Exhibition on the Third Awakening and the Folklore Movement

Until March 2025, visitors to the Friends’ Room (1st floor) of the National Library of Latvia can explore the exhibition “The Folklore Movement and the Third Awakening: Forces and Events”, prepared by researchers of the UL Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art.

The exhibition features unique photographs from the Archives of Latvian Folklore and other collections, along with an illustrated narrative enriched with vivid quotations, tracing key moments in Latvian cultural and political history. A special section of the display presents personal artifacts and documents belonging to Valdis Muktupāvels—folklorist, musician, and an active participant in the folklore movement—highlighting his role and the broader significance of authentic traditional music during the national awakening.

The development of the folklore movement and its role in shaping the ideals of the Third Awakening is presented as a story of pivotal events: from Arnolds Klotiņš’s legendary 1978 lecture “An Afternoon of Folklore,” to the revival of folksongs at the first Song and Dance Festival of newly independent Latvia. Along the way, visitors are invited to revisit such milestones as the Daugava Festival, the 150th anniversary of Krišjānis Barons, and the unforgettable Baltica’88 folklore festival, among others.

In December, the curators will host a public event to mark the launch of the digital version of the exhibition and invite former participants of the folklore movement and all those interested to attend.

Curators: Dr. philol. Aigars Lielbārdis, Dr. phil. Toms Ķencis
Design: Krišs Salmanis

The exhibition is part of the project “Folklore Revival in Latvia: Resources, Ideologies and Practices” (No. lzp-2021/1-0243), led by Ieva Vīvere and supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation, the National Library of Latvia, and the Friends of the National Library Association.