The European Choral Association is the leading European non-profit organisation in the field of collective singing, with continuous experience dating back to 1955. The association was established in 2011 through the merger of two major European choral organisations – Arbeitsgemeinschaft Europäischer Chorverbände (AGEC) (founded in 1955) and Europa Cantat – European Federation of Young Choirs (EFYC) (founded in 1960/1963), thereby bringing together more than six decades of experience in organising international choral festivals, training programmes, and cultural cooperation initiatives.
The European Choral Association is the long-term initiator and principal organiser of the EUROPA CANTAT festival – one of the most significant international choral and singing events in Europe, which has been held regularly in various European countries since 1961, gathering thousands of singers, conductors, and cultural professionals. The Association’s expertise includes strategic festival planning, the work of international artistic commissions, educational programmes, participant mobility, and large-scale international cooperation.
Today, through its members, the European Choral Association directly represents more than 2.5 million singers, conductors, vocal teachers, composers, and managers in approximately 35 European countries, while reaching over 37 million people across Europe. Building on the rich heritage and traditions of AGEC and EUROPA CANTAT, the Association continues to purposefully promote lifelong learning, cultural exchange, and European unity through singing.
Liepāja was always used to be a city of paradoxes and opposites, but even regardless of the residence place, we are all constantly hanging between opposites.
Between rest and unrest, noise and silence, action and inaction, buzz and tranquility, full speed and full stop, white and black, joy and grief, love and hatred. Living full means being able to maintain a balance between these two counter-positions.
Considering the fact that Liepāja is a birthplace of the wind, often labeled as the creator of rest and unrest and the feisty force of creativity and overwhelming peace – the concept of Liepāja application is based on the story of (un)rest.
A five-line program has been set up under the (un)rest guideline to address important challenges facing both Europe and Liepāja in particular. Each of the five programme lines – “European Dream”, “Port Paradox”, “New Eyes!”, “Deliberate modesty” and “Creative Forsight” – reveals a story closely linked to Liepāja and its connection to Europe.
The shared vision of the program is to provide everyone with landmarks and beacons in the ever-changing world of rest and unrest.
The Latvian Song Celebration Society is a non-governmental, non-profit cultural organisation operating in the public interest. Founded in 1930, its original mission was to organise the Latvian Song Celebration, and it was responsible for the 7th, 8th, and 9th Latvian Song Celebrations. Following the period of Soviet occupation (1940–1991), the organisation’s activities were restored in 2009.
Today, the Latvian Song Celebration Society works to develop, and promote Latvia’s Song and Dance Celebration tradition - a cornerstone of national cultural identity and an element of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is the most epic event in the cultural life of Latvia, which takes place for one week every five years, gather more than 40 000 participants and attract thousands of spectators and listeners. The dominant aspect of the celebration is the large joint choir, the artistic quality of which is based on a cappella choral singing traditions. The Latvian Song Celebration Society brings together diverse groups within the community, fostering intergenerational dialogue, civic participation, and sustainability of the tradition. In recent years, the Society has focused on creative, inclusive, and educational initiatives that strengthen public engagement. Youth involvement and capacity-building are central to ensuring the continuity and long-term sustainability of the tradition. The organisation actively cooperates with choirs, cultural institutions, and civil society partners.
The Latvian Song Celebration Society operates in close collaboration with national and international stakeholders and is an official member of the European Choral Association, contributing to transnational cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the internationalisation of cultural activities.