About us

 

UŽUPISART INCUBATOR:

CREATION OF A NEW TYPE OF LOCAL AND EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

1995-2010

 

Užupis art incubator (UMI)

Užupis Art Incubator appears among the first few in Europe. Its structure has no analogs; it is the central part of Užupis Republic, where social and cultural integration and incubation are constantly in process.

Permanent communication of values is created in Užupis. UMI already develops new entities such as cluster of creative industries. Art Incubator is a continual core of cultural and social integration.

   Back in 1995, a group of young Vilnius Arts Academy students and other art and business related personalities decided to tie their activities with Užupis area. They founded the Alternative art center Užupis 2(AMC) association and Galera art gallery. Main goals of this entity were to associate Užupis artists community, to organise public events, exhibitions and to provide conditions for a creative youth to express themselves. The building on Užupis street No. 2 was chosen as headquarters for this organisation. Vilnele river banks, streets and backyards of Užupis, abandoned buildings and even ruins was field of activities for it's members. This part of the city was famous as a meeting place for artists and just interesting people. All the space from its architecture to community is an ideal place for birth and implementation of artistic ideas.

Activities started as minor informal meetings of artists and developed into major impressive events for general public and community holidays and fiestas. International painting en plein air meetings, alternative fashion shows, numerous exhibitions, art performances and concerts were arranged. Together with young students of art and music academies, college and high school students a number of famous artists were involved in projects.

AMC activities gained more and more trust of general public and municipal leaders. In 2002 "Alternative art center Užupis 2" (AMC) association and Vilnius City Municipality founded a public organisation Užupis Art Incubator. It allowed to conduct artists activities and project implementation more successfully.

Public Establishment Užupis Art Incubator leads it's activities and provides public services in the social, education and cultural fields to the communities of Užupis, the city of Vilnius and its guests. Goal of the public organisation is to meet public interests in the above mentioned fields. To pursue the goal, Užupis Art Incubator:

    1. PROVIDES young artists of Vilnius with premises and other spaces and arranges workshops for creative activities. Arranges the landscape to become communication and gravity center. Communicates and cooperates with similar organisations from another countries.

    2. PROVIDES services and creates the conditions for the citizens of Vilnius to implement their cultural needs. Relates it's activities with the initiatives of Užupis community and underlines cultural singularity of the district. Arranges events, lectures, seminars which represents Užupis and Lithuania creates attributes, decorates surroundings.

    3. PROVIDES the artists whose self expressing does not fits within a traditional frames or not mature enough for big halls possibility to present their attitude. Introduces works of artists residing in Uzupis, achievements of world culture.

    4. SPREADS information on Užupis- specific corner of Vilnius. Publishes literature, spreads souvenirs, arranges cultural exchange, exhibitions, plain air workshops, seminars, festivals, concerts, competitions, calendar holidays: cultural, scientific, educational events.

   5.  PROVIDES an ability to participate in creative process for youth and teenagers. Provides basics of aestetic education for them.

    6. CREATES a conditions for the development of a creative businesses, innovations and preparation and implementation of a related projects. Encourages and spreads creative entrepreneurship, scientific, technological and innovation management. Prepares strategies and methodologies for integration of a science and creative businesses, makes projects and promotes arts.

    7. ENCOURAGES development of economic growth, communal relations, social prosperity, scientific researches, regional cooperation, cultural development and expansion, promotes individual creativity abilities and talents, related to creative arts and culture.

    8. Major fields of UMI members and residents activities are: painting, sculpture, photography, music, street theatre performances, arrangement of community events and holidays.

 

 

UMI 2002 – 2010

 

Every year since 2002 in Vilnius 50 artists are involved in projects related activities, 70 – abroad. Over 250 creators annually are involved in UMI activities in Lithuania.  Since 2002 we host 8 international events a year with approximately 60 participants from abroad. More than 400 young people (schoolchildren, gymnasium graduates, students) are participating in UMI events.  Since 2002 our events were sponsored by 20 companies and 30 individual businessmen, 90 businessmen were participating directly in a creative process and exhibitions. 

 

UMI 2007 – 2009

 

2007 - 2008m. UMI arranged more than 220 international events „Week of finish art“, „Alaverdi. Lithuania-Užupis-Georgia“, „What are you doing here now? Europe“, „Meting of Montmartre in Uzupis“, „Užupis-Aalborg“, „Plein Air International“...etc. Over 300 artists from Finland, Georgia, Switzerland, France, Latvia, Russia, USA, Norway, Denmark, Belgium and many other countries were directly participating in the events.

More than 50 artists from Denmark, Sweden, Georgia, France, Belgium, Great Britain and Spain took active part in our events in 2009.

 

UMI 2010

 

By September 2010 over 200 Lithuanian and 50 foreign artists were participants of Užupis Art Incubator projects. They were creating together, presenting their art, collaborated in making exhibitions, plein airs and concerts.

Main events of 2010 were: Days of arts from Holland (04.01-04.07). Installations by Utrecht artists, „Invisible republic“ seminar, „Workshop“.

In Vilnius square in Tbilisi pavement brick „Miracle“ was installed (06.23).

Exhibition of vintage photography of Georgia in „To yours and our freedom“ (03.12-03.18) was opened in UMI gallery.

