Hub Riga is designed as a platform for creative and active individuals, organisations and companies from every profession, background and culture to meet and interact with the common goal of affecting change.

Hub Riga has started to play a proactive role in warming up Latvia’s economy by offering business incubation services to young enterprises in the creative industries. This programme is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the Latvian State and provides young creative enterprises with financial support during their first years of operation. This support includes partial compensation for administrative, legal, accounting, fund-raising, marketing and rental costs as well as the costs of establishing partnerships and other business processes.

The Hub Creative Incubator is anchored in Andrejsala, a district experiencing promising development, where young enterprises are selecting the most suitable spaces for their offices, workshops, warehouses and production facilities. Existing and new tenants and partners use Andrejsala as a place to meet, exchange ideas, make mistakes, learn, be inspired and share experiences; it is a place to bridge the gap between those making their first steps in enterprise with more experienced businessmen, artists, thinkers and other personalities.

Among other plans, Hub Riga is preparing to launch the first Hub space in Riga’s Old Town in partnership with Riga Art Space. The idea is to offer exhibition goers a more diverse experience and to offer locals and visitors flexible access to facilitate working, meeting and relaxing in a creative space.

To make ideas happen and to scale up its impact, the Hub is collaborating closely with likeminded organisations and individuals, including the British Council, Jaunrīga real estate developer, the Nordic Council of Ministers, Riga City Council, the Latvian Culture College, Riga Arts Space and other local and international organisations, institutions, educational establishments, youth movements, NGOs, and others.
Contact:
inga.darzniece@the-hub.net
www.the-hub.net

Interdisciplinary art centre kim?

The pilot project “kim?”, inaugurated by the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art, is an interdisciplinary arts centre in Latvia dedicated to contemporary culture. Situated in the historical Spikeri district in Riga, “kim?” organizes monthly exhibitions in its three galleries and provides local and international audiences with a complementary programme of regular lectures, film screenings and performances.

Since opening on 16 May 2009, “kim?” has organized an exciting programme of 103 cultural events and attracted more than 36 000 visitors. “kim?” is currently venturing into launching a residency programme with Germany, The Netherlands and China, initiating several educational programmes and working on the development of a new building for its rapidly expanding scope of activities.

The target group for “kim?” includes art professionals (artists, curators, critics, journalists), creative industry representatives, students and tourists. Using the synergy between different fields of contemporary culture, “kim?” aims to promote the emergence of a new, intellectually and emotionally receptive audience gradually increasing its interest in different expressions of contemporary culture.

In terms of funding, “kim?” regularly applies to numerous international and local grant schemes as its primary source of financing. Other sources include the Ministry of Culture, corporate sponsors and self-generated income through rent and merchandising. 

18 CI entrepreneurs are among the most active and loyal visitors to “kim?”, as “kim?” promotes formal and informal education at all levels, stimulates interest in contemporary culture and provides venues for people to spend quality free time.  

Contact:
www.kim.lv
kim@kim.lv
Maskavas 12/1
LV-1050, Riga
Latvia.