Projects

„ETHNO”

Folk ensemble “Salduvė” at Šiauliai City Culture Center “Laiptų galerija”

The folk ensemble “Salduvė” at Šiauliai City Culture Centre “Laiptų galerija” was founded in 1986. The ensemble was named after a historical medieval hill-fort called Salduvė Hill located on the eastern outskirts of Šiauliai city. Šiauliai is the center of the county whose territory embraces two bordering Lithuanian ethnic areas: Aukštaitija (Higher Lithuania) and Žemaitija (Samogitia). Therefore, the repertoire of “Salduvė” consists mainly of songs, dances, instrumental music, games, story-telling originating from these two regions, as well as calendar songs, romances from other Lithuanian ethnographic regions, and contemporary folklore interpretations.

More than 20 participants play music, dance, and sing in the ensemble. Members of the “Salduvė” instrumental group play various Lithuanian folk instruments: violins, bandoneon, basedla (three-stringed folk double-bass), diatonic button accordion, kanklės (baltic psalterium), goathorn, lamzdelis (a type of recorder), skudučiai (multi-pipes whistles), daudytės , ragai (wooden trumpets), birbynė (reed-pipe), pūslinė (folk bladder bass), drum, etc. The members of the folklore ensemble wear the national costumes of the ethnographic regions of Aukštaitija and Žemaitija, which are replicas of the 19th century clothes preserved in museums.

“Salduvė” delivers many concerts, cherishes and disseminates Lithuanian folk music, choreography and narrative folklore not only in Šiauliai, but also all throughout Lithuania. It has repeatedly participated in folklore festivals “Skamba skamba kankliai”, “Baltica” in Vilnius, “Saulelė raudona” in Plungė, “Jurginės” in Palanga, “Saulės žiedas”, “Ant rubežius” in Šiauliai, “Atataria lamzdžiai” in Kaunas, “Tek saulužė ant maračių” in Nida, “Lek gervelie” in Kelmė, Lithuanian song festivals, etc.

The ensemble participated in joint music projects featuring folklore singers Veronika Povilionienė, Loreta Sungailienė, Rasa Serra, beatboxer and vocal percussionist Shodekeh (USA), saxophonist Gediminas Brūzga, drummer Gintas Gascevičius, Šiauliai Wind Orchestra, Šiauliai Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian Military Orchestra, folk music ensemble “Saulė”, actors of Šiauliai State Drama Theater, etc. The ensemble collaborates with the Balingen Folk Art House (Germany), organizes the folklore festival “Atvažiuoja žolynai”, contributes to the organization of an international folk contest-festival “The Flower of the Sun” (“Saulės žiedas”).

The folklore ensemble successfully performed abroad: in Latvia (1993, 2005, 2008, 2013), Czech Republic (1997), Hungary (1998, 2007), Great Britain (1998, 2004), Estonia (1999, 2003, 2010), Denmark (2000, 2013), Portugal (2002, 2009), Spain (2009), Slovakia (2003), Greece (2006), Turkey (2008), Germany (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018), Poland (2016).

“Salduvė” repeatedly participated in Lithuanian radio and television programs, released 6 music albums: “Salduvė” (1996), “Patrepsėkim” (“Let’s Stomper”, 2000), “Tarp Aukštaičių ir Žemaičių” (“Beetwen Higher Lithuania and Samogitia”, 2005), “Išlieti meilę lyg šaltinį” (“To Spurt Love Like a Spring”, 2007), “Kur eisiu, kur būsiu” (“Where I’d Go, Where I’d Stay”, 2019), “Skamba dainos vakarais” (“The Songs Sound in the Evenings”, 2020). The music pieces performed by “Salduvė” sound in the compilation albums: “Duokim garo!” (2001, 2004, 2009), “Sackpfeifen in Schwaben” (2012, 2018), “Kindertanze unserer Nachbarlander” (2015), “Šiaulėške žemaitėška i aple Žemaitėjė” (2016).

In 2008, the ensemble “Salduvė” was awarded the nomination of the best Lithuanian city folk ensemble for its excellent creative achievements and received the “Golden Bird” prize.

Darius Daknys is the leader of the ensemble.

You can find more information about the ensemble on the “Salduvė“ Facebook page.

You can listen to all music albums of the folk ensemble “Salduvė” on music platforms “Pakartot” (https://www.pakartot.lt/project/salduve ) and “Spotify”.

There are more photos of „Salduvė” performances in its „Facebook“ group.

Leader of the ensemble is Darius Daknys.

„Freedom to Live – to Live In Freedom”

„Why do people commit crimes? Why they can’t handle the freedom?” – asks the Canadian playwright J.P.Rothery heroes of play „Jėga” („Strength”). „If you loved, you were free. You hate freedom, that’s why you’re in jail” – response the same heroes of play.

„Laiptai Gallery” together with the Inquisition Isolator of Šiauliai and with the Correction Inspection of Šiauliai region organizes the project called „Freedom To Live – To Live In Freedom”. The artists of gallery work (painting, modeling, gluing, communicating, etc.) with people who still are imprisoned or who are released from prison, then their creative works are exhibited in „Laiptai Gallery”. The purpose of this project is to help for individuals who were or still are imprisoned to integrate and to adjust in the modern society.

In 2011, „Laiptai Gallery” organized the exhibition of paintings, works of applied art, wood, sculptures, clay and metal made by imprisoned people who were registered in the correctional inspections of Šiauliai, Pakruojis, Radviliškis and Telšiai cities. Also on the 3rd of June there was an exhibition of art and handicraft works made by prisoners of Correction House in Pravieniškės. The title of the exhibition was „I Am Not The One Who I Was – I Am The One Who I Will Be.”

„I Draw for the Children and with Children”

„I Draw for the Children and with Children” – is an international project which is organized by the artists of „Laiptai Gallery” also by Lieke and Joop Biegelaar who are artists and social workers from Netherlands.

Click to enlarge photos.

„Winter Way of Literature”

Why it is called „Winter Way of Literature”? Because in each season of the year – in winter – it is the roughly frozen road, in spring – the thirsty fields and meadows, in summer – by the blooming fields and meadows, in autumn – after the work we are going on the roads full of pink leaves, we are going to people. And why literary? because we are going together to stay for a while with literature.

The purpose of this festival is to encourage creative citizenship of young people, the love to their native land and its people, to cherish the art of word, to foster individual style, to give an opportunity for lovers of literature to pay more attention to lesser-known or forgotten works of literature and its creators.

The 10th „Winter Way of Literature” was produced to commemorate the 775th anniversary of Šiauliai City, so different from previous years, all the events of 2011 will be based on cycles: „Winter Way of Literature in the Middle of Winter”, „Winter Way of Literature – Echoes of Spring”, „Winter Way of Literature – Summer Chant”, „Winter Way of Literature – Autumn Elegy”, „Winter Way of Literature – through the Frozen Earth”. This will help foster creators and lovers of literature.

„Montmartre Republic of Šiauliai”

It is the 10th international project „Montmartre Republic of Šiauliai” which is organized by Šiauliai City Culture Center „Laiptai Gallery” – the main purpose of it is the plenary session. This is not usual plenary session in Lithuania: in the garden of „Laiptai Gallery” professional artists from Lithuania and foreign countries are working in public – citizens and guests of the city have the opportunity to see the process of creation – also to see early works of the artist. The artist presents itself and can sell one or another work. Citizens and guests of Šiauliai City who comes to the workshop and participates in artistic actions, not only have the possibility to communicate with artists, but also can have a good time, listen to music, watch mime and live sculptures performances.

Informacija paskutinį kartą atnaujinta: 2021-11-09