This year, for the first time, a new award ACADEMIA is established at the Art Academy Latvia, which is a program for young professionals. The aim of the award is to create an infrastructure that would create new and innovative models of cooperation between an art higher education institution and an international professional career and experience.

The support programs are planned to be extended over a period of two years, giving the graduate the opportunity to gain international experience and cooperate with industry professionals in order to implement it in their creative practice in Latvia and throughout the Baltic region. The program provides strategic support to the winners of the award.

In the first year, the award in the visual arts is realized in partnership with the Helen Scott Lidgett Studio Award 2020/2021, which provides a one-year paid residency under the ACME program, providing a workshop, residence and scholarship in London. The residence includes consultations and workshop visits by various artists, art institutions and professionals, as well as an exhibition at the end of the residence at the gallery PEER.

Kristīne Daukšte, a graduate of the Master's program in Painting in 2021, wins the first prize by passing the competition!

The second-year program will provide a residency with a free workshop and scholarship in Riga. During this year, workshop visits to Latvian and Baltic art institutions will be organized, as well as consultations for artists and other art professionals will be provided. During this time, the artist is obliged to share his / her experience with the students of the Art Academy of Latvia, giving a lecture on his / her creative practice and experience, as well as organizing a master class and / or creative workshop.

Funding source: “Latvia’s State Forests”, which is provided with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and is implemented as a targeted donation program to the State Cultural Capital Fund, as well as a partnership with Central Saint Martin College in London, the gallery PEER, the Helen Scott Lidgett Award and ACME.