Latvian Museum Association’s Annual Award 2021 Nominee:
Wellness Month at the Museum

The Latvian Museum Association's Annual Award 2021 is being presented for the twelfth year, and the museum offerings and work in 2020 were shaped by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year brings several novelties to the history of the award, as for the first time, the winner of thA LMB Annual Award was a single museum, twelve nominees were announced, and the award itself has also taken on a new form.

Each LMA Annual Award 2021 nominee was characterized by professionalism, quality, sustainability, interdisciplinarity, as well as public engagement. Therefore, we are pleased to introduce the Latvian National Museum of Art's nominee for the LMA Annual Award – the project Wellness Month at the Museum.

In response to the current public demand, the Latvian National Museum of Art, the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE, and the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design implemented a program of events and activities titled Wellness Month at the Museum. Visitors had the opportunity to participate in art meditation sessions for youth and adults, art therapy sessions for seniors, special thematic tours on the role of visual perception in art observation, as well as team-building art exploration workshops. Individual art enthusiasts who were still seeking a way to engage with art were offered art mediation cards, and a special workshop for student groups was also developed. The project raised awareness of the conversation about the importance of art museums and museums in general in promoting the mental health and collective and individual well-being of society, and developed activities aimed at previously less engaged target audiences.

Jury's comment:

“The LNMA has initiated a conversation with visitors and industry colleagues about the positive impact of art experiences on human well-being and emotional health, as proven by international studies. May the conversation continue and the experience grow!”

Project leader: Elīna Bērziņa