Survival Kit 17 festival to explore art and healing in Riga

The seventeenth edition of the international contemporary art festival, Survival Kit 17, is scheduled to take place in Riga from August 28 to September 27, 2026. Centered at the Riga Congress Hall, the festival will adopt the theme ‘Wind Arrow: On Art and Healing,’ focusing on care, healing, and collective knowledge sharing.

Curated by Elena Sorokina and Simona Markela Dvorák in collaboration with the Initiative for Practices and Visions of Radical Care, the event aims to explore the intersection of artistic practice and healing. The program moves beyond traditional exhibitions to include performances, guided walks, conversations, and mediated tours.

The opening festivities begin on August 27 with performances held in cooperation with the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Featured artists include musician Naima Nefertari, choreographer Zora Snake, and artist Maya Minder. These works are expected to integrate ritual, sensory perception, food, and fermentation. The opening program will conclude at the Kaņepes Culture Centre with a ‘Healing Nightclub,’ an interdisciplinary event combining sound, music, and dance.