7th International painting workshop of Užupis and arts festival „What are you doing here now? (08.13-08.30) took place in UMI. Artists participants from Azerbaijan, France, Latvia, Russia, Norway, Finland, Macedonia, Japan.

UMI artists took active part in opening of Tibet square in Užupis– the first one in the world bearing the name of this Himalayan country (06.15).

International Užupis plein air exhibition in  the Center of culture of Birštonas (08.01-08.30);

UMI takes part in arranging alternative fashion show „Armada“ (will take part  on 09.10 at Vilnius city hall square). Artists from Lithuania, France, Great Britain and Spain are planning to participate.

UMI activities and Užupis Republic ideas were presented to several thousands of tourists groups and other visitors of UMI gallery.

 Giedrius Bagdonas, Lithuanian artist, General Manager of Užupis Art Incubator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uzupis. Paupio street

 

2009.   Information on the activities of the Public organization to implement the goals stated in the bylaws.

UMI implemented numerous educational, cultural, social and art projects in accordance with the activity areas (paragraphs 7,8,9, of the bylaws):

More than 2000 artists from Lithuania and over 50 from other countries have participated in the UMI events. More than 30 exhibitions by local and International authors were arranged in the „Galera" gallery. Various cultural projects, concerts and plain air workshops were implemented:

- Week of Georgian art with the opening of a bronze sculpture "Power place" (Authors Irakli Tsuladze and Marius Abramavičius Neboisia);

- Inernational Uzupis plain airs "Backyard" and "Time in change. Balance of hope" (hosted by Giedrius Bagdonas, Marius Abramavičius Neboisia, Saulius Kruopis) plain airs took place in Užupis, Nida, Villa Garikulo (Georgia);

- Opening of "Iceberg" monument (Author Marius Skudžinskas); Cornice sculpture project „Town stories" (created by Artūras Maksimiljanas) was joined by two young sculpturers from Georgia (Levan Budjashvili and Irakli Tsuladze jr.) They built three new sculptures on the roof above gallery;

- Exhibitions of Užupis artists in Lithuania (Vilnius, Panevėžys, Nida), Georgia (Tbilisi, Batumi, Uzurgeti, Villa Garikula), Belgium (Brussels), frankophonia festival in France (Lion, UMI was represented by Skaidra Jančaitė ir Marius Abramavičius);

- Participation of UMI members in a plain air workshops: international „Užupis-Nida" plain air workshop of expressionistic "Brucke" tradition together with artists from Germany, Byelorussia, Georgia(lead by Saulius Kruopis, hosts Giedrius Bagdonas and Marius Abramavičius Neboisia), in Smalininkai (hosts Juozas Budzinauskas ir Vygantas Vėjas), Vila Garikula (Georgia, hosts Marius Abramavičius and Giedrius Bagdonas);

- 30-40 minor events (exhibitions, presentations concerts and plain air workshops, etc.)

- In the art club and backyard in the summer permanently concerts, cinema show evenings, international workshops, drawing lessons, international fashion festival "Armada" were arranged (hosted by Darius Laumenis). With participation of artists from Lithuania, France, Spain, Great Britain and U.S.A.

- Project „Kuminikacija" (author Marius Abramavičius Neboisia) was sponsored by the ministry of culutre of Lithuania;

- Concert of a duch musių group took place in „Galera" (host Vygantas Vėjas);

- Annual project „Galera" against drugs presented exposition. Another exposition of pieces of art by young people was presented in the reconstructed first flore of the building(host K.Urba);

- Educational activities are on a permanant basis: painting, decoration and decoupage lessons for women and children (host Asta Jančiauskaitė), music workshop (host Kristina Gudonytė), drawing lessons, ethnomusic workshop, presentations, lectures and meetings participated by interesting culture personalities, etc.

- UMI as always took active part in Užupis community events. We participated in preparation for Užupis new year, Užupis independence day, „days of wind", etc.

- In the year 2010 traditional plain air scool was arranged for kids from Užupis gymnasium. (teacher Petras Kostinas). We participated in Bernardinai cup football tournament - third plane (captain of our team Vygantas Vėjas);

- UMI (Užupis Art Incubator) was awarded by culture and arts departament of Vilnius city council as the best public organization of a year.(director Giedrius Bagdonas);

UMI activities and ideas of Užupis republic were presented to hundreds of inhabitants of Lithuania through excursions and education. Communities of Užupio and Žvėryno gimnaziums; st. Cross house, Visų Šventųjų, Bernardinų and communities of the other churches of Vilnius, youth club of Lithuania „Atgaja" and members of Vilnius community of handicaped people „Viltis", guests of International musicians conference, youth groups of „Rotary" club, etc. ...UMI „Galera" permanently is visite by numerius groups of foreign tourists and separate travellers interested in arts.

Actively cooperated with the other creative and public organizations of Lithuania: association „Uzupis community", artists association „Bridge", members of Lithuanian artists union, students of Lithuania‘s arts academy and students union of Vilnius Univercity, „Garden of ideas" organisation, etc.;

We cooperate with Tbilisi arts academy in Georgia, Villa Garikula art center, Tampere „PCAC" art centre in Finland, Bazel „Soul works foundation" in Switzerland, etc.