ABOUT US
- Culture and Arts Project NOASS
- “Waterpieces” Contemporary Arts and Video Festival
- Noass Video Art Archive
- Noass Video Art Database
- Naive art museum of Latvia
- Noass and Betanovuss
- The Association of Non-Governmental Contemporary Culture Organizations
- International Cooperation
Culture and Arts Project NOASS” is a creative intelligence association that is in the eleventh year of its operating existence and is one of the oldest non-governmental arts and culture organizations in Latvia. NOASS’ goal is to participate in the formation of the Latvian and European cultural environment.
In the main, we support the realization of contemporary arts projects in an urban environment, making art part of the daily lives of residents of Riga and visitors to the city. Furthermore, for several years now we have participated in the planning and programming of the contemporary arts forum, “White Night”, the annual “Riga City Festival” and the “International Museums Night”, as well as realizing a range of individual projects.
Prior to now, we have produced arts events linked to moving images as part of international cultural events like the “French Spring” (2007) and the “German Culture Month” (2008).
One of the most attractive projects we have been involved with is the “Garden of Light” which was created in 2008 with the support of the AB Foundation and Riga City Council and featured the participation of artists from Germany and Latvia. This art project proved to be extremely popular with viewers.
The partnership between NOASS and the New Riga Development Company resulted in the establishment of the Latvian Museum of Naïve Art on Andrejsala in the autumn of 2006. This has provided the general public with an introduction to the work of masters of Naïve art in the context of modern art.
“Waterpieces” Contemporary Arts and Video Festival
The “Waterpieces” festival dates back to 2001. It’s an annual festival of video and contemporary art which consists of a competition for video works, as well as screenings of international programs thus providing a comprehensive insight into the latest works of contemporary art linked to the moving image. more >>
The Latvian Video Art Archive has been created as the only national video art database. It is available for free and covers the entire history of Latvian video art from the late 1980′s through to the present day. The platform for the Latvian Video Art Archive – Database is the videoteque which has been established and built up over a number of years by “Culture and Arts Project NOASS”. Among the works to be found in the videoteque are:
• Latvian-French video art festival (1989-1995) archive (from the collection of art historian, Laima Slava);
• Artists’ video works collated by exhibition;
• Artists’ video works submitted individually from personal collections (1985 – 2009);
• Selections of works compiled from the competition archives of “Waterpieces” international video and contemporary art festivals (2001- 2008).
To ensure that the collation of information is as complete as possible, materials are also drawn from other Latvian video art festivals (“2ANNAS”, “Ahūns”), diploma works and course works by students from Jānis Rozentāls Art High School, video works by students from the Latvian Art Academy, as well as a collection of those created by Culture Academy students. All of the works submitted have been reviewed by a group of experts. If the works are deemed to be good enough for inclusion in the archive, they are then systematized and archived.
go to archive >>
Noass Video Art Archive is public (working hours Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m ) – students, curators, artists, teachers, art historians, and anyone else with an interest – can access information on artists and their work. All the video-works from the collection can be viewed on viewing sets. Book your visit: dzintars@noass.lv
During the course of 2008, we have introduced new database software which ensures the availability of information on the Internet. In 2009, we plan to continue the expansion of the database with both new works (from the Waterpieces 2009 competition) and by inviting authors to add older works to the database which have been shown in exhibitions, but which not been included in the NOASS video archive database before now. Additionally, we have begun discussions with the amateur studio “Ģilde” about adding an experimental cinema film to the database which covers the 1960′s and is the forerunner of video art in Latvia. In the immediate future, we’re looking to develop the distribution of these works, as well as representation of the interests of the authors concerned by promoting the database and compiling selections of works.
The Museum operates during the summer season (from May until October) from Wednesdays – Sundays from 12:00 to 19:00.
Thanks to the partnership between Noass and the New Riga Development Company, the Naive Art Museum of Latvia opened at Andrejsala in the autumn of 2006. This year, the museum is having its 5th season.
The Naive Art Museum of Latvia has defined its operating goal as being the collection of works of naïve art, as well as their preservation, study and promotion. The Museum’s task is to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of naïve art for future generations and to use it to educate the general public. The Museum devotes particular attention to the identification and preservation of works by contemporary Latvian naïve artists including painters and sculptors and the establishment of core exposition of works at the Museum.
