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.

By Resolution No. T2-191 of September 30, 2021, “On the Approval of Amendments to the Klaipėda City Master Plan,” approved a new Klaipėda City Master Plan, which included plans for a new city center in the southern part of the city—the Stariškiai district.

                      According to urban development documents, this area is slated to be developed as a new urban sub-center, featuring leisure, entertainment, and recreational facilities, as well as various service and retail establishments and residential areas. A particularly important feature of the area is the small-boat marina, the design of which has already begun and which will shape the area’s maritime character. The potential for development, architectural expression, and economic viability is significant, as nearly all of the land on which the area is located belongs to the municipality.

                      With the aim of ensuring high-quality development of the Stariškės area, a feasibility study for the southern sub-center of Klaipėda was prepared in 2025. The study analyzed the current situation in the area and proposed three development scenarios, and, following public discussions, a fourth development scenario was prepared—one that best reflects the vision for the development of the Stariškės area.

                      On December 24, 2025, the Klaipėda City Municipality Administration announced an open design competition for an urban concept in the Stariškiai district of Klaipėda’s southern subcenter. The competition aims to select an urban concept—that is, a high-quality architectural, modern, socially responsible solution integrated into the landscape—which will serve as the basis for the development of a local-level master plan.

                      On April 29, 2026, three bid proposals were received through the Central Public Procurement Information System and by physical delivery.

                        Before the evaluation of the urban design proposals submitted to the competition begins and the winner is selected, we invite you to view the submitted projects in a digital exhibition from May 11 to May 26 at: https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/stariskiu-pocentrio-teritorijos-tarp-kairiu-g.-karaliaus-vilhelmo-kanalo-miesto-ribos-ir-kursiu-mariu-vietoves-lygmens-bendrasis-planas/15026 and at the physical exhibition at the Klaipėda Creative Incubator “Kultūros fabrikas,” in the lobby on the second floor, located at Bangų g. 5A, Klaipėda. We invite you to visit the exhibition on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

                      The public presentation of the urban design proposals submitted for the competition will take place on May 25 at 5:00 p.m. via video conference – join here: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/372080580061981?p=6qGeUB5PsJWhELIHpJ (Meeting ID: 372 080 580 061 981, Passcode: KH3L7dE2). We invite you to participate.

                      Until the meeting of the Urban Design Project Evaluation Committee, i.e., until May 26, the public may submit comments to the competition organizer regarding the projects on display in the digital and physical exhibitions by emailing andrius.baksys@gmail.com.

                      Once the tender procedures have been completed and the winner selected, the Contracting Authority will conduct closed negotiations with the winner regarding the procurement of services for the preparation of a local-level master plan for the area of the Stariškiai sub-center within the Klaipėda City Municipality—located between Kairių St., King Wilhelm Canal, the city boundary, and the Curonian Lagoon—for the preparation of a local-level master plan.