Exhibitions on the History of the Folklore Movement in Latvia

We invite you to explore two exhibitions prepared by researchers from the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia (LU LFMI), both dedicated to the history of the folklore movement in Latvia:

1) In-Person Exhibition: “The Third Awakening and the Folklore Movement: Forces and Events”

This exhibition is on view at the Friends’ Room of the National Library of Latvia (LNB) until 1 March 2025.
Curators: Toms Ķencis and Aigars Lielbārdis
Exhibition design: Krišs Salmanis

The exhibition highlights key events in the history of the Latvian folklore movement up to the year 1990. One of the central displays features a collection of artefacts from the personal archive of Valdis Muktupāvels, ethnomusicologist and active participant in the movement.

2) Virtual Exhibition: “The Folklore Movement in Latvia”

This interactive online exhibition offers an expanded narrative of the folklore movement in Latvia across three main sections. It presents a rich combination of research texts, firsthand accounts, photographs, audio and video recordings, contemporary documents, and an animated timeline map.

Topics include:
– Origins of the movement in the 1970s
– The role of the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum
– The landmark 1978 concert and Daugava Festival
– Chronology of folk ensemble formations
– Aesthetic development of the movement
– Revival of traditional instruments
– Movement visual identity, institutionalization, and performance reviews
– The Aizpute gathering, informal events, and educational initiatives
– The influence of the KGB, the 150th anniversary of Krišjānis Barons, and diaspora ensembles
– The international Baltica festival, and the folklore movement’s role in the Singing Revolution

A parallel news ticker runs alongside the timeline, situating the folklore movement within broader events in Latvia and the world.

The virtual exhibition is available in Latvian and English, designed for horizontal screen navigation. Visitors are encouraged to explore all photo galleries and quote carousels embedded in the interface. On some devices, minor screen adjustments may improve visibility.

▶ Visit the exhibition: https://lfk.lv/the-folklore-movement-in-latvia/

The exhibition was created by a team of folklore movement researchers:
Ilga Vālodze Ābele, Rita Zara, Toms Ķencis, Aigars Lielbārdis, Valdis Muktupāvels, Digne Ūdre-Lielbārde, and Ieva Vīvere
Design: Krišs Salmanis
English translation: Amanda Zaeska
Technical layout: Uldis Ķirsis
Animation: Ramona Loce
Text editing: Agita Kazakeviča

Both exhibitions are part of the project “The Folklore Movement in Latvia: Resources, Ideologies, and Practices”, supported by the Latvian Council of Science (Project No. lzp-2021/1-0243).