For the seventh year, the Arts Printing House invites everyone to get to know and experience street arts in the international contemporary street arts festival SPOT. This year, SPOT will be held in the public spaces of Vilnius on July 11-14!

This festival often transforms various spaces of Vilnius into a unique playground. “Discovering forgotten corners, remembering childhood games, stumbling upon courtyards that were visited during study years, looking at the city as a big game board – where a stork suddenly flies by, ducks waddle, new houses and squares appear. People move in the city and don‘t stop, while others enjoy their free moments. Vilnius is wonderful: it is full of cosy places, friends or even strangers who will inflate a flat bicycle tire or simply recite a poem on Pilies Street. This year, while creating the program of the festival and putting together its concept, I was greatly influenced by J. Gehl’s book “Cities for People” (publishing house Lapas). It was about what a humane city should be like and what life goes on between the building walls. When I started to analyse this topic, I remembered the magical notes that I used to read right on the sidewalk: “Little lakes of the moon / Won’t drown you for sure.” Such a simple game in the city, although it created so many positive emotions”, says Judita Strumilaitė, the creator of the SPOT festival program.

This year, the visual communication of the festival also conveys the game in the city, where various Vilnius objects are depicted, which were taken by architect and photographer Dainius Putinas and enriched with game elements by designer Fausta Miežytė. It is interesting that in some of the depicted objects the SPOT festival has already happened, and in some, it will take place this year.

The highlights of this year’s festival program – playing with the city and in the city, thinking about the cosiest and undiscovered spots in Vilnius. “Perhaps artists who create and play with the city are the most humane city planners?” the festival organisers ask. In this year’s SPOT festival’s program, on July 11-14, Vilnius citizens and guests of the city will be invited to interactive performances and contemporary circus shows; there will be a possibility to see, hear, touch and join a street performance created here and now, to witness dance performances and discover unexpected sculptures in even more surprising places. After all, sometimes it is enough to simply look up!

“We are constantly searching for new places, new angles, just like in games – we look for creative solutions while having rules. The SPOT festival often takes place in those Vilnius spaces where art doesn’t exist or we are not used to seeing it. Vilnius is full of spots that can become a stage! You just need to become more attentive to see the wonderful inclusions of the city”, shares Judita Strumilaitė.

The full program of this year’s international street arts festival is coming soon!

The festival program is financed by the Lithuanian Culture Council and Vilnius City Municipality.