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The EEA-funded place-making project "Culture barn" in Kintai is reaching its final stage
Launched in the fall of 2021 by the public institution "Kintai Arts," it has been one of the most successful cultural initiatives in the region. The project was funded under the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism's "Culture" programme.
From the outset, the project brought together key partners, including scientific and artistic institutions operating in the Šilutė district, as well as local community organizations. Among them were the Kintai Community Association, led by Sigita Kasparavičienė; the Lutheran-Evangelical Parish, chaired by Laimutė Mačėnienė; Kintai Primary School, directed by Asta Gužauskienė; and the Vydūnas Cultural Center, which has long been headed by Rita Tarvydienė. These organizations, deeply rooted in the local community, helped develop a Community Development Strategy, ensuring that the initiative aligned with the needs and character of the region.
Šilutė Municipality also became a key partner, supporting the project's soft activities and contributing up to 11% of the total budget. Additionally, Hugo Šojus Museum played a crucial role in providing historical context, organizing lectures and educational programs on Lithuania Minor's cultural and culinary heritage. The museum, under the leadership of director Indrė Skablauskaitė, helped shape one of the project's central ideas—creating a heritage food education space in the basement of the Kintai Craft Center.
The project also attracted professionals from the fields of art and architecture. The Vilnius Academy of Arts, led by Professor Marija Marcelionytė-Paliukė, organized artist residencies that brought numerous workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and permanent art installations to Kintai. These included the "Kintai Historical Wall," a large mural depicting the town’s history, created by artist Linas Kaziulionis on the wall of a local heating plant; "The Artists' Bench" by Liudas Puškorius, installed near the renovated Kintai Art Residency; and the "Art Viewpoint" Observation Tower, designed by the Norwegian architecture firm "Biotope" and built by local craftsmen. This tower, overlooking Kintai’s coastal area, provides a peaceful retreat for artists, ornithologists, and visitors seeking inspiration in nature. Nearby, a granite installation known as the "Art Watering Place," designed by Liudas Puškorius, serves both as a drinking spot for birds and as a contemplative space for visitors.
While additional art installations had been planned, they were ultimately limited due to ecological and fire safety concerns. The former Kintai elder, Antanas Kliženčius, played a key role in relocating the "Art Viewpoint" to a different area, helping extend Kintai’s scenic promenade and symbolically marking a site that the local community has long fought to protect from potential oil extraction.
Throughout the project, various challenges arose. Originally, the main goal was to transform a Lutheran-Evangelical Parish-owned barn into "Culture Barn", a multifunctional cultural space for heritage food production, historical shipbuilding, artisan markets, workshops, and performances. Although the project won recognition in the Klaipėda Region architectural competition, its implementation was hindered by unforeseen global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturns, the war in Ukraine, and changing commitments from key stakeholders. After two failed attempts to secure a construction contractor and the withdrawal of key partners from co-ownership, the project team had to find an alternative solution.
Instead of the Culture Barn, the team developed a new plan—the "Craft Center Basement." With the support of the contractor UAB "Stamela," the construction is now nearing completion. The basement will house a professional ceramics education space, an exhibition hall, a heritage food education kitchen, and a tasting room.
Community engagement was an essential part of the project. Numerous workshops and training sessions were organized for local residents, artisans, and cultural workers, fostering the exchange of knowledge on heritage crafts and artistic expression. These included ceramic workshops led by Kintai artist Justina Vitkutė, weathervane-making courses taught by heritage craftsmen Vaidotas Bliūdžius and Laurynas Juodeška, and historical boatbuilding sessions led by master craftsmen Vaidotas Bliūdžius and Simas Knapkis. As a result, a new traditional boat has been built and will be ceremoniously launched at Kintai Harbor during the town’s festival. This addition will enrich the fleet of historical sailing vessels in the region.
The project would not have been possible without the financial support of Šilutė Municipality, which contributed both to cultural activities and construction work. Special thanks are extended to Šilutė Mayor Vytautas Laurinaitis for his role in making the initiative a success.
As the project draws to a close, Kintai was visited by Norway’s Deputy Ambassador, Eirik Lyberg Bergene, who reviewed the outcomes of three EEA and Norway Grants-funded projects in the region. These included this place-making initiative, the restoration of the Kintai Lutheran Church (which hosts the Kintai Music Festival), and a previous cultural project that commemorated 25 years of Lithuania’s independence while honoring Iceland’s recognition of Lithuanian statehood.
Looking ahead, the team behind the project, led by Audra Juodeškienė, plans to continue developing place-making initiatives in Kintai. A native of the town and the founder of "Kintai Arts," Juodeškienė has dedicated the later years of her career to the cultural and economic development of her hometown. Future plans include collaborating with the Lithuanian Ornithological Society to establish a Nature Observation Festival, drawing inspiration from similar successful events in Norway.
About the Culture Programme
Thanks to the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism's Culture Programme, more abandoned Lithuanian heritage sites are being revived: the Merkines Manor - a former soap factory, one of the buildings of St Stanislaus Church in Kuļi, Pragiedrulių Homestead in Panevėžys, a barn in Kintai, and others. The projects aim to strengthen cultural education, especially in the country's regions, improve access to high quality cultural products and services, and promote local cultural entrepreneurship. The EEA Financial Mechanism has allocated a total of €8.23 million for the Culture Programme, of which €7 million is from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and the rest from the national budget. The implementation of the projects is supervised by the Central Project Management Agency.