Multicolored culture will resound in the courtyards of Kaunas: the festival “Kultūra į kiemus” will be complemented by residents’ initiatives | Culture

And the owners of the courtyards will invite the neighbors to get to know and experience the unique spaces of Kaunas courtyards – from private terraces open for one evening to mysterious old cellars. The series of events will be started by the group SKAMP, making the city’s connection with water known on Marių Street.

Culture will come to 11 microdistricts

The festival continues the tradition of bringing culture from the halls and stages to the courtyards of Kaunas and thus giving life to non-traditional spaces. As last year, this year’s cycle events will take place in almost every corner of Kaunas.

Photo by Darius Matonis/Culture in the yards, Gričiupis

There will be a concert of experimental music in Žaliakalny, on Kapsų Street, the documentary film “Love and the Boxer” will be shown on Savanorių Avenue, and the jazz duo Anyanya Udongwo and Paulius Stanulionis will perform on Vilniaus Street. Not only will the Lithuanian Museum of Education come to Šilaini on wheels, but Austieja and a group will also invite you to the evening, performing songs in the Sami language.

The residents of Aleksot are waiting for the dance piece “Fragmentai – a performance of random actions”, projections in Eiguliai, Šančiai and Šilainiai, and an exhibition of A.Martinaitis art school. Piano music performed by Emilia Rožukaitė will be played in Vilijampole, and the movie “North Stream” will be shown in Panemunė. Excerpts from the dance performance “Saikas” will be played in Gričiupė, and nearby, on V. Krėvės avenue in the Dainava microdistrict, the electric pop duo “Superkoloritas” will perform.

The series of events will be opened by the SKAMP group coming to Petrašiūnai Marių Street. By the way, the group’s vocalist Erica Jennings has already performed at the “Kultūra į kiemus” festival: in 2020, most of the residents watched her and Jurgis Didiulis’ performance in Šilainiai from their balconies or with their windows open. As the performer herself says, the then pandemic context made the concert a very sensitive experience.

“We, members of the SKAMP group, have always loved the Kaunas audience – from our first concerts, the people of Kaunas gave us many good memories and funny stories. We have been performing for many years and we know very well what the listeners want, what they like the most, so this time in Kaunas, too, good old hits and new SKAMP songs will be played, which neighbors can listen to right in their backyard!” – promises E. Jennings.

Photo by Martynos Plepis/Culture to the backyards

It will be possible to see the performance of the band SKAMP in the courtyard of Marių gatvė on August 19. at 7 p.m.

The courtyards will be open to those who want to get to know each other

As last year, everyone who wanted to receive culture in their backyard could register in an open invitation. The organizers noticed that already in the questionnaires there were not enough promises to supplement the program with exhibitions of the residents of the courtyard, to present local talents, to serve homemade kombucha, snacks, to call an ice cream bus.

“We will again have various styles of music, modern dance performances, cinema, exhibitions. We will also bring a piano to one of the courtyards! We are glad that the cooperation with the Kaunas A.Martinaitis Art School, the Kaunas Photography Gallery continues, and this year the Lithuanian Museum of Education joined the company, so we will have a “Museum on wheels” in two courtyards. It’s a pity that we don’t have the opportunity to visit all the courtyards that expressed a desire, but we will visit at least one courtyard in each micro-district, so we invite you to visit our neighbors,” says Aistė Paukšte, one of the organizers of the event, cultural project manager of the Kaunas Artists’ House.

During this year’s cycle of events “Culture in the courtyards” there will be not only the opportunity to see professional performers up close, but also to look at the unique courtyards and spaces of Kaunas: for example, the Narsiaių Hill, which was poured on the initiative of the Narsiai residents, the terrace with a view of Santaks in Žaliakalni, the courtyard, the wall of which decorated with the Katina fresco, the basements of the apartment building with the huge coal stoves that have been preserved in them, and many others.

The spirit of the Brazilian and the Argentinian is spreading in a new way

Every district and every courtyard in Kaunas is different and has its own uniqueness – Domas Sirgedas, the event coordinator of one of the festival’s courtyards, Žaliakalnis, has no doubts about that. “Žaliakalnis is a district of Kaunas that has a lot to tell, and it’s not for nothing that guides like it, offering many different walking routes.

Our “corner” is no exception: breathing in the spirit of the legendary Brazilian women and Argentine women of the interwar period, we try to show others our uniqueness. We still have the winding, cobbled section of Kapsai Street, a variety of huts commemorating the interwar period, panoramic views, and settlers inviting neighbors and culture into their backyard to introduce themselves to the old residents.”

Last year, there was a performance by the dance group “Low Air” on Kapsų street, which, as Dom remembers, brought the neighbors, carrying chairs, benches and blankets, to the cul-de-sac of Nevėžios street: “Neighbors calling each other by name, others greeting each other with a smile; those with children, those with dogs, welcomed Culture. It was fun to watch how after the performances of the performers, no one was in a hurry to split up and only later did the discussions of impressions move to the yards.”

This year, the experimental music duo “Keista Bjauri Žuvis” will perform for the residents and guests of this micro-district: Aistė Kalvelytė (drums) and Julius Čepukėnas (electronics)’s creativity that does not fit into the usual genres will reflect the influence of various musical styles, starting with free jazz, krautrock or punk rock and ending with IDM or ambient . The works of “Keistas Bjaurios Žuvies” are long-lasting, dynamic, full of improvisational elements, and performed live, they sound different every time and create an authentic connection with the audience.

“Indeed, the group is experimental, so it will be a great opportunity for most locals to broaden their horizons without leaving their backyard. And we, in turn, will try to surprise the performers themselves”, promises Domas, the representative of Žaliakalnis yard.

You can familiarize yourself with the entire program of the “Kultūra ki kiemus” event Facebook and On the website of the Kaunas Artists’ House.