The war in Ukraine has meant that increasing numbers of Ukrainian artists and other professionals working in the arts and culture sector need a residency placement outside the country in order to be able to work. The special initiative is being administered as a part of the residency funding module of the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture and gives Ukrainian professionals a safe and secure place to work and facilitates dialogue between Ukrainians and people in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Nordic Culture Point received a total of 46 applications and granted EUR 230,000 to six residency projects. International Writers' and Translators' House (Ventspils) is one of the grant receivers.
Ieva Balode, the project coordinator of the International Writers’ and Translators’ House explains: "The residencies will help to elaborate cooperation between Latvian and Ukrainian cultural scenes and to improve common knowledge about nowadays literature in Ukraine. We hope that it will also help create a long-lasting relationship between Latvian and Ukrainian literates and translators.
International Writers' and Translators' House (Ventspils) will offer each writer/translator up to 4 weeks of residency with the possibility to prolong it if needed. The main criteria to choose authors and translators to invite from Ukraine was his/her personal story or family story to target really those who are in real need of shelter now during the war-forced to leave the country, living in the most dangerous areas, families with children, lack of job and any means for living. The programme will support every resident with a living grant of 440 EUR, plus a travel grant, and some additional support for the family is available."
The aim of the project is to provide a safe platform for Ukrainian artists to work and for professional development with the hope that they will bring back to Ukraine all the competence when peace will be regained.
