In order to express appreciation to the people of the cultural sector for their quality work and creative contribution, on Tuesday, May 10, the “White Sparrow” annual award of the Riga Municipality was presented in a solemn in-person ceremony in the “Mazajā gilde”.
“White sparrows” in the category “Employee of a culture and cultural education institution” for a creative contribution to the promotion of neighborhood initiative participation and belonging by successfully implementing the project “Light installations and shadow theater accompanied by music in the courtyard of the Pārdaugava Music and Art School” in 2021 was awarded to the Pārdaugava Music and Art School director Agnese Staģe.
In this nomination, the award was also presented to the manager of the Čiekurkalns branch library and the Jaunciems branch library of the Riga Central Library, Aija Namavira – for her significant contribution to the development and enrichment of the cultural life of the neighborhoods in cooperation with the Čiekurkalns Development Society.
“What does it mean to be a white sparrow – an unusual, creative person – in a field where being creative and unusual is a mandatory, self-evident characteristic? To be warm, bright and strong, lively and full of life even in unusual times,” said Iveta Ratinīka, chairperson of the Education, Culture and Sports Committee of Riga City Council thoughtfully.
Dagmāra Bārbale, artistic director of Riga Technical University’s folk dance ensemble “Vektors”, won the award in the category “Leader of amateur art collective” for the high-quality creative process and successful implementation of the multimedia dance performance “Dressing in Latvian signs”.
On the other hand, in the nomination “Cooperation project and cooperation in the reflection of the cultural process”, the award went to the composer Vilni Šmīdberg for his significant contribution to the creative work of the “Rīga” orchestra, the creation of new works and arrangements for the composition of the symphony brass band, as well as successful cooperation in the implementation of the concert “Cathedral and rock” in the Great Guild.
The “White Sparrow” in this category was also won by the artistic director of the Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Kļava, for his creative and emotional representation of Latvia’s path to freedom in the multimedia concert story “My fire, in which” in Riga Cathedral, and the director, scenographer Roberts Rubīns – for his significant creative contribution and cooperation in creating the multimedia concert story. “My fire, where” and urban design objects at the event “Taken away. The unforgotten. 80 years since the June 14 deportations”.
Two laureates were honored in the nomination “For long-term and significant professional contribution”. The pedagogue of the 3rd Riga Music School, Ina Radzeviča, received the award for long-term and significant professional contribution in the field of music pedagogy, and the music pedagogue, long-time head of the children’s vocal studio “Knīpas and Knauķi” of the Latvian Society of Riga, Edīte Putniņa – for long-term and professional contribution and outstanding performance in vocal pedagogy. in the field of working with children and young people.
“This nomination is magical. It is a story of a lifelong marathon, which includes both mistakes and successes, but everything is based on warmth, humor, a sense of responsibility and a set of timeless qualities that characterize a personality,” acknowledged the Education, Culture and director of the sports department Māris Krastiņš.
The “White Sparrow” award was presented by members of the Riga City Council, Iveta Ratinīkas, Chairperson of the Education, Culture and Sports Committee, Māris Krastiņš, Director of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, and Baiba Šmite, Head of the Culture Department. It was created by the artist Aigars Bikshe.
Anyone interested could also watch the event live on the Facebook account of “Mazas gilde” and “Rīga is happening”.
The information was prepared by: Raimonds Grants – project coordinator of the External Communication Department of the Riga City Council’s Communications Department
