Special rented space for artists and educators on Vokiečių Street

The City of Vilnius has rented special premises at the site of the complex of the Great Synagogue on the Vokiečių Street to host creative tenants, who will, in their turn, organise various artistic workshops, exhibitions, educational, innovative and artistic projects, teach crafts, there will be educational theatre and visual arts activities. All this will be happening in a 1000 square meters building which used to operate as a primary school and it is atop the former treasured heritage – the Great Synagogue – the Jewish Cultural and Education Centre (13A, Vokiečių Street).

10 out of 27 applications have been selected as the best fitting for the purpose.

‘We are very pleased that the project winners are smart and creative and that in their applications they showed a proper regard to this particular place that is currently subject to explorations which have recently resulted in extraordinary findings by the archaeologists. The spiritual and cultural heritage of the Vilnius Great Synagogue obliges to have a special disposition towards the place to achieve a dignified perpetuation, therefore, albeit temporary, the newcomers will contribute to the commemoration of the place through their creative and educational activities, promoting it in Lithuania and worldwide’, said Mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašius.

One of the winners – Vilnius Justinas Vienožinskis Art School, will offer educational activities, hold exhibitions and creative workshops.

Lithuanian Junior Achievement will use the premises for educational activities, start-up workshops, entrepreneurship and innovations camps, also teaching young people financial literacy. The Association Art and Science Laboratory will engage in cultural and educational activities, display interactive art and science exhibits, give lectures, hold performances, art and science (astronomy) camps for pupils.

Two artisans are going to introduce the bookmaking industry to the public. The Vilnius Jewish religious community will organise various trainings and awareness raising events on Jewish culture and language. Three artists are planning to set up a painting workshop.

Some of the winners are going to hold theatre improvisation classes for children, adolescents and adults, they will also give a hint of the cinema, theatre, writing, visual arts and the backstage.

The tenancy agreement with all the ten winners of the project will be concluded with the City of Vilnius to the effect until 2020.

The building, which previously served as Vilnius Vytė Nemunėlis primary school, was vacated last year. This building is planned to be taken down in 2020 to start commemoration works for the Great Synagogue, which are scheduled to be completed by 2030.