Magnetic Latvia — Experiential cities for Art and Architecture
Liepāja and Kuldiga in KURZEME — the Western Province of Latvia, are great examples for attracting businesses, artists and for rebuilding historic buildings!
The landscape here is beautiful, unspoiled, with forests and the Baltic sea all around. It is a region, which makes you think of finding a reason to stay here — and obviously many young Latvians do find such good reason!
The bubbling Latvian capital of Riga grows fast and there are many public and private efforts and initiatives to develop businesses — both in Riga, but also in the provinces and their cities. It is obvious that a digital start-up business can work from anywhere. There is a strong start-up ecosystem in the country, which together with the short distances (only around 200 km between Riga and Liepaja) is one of the reasons, that in all of Latvia these new hubs are springing up.
So Liepāja is a city with centuries of rich history. After being polished by the harsh winds of Courland and the white sand of the beaches for almost nine hundred years, the city still has preserved the unique charm of the old Līva village with a background of maritime fishermen, sailors and travellers.
One of the big cultural “magnets” here is the Amber Concert and Event Hall which was opened in 2015. It is home of the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra and known for its great acoustics. It also is attracting a range of new design hotels in the vicinity which have been built and opened to service the cultural visitors.
One of them is the Promenade Hotel, which is located in a historic brick-building on the waterfront of the legendary Trade Canal and only steps away from the Baltic Sea. The Promenade hotel is a five-star property, and the visible focus of the hotel is Art in different appearances.
Both the concept for rooms — and the meeting spaces’ design display an interesting mix of old and new with plenty of visual art everywhere — but also using vintage furniture, lamps and other interior décor. Each room has an individually created interior — and the modern features are combined with classical values and natural materials — wood, brick, metal, linen. All of it creates a feeling of home and is very individual.
The owner of the hotel is a known collector of local art of Kurzeme — where many young artists are at home — and also a gallery owner. He has recently opened a second hotel in one of the most beautiful inner districts and pedestrian zone of the historic city centre, the Art Hotel Roma.
It is a small hotel with 28 rooms — each individually furnished with original artworks. And it is brand-new, just opened in June 2019 and really does not look like a hotel but more like the private house of someone with very good taste. Also, in this hotel a huge art collection has been curated and integrated in the concept — and is part of the hotel space. Please see pictures on Facebook!
The building has a squarish shape with an Italian-style inner courtyard, enclosed by nice shops and a restaurant with a chef coming from London and offering a contemporary food concept between Latvian and Italian cuisine. The restaurant “ROMA” has a summer terrace, pastry cafe and bakery “ROMAS BEĶEREJA”.
In the massive space below the whole complex is a display of the huge collection of local art — the art gallery “GALERIJA ROMAS DĀRZS” and an elegant meeting room “BERČI”- in historic vaults, mixed with modern elements. This is both a museum to be visited and a gallery, where art can be bought.
Varying exhibitions ad to the excellent holistic concept. The space is very suited for corporate programs which like to demonstrate a connection with fine arts and lifestyle and good taste, offering their meeting or incentive participants the beauty of what Latvia has to offer as an art’s hub.
There are hundreds of paintings to see, to be used as a motto for a meeting, which can take place also in the cellar rooms of the gallery. Catering can be added from the restaurant and completes the special flavour of the place and the mix of local products and art with international appeal.
If you look for a curated experience integrating Arts and Architecture, both the hotels are suitable!
More cultural experiences like the “LIEPAJA THEATER” and Liepaja concert hall “GREAT AMBER” are all in the vicinity of the Art Hotel Roma!
————————————————-
Following are the topics that you will read about in the new series on Latvia and Riga — it is worthwhile to explore them and pick those which are most relevant to your kind of business. You will be able to source some true gems for fresh and new destinations for your Incentive trips or Meetings!
- Latvia for Intl. Congresses and Conferences
-
Magnetic Latvia – Experiential Hubs for Rebuilding, Architecture and Design
- Destination Latvia – an abundance of water and nature
- Sport in Latvia: infrastructure, events and education
- Arts and Artists — experiencing, discovering and learning about art in Latvia
- New hotels and restaurants open in Riga and across the country
For any requests you have or help that you require for putting together a MICE program for your clients, contact:
Ieva Gredzena, LIAA (Investment and Development Agency of Latvia) email: Ieva.Gredzena@liaa.gov.lv
Aigars Smiltans of MeetRiga, email: aigars.smiltans@liveriga.lv
Or contact me at tmf dialogue marketing, Johanna Fischer email j.fischer@tmf-dialogue.com
