Events
KUFA Summer Poetry Evenings: “Liudvikas: On the Other Side of the Forest”
The Culture Factory is kicking off the summer with a new initiative, “KUFA Summer Poetry Evenings.” Residents of Klaipėda and visitors to the city are invited to these unique and cozy evenings, where they can enjoy the art of the spoken word.
On June 4 at 8 p.m., actor Andrius Bialobžeskis, together with musicians Tomas Kutavičius and Arkadij Gotesman, will open the “Summer Poetry Evenings” series at the Culture Factory and take the audience on a poignant journey through words, music, and memory.
The evening’s creative program “Liudvikas. On the Other Side of the Forest” will feature the poetry of Liudvikas Jakimavičius, the 2022 “Poetry Spring” laureate and one of Lithuania’s most authentic poets, along with improvisations and a live narrative about a man whose work encompasses irony, wisdom, and a subtle sense of existence.
On this journey through the worlds of Liudvikas Jakimavičius’s work, we will hear poems from his collections *On the Other Side of the Forest*, *Elio*, and *Abandoned Palettes*—texts brimming with life’s wisdom, elegiac and ironic tones, and profound philosophical insights. We will also hear excerpts from the poet’s interview with Rimvydas Stankevičius.
In the words of the poet’s friend: “I was a witness and a kindred spirit in Liudvikas’s beautiful life. Today, our quiet friendship continues into eternity. As Liudvikas himself would say—‘on the other side of the forest.’ “I am happy to be able to journey through life accompanied by the wisdom of Liudvikas’s texts,” says Andrius Bialobžeskis.
Andrius Bialobžeskis is an actor and longtime friend of Liudvikas Jakimavičius, who breathes life into the words of poetry.
Tomas Kutavičius is a composer, jazz pianist, and improviser who uniquely blends elements of jazz and classical music. He is an associate professor at the VDU Academy of Music and a musician with over 40 years of stage experience who has performed with the most renowned jazz artists in Lithuania and around the world.
Arkadij Gotesman is one of Lithuania’s most creative percussionists, an associate professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, and a laureate of the Vilnius Jazz and Birštonas Jazz festivals. A master of improvisation, he plays not only jazz but also contemporary classical music. On stage, he uses not only drums but also a wide variety of the most unexpected percussion instruments, turning every performance into a unique sonic journey.
About Liudvikas Jakimavičius: Poet, essayist, playwright, and one of the founders of the monthly magazine *Sietynas* and the *Šėpa* theater. In 2007, a documentary film titled *Liudvikas* (dir. Vytautas V. Landsbergis) was made about him. His poetry has been translated into many languages, and the poet himself will be remembered as a man who lived “authentically and without pretense,” possessing a gift for healthy irony and an ability to perceive existence with subtlety.
“Liudvikas. On the Other Side of the Forest” is a journey into the world of Liudvikas Jakimavičius, where words, music, and spirit come together.
Admission is free. Seating is limited.
Registration is required: https://forms.gle/5FZ2kas4n84EGQL99
Please register responsibly—registration is considered confirmation of attendance. Photography and video recording will take place during the event.
Short films are back on the big screen! 
Tickets – 
CHILDREN OF CONCRETE, dir. Saulius Baradinskas, feature film, 2026, 18 min., Lithuania“Children
