The history of the new multifunctional art hall “Riga Art Space” began in 2003 with a protest. The Riga artists, cultural experts, and other people involved in contemporary art who gathered for it wrote a public letter to the mayor of Riga and the minister of culture. In it, they asked the authorities to finally pay attention to the lack of specialized venues for art exhibitions in the capital. The politicians listened to the country’s creative elite and in the same year approved the reconstruction of an empty basement space beneath Town Hall Square. Professionals from the interested art and cultural circles were brought into the project to take into account all the needs of the new home of art.
Preparation for the opening of the exhibition hall lasted a long five years; every detail had to be carefully thought out, because this is not just an art gallery or museum, the hall is truly multifunctional. It hosts not only painting and photography exhibitions, but also cultural events, contemporary theater productions, concerts, and multimedia projects.
Riga Art Space does not have its own collection of art objects; everything here is very modern and mobile. There is even a special commission made up of leading experts in the field of culture that is responsible for selecting the constantly changing exhibitions. Thanks to this system, the displays in the hall are regularly renewed, and there is an active exchange of contemporary art with neighboring countries.
