018. At the Summer School, experimental temporary architectural and design interventions become catalysts for significant processes of change in the urban environment and the perception and usability of the city. The Summer School is dedicated to the creative synergy of art, design, architecture, and develops as an urban laboratory, temporarily transforming certain places for the duration of the theatre festival, bringing them to life, offering different user experiences, and revealing the potential for new uses. The summer school “FestivaL'and 5.0”, planned for 2024, will take place for the fifth time and is organised as a cooperation project between the Art Academy of Latvia and Architecture and Design faculty of the RISEBA University of Applied Sciences.

In the context of climate change, resource depletion and efforts to create a humane, inclusive and natural environment, the summer school highlights the use of wood as an ecological, renewable, recyclable or reusable raw material, inviting students to learn about the different aspects of its use and engage in industry innovations. During the summer school, participants will gain experience, knowledge and skills in the process of architectural design from ideation to construction in 1:1 scale, realising an environmental object-spatial installation in the city of Valmiera. The workshops will be led by the team of international architects and designers, landscape specialists, artists and invited professionals with experience in practice, pedagogy and academia.

At the end of the summer school, participants will receive a certificate as proof of participation and the award of 6 ECTS credits.

10 scholarships are available for international participants to take part in the 2024 Summer School. Students and academic staff from the following 43 countries are eligible to apply: USA, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium (Walloon-Brussels Federation), Bulgaria, Czech Republic, South Korea, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Croatia, Estonia, Indonesia, Iceland, Italy, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, People's Republic of China, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Peru, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Fiji, Germany, Namibia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, and Vietnam.

The scholarship covers accommodation in a student hostel, two meals a day, activities included in the summer school programme, workshops, lectures, study tours, cultural activities, and the necessary materials and equipment for the duration of the school. 

The scholarship does not cover travel, VISA and insurance costs. Participants are obliged to cover their own travel expenses from their country of origin to Riga, Latvia. The organisers of the Summer School will provide transportation from Riga to the Summer School venue in Valmiera as far as possible.

The deadline for applications for the scholarships for foreign participants is 1 April 2024.
Candidates will be selected on the basis of a competitive application form, motivation and creativity. The awarding of scholarships to candidates is subject to the approval of the Evaluation Committee of the State Education Development Agency. 

Applications are open to both Bachelor and Master level students in the humanities and engineering from fields of study such as architecture and urbanism, spatial development planning, construction, art and design, audiovisual arts and similar. If motivated, the participation of students from other specialisations will also be supported.

To apply, candidates should submit: CV, a motivation letter and a photograph or digital image of their most recent creative work or project. Foreign participants applying for Latvian state scholarships additionally must submit a copy of their passport or ID, proof of student status and (if available) proof of English language skills. Application link. 

The Summer School organisers will inform all applicants of the results of the scholarship competition by e-mail after 18 April.

Co-organisers: Art Academy of Latvia, Institute of Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture (LMDA), RISEBA University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with Valmiera Summer Theatre Festival

Financial support:
State Education Development Agency Republic of Latvia and Municipality of Valmiera Region

Contact persons:
Dina Suhanova, dina.suhanova(abols)lma.lv
Anna Saurova, anna.saurova(abols)riseba.lv 
Summer School website: www.festivaland.org