D-pils 2027: European Capital of Culture Candidate City

Daugavpils 2027 is more than a bid — it’s a collective act of imagination. Built around the guiding theme Lingua Franca: to seek, to create, to speak, the program envisions art and culture as a shared language for understanding each other and facing the challenges of our time.

New East was deeply involved in the creation of this vision, working as part of the core team alongside curators, cultural institutions, and local communities. From public consultations to program co-design, our role focused on ensuring that voices from across Latgale — artists, residents, activists, and partners — became an integral part of the narrative.

The proposed program is structured into five chapters, each exploring a different way culture connects us: Punctuation Marks — reimagining public spaces; Letters and Syllables — building bridges to the future; Words — exploring silence, noise, and meaning; Sentences — honouring heritage and creating anew; and Stories — embracing mutual understanding. With 100 events involving around 1,000 artists from around the world, the bid seeks to transform every corner of Daugavpils and Latgale into a space for dialogue, creativity, and belonging.