Based on the material that has been collected and researched, the Museum is implementing a wide ranging complex of educational measures. Since 2007, the Museum has focused on promoting works by Latvian naïve artists abroad (Fest Naïve 2007 – Moscow). In 2007, the Museum was awarded the status of a State accredited museum. In February 2009, “Culture and Arts Project NOASS” was accepted into the Ministry of Culture’s Association of Professional Culture Organization which gives us the chance to apply for State grants to ensure public access to the Museum’s collection. more about museum >>
In 2008, NOASS celebrated the 10th anniversary of its launch. We marked this anniversary with the reconstruction of the BETANOVUSS floating gallery. With support from the construction company, “RE&RE” in 2008 NOASS has continued to establish a non-commercial contemporary culture centre whose centre of activity is based at two river boat platforms, “BETANOVUSS” and “NOASS”.
“BETANOVUSS” is a 197 m2 large floating stage with a 57 m2 amphitheatre where residents of Riga can see “small form” theatre exhibitions and contemporary dance performances and where various art genres freely interact.
The Association of Non-Governmental Contemporary Culture Organizations
The Association of Non-Governmental Contemporary Culture Organizations (one of the founder members of which is NOASS) was established in 2007 in order to reach the goal of developing and activating the work of non-governmental organizations in the field of culture more successfully.
To achieve its defined goals, the Association sees its principal tasks as being representing the interests of non-governmental culture organizations in the context of national cultural policy and supporting innovative cultural processes in Riga and Latvia’s regions. In order to promote public understanding and to improve the operation of NGO’s, one of the priorities defined by the Association was cooperation with State and local government institutions and the private sector. In its work, the Association of Non-Governmental Contemporary Culture Organizations will promote the preparation and implementation of large-scale international projects, offer consultations and expert advice about sector-specific issues, as well as participate in the organization of contemporary cultural activities, sector research and analysis, process documentation and publishing work.
The founders of the Association of Non-Governmental Contemporary Culture Organizations are: “Culture and Arts Project NOASS”, the “New Latvian Theatre Institute”, the “Contemporary Arts Centre”, the “New Media Culture Centre RIX-C”, the “Development center of non commercial culture NEKAC” the “Inter-Sector Arts Group SERDE” and the “Culture and Information Centre K@2″.
In May 2009, the Association will expand its operations and admit some new members.
Until now, “Culture and Arts Project NOASS” has primarily focussed on supporting contemporary culture environment and experimental projects in Latvia, but for its goal in 2009, it has defined its goal as the integration of Latvian culture into the overall European cultural events cycle.
Since 2007, “Culture and Arts Project NOASS” has operated within the TEH- Trans Europe Halles – European Network of Independent Culture Centres. TEH supports a range of creative initiatives in the European Union and has a membership comprised of 49 culture and arts organizations from 25 countries.
Since 2008, “Culture and Arts Project NOASS” has functioned as a EVS – European Volunteer Services sending and hosting organization, thus promoting the mobility of young people who are interested in cultural and arts events among various public organizations. Also, NOASS is registered in PADOR database which is managed by EuropeAid. PADOR or “Potential Applicants Data Online Registration” is a recent applicant processing system introduced by European Commissions through EuropeAid to understand and maintain extensive information about NGOs requesting funds from it for collaboration projects with worldwide organizations.
Moreover, the Nordic Council of Ministers has launched a sizable mobility, networking and residency programme for the Baltic States. NOASS looks forward to participating actively in the aforementioned projects, utilizing the resources available to the organization and its members. The organization will invite artists representing both visual arts and video art to participate in the residency programme, as well as writers, art curators and critics. NOASS will offer an exclusive opportunity to residency programme participants to create presentations and exhibitions of their work and at the multi-functional culture centre, “Betanovuss”.
In addition to the mobility and residency programmes and the opportunities for European volunteer work and its participation in TEH, “Culture and Arts Project NOASS” is continuing the partnerships it has begun with other foreign organizations, representing the Latvian Video Art Archive and selections of the very best works from the well-established contemporary arts and video festival, “Waterpieces”, as well as the Latvian contemporary art scene at international level.
From next year onwards, we plan to integrate the Naive Art Museum of Latvia collection into the international art scene, the first stage of which will be FESTNAÏVE, a travelling exhibition of works by masters of the naïve art form which will be held in Moscow in 2010.
©2009 NOASS - phone: +371-2947-4401 / fax: +371-6716-7161 / AB - Dambis 2, Riga, LV-1048, LATVIA