Tomas Kavaliauskas
From 1989 to 2009: the road of post-soviet Lithuania
When and what anniversaries are to be commemorated are questions of a state's identity. How many Lithuanian people treat 2009 as twenty years after 1989? Perhaps not too many. However, it might be that Lithuania did not feel the central European pulse while celebrating 1989. The fireworks of the millennium or those of Vilnius European Culture Capital had nothing to do with the events that took place twenty years ago and changed European geopolitics.

Laima Kanopkiene
History gives us a duty
Polemical notes regarding Kulturos barai's attitude to historical memory

Redas Dirzys
Poetical insight: the Cold War goes on
The notion of "positive culture", that was so popular during the last decade, occupied our creative consciousness and paralyzed spiritual resistance. I would like to suggest that the artists stop dancing to the music of certian institutions and get themselves organized into their own groups and define their own goals. They should stop trying to please and instead think of how to integrate their creativity into social life.

Antanas Sileika
No longer on the menu
Short story. Translated from English by Kristina Aurylaite.

Almantas Samalavicius
Almost normal
The literary field in Lithuania has established itself since independence, despite vastly smaller print runs. Today, a range of literary approaches can be made out, from the social criticism of the middle generation to the more private narratives of the post-Soviet writers.

Karolina Jakaite
Kitchen debates or What stories about art and design during the Cold War can tell us?
Kitchen debates between Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev and USA vicepresident Richard Nixon is the basis for the exhibition Modernism of the Cold War. Art and Design in 1945-1970, curated by David Crowley and Jane Pavitt. It opened in Victoria and Albert Museum and is now on display in Vilnius National Art Gallery.

Kestutis Sapoka
Out of wind and water
About an exhibition of book illustrations by Sarunas Leonavichius in S. Juskus gallery.

Anele Dvilinskaite
For the freedom to be creative and to doubt
About theatre director Jonas Jurasas, winner of the National Prize.

Goda Dapsyte
On the waning myth of exceptionality, and "survival drama" during the time of crisis
At the Informal European Theatre Meeting, the theme of "eastern promises" were debated in Vilnius this year (2009). In the Art Printing House, 325 members of IETM representing 37 states of the world tried to gain an overview of the theatre situation over the last twenty years, and also got acquainted with Lithuanian theatre and dance.

"Eastern promises" were given
Three interviews with guests of the IETM
Irena Alperyte interviewed Phillipe Le Moine (France), Dragan Klaic (Netherlands) and Vesna Chopic (Slovenia).

Asta Pakarklyte
The tactics of European festivals and the script of Gaida Festival
An overview of the European Festivals Association's general assembly held in Vilnius. Asta Pakarklyte discusses Lithuanian international music festival Gaida in the context of EFA's events and ideas.

Laima Bialopetravichiene
Walking in the paradise orchards of Vytautas Kasiulis
Kasiulis' unique manner of painting was formed during the time he lived in Paris. A retrospective of his works in Vilnius Picture Gallery provided an opportunity to understand the wider context of his art.

The secret of generative music
Ruta Gaidamavichiute interviews composer Richardas Kabelis The image of Kabelis is somewhat mysterious, perhaps because he avoids being in public, stays in Germany for long periods and has his own niche – he composes electronic music.

Young European art: tensions and temptations
ELIA (the European League of Art Institutes), uniting more than 350 higher schools of art, extended invitations to young artists to come and exhibit their works in Vilnius while it was European capital of culture. Arunas Gelunas, deputy headmaster of Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, spoke to Kestutis Sapoka about the first NEU/NOW festival.

Raminta Jurenaite
Two expressively changed spaces
About installations by Georges Rousse (France) and Carola Bark (Germany) in Vilnius. Georges Rousse restructured the hall of Vilnius train station and turned it into a space revoking nostalgic feelings about decay. Carola Bark exhibited her work in the more neutral space of Pamenkalnis gallery.

Mindaugas Peleckis
The hidden power – the suggestion of mysteries
The New Age and New Thought movements are getting more and more members worldwide. Kulturos barai extends an overview of contemporary religious movements (issues 4-10, 2008) because they have also settled in Lithuania. Ordo templi orientis, New Thought and The Spirit of Business are discussed in this article together with some local Lithuanian movements.

Dalia Leinarte Marcinkevichiene
Polish and Lithuanian women: 1940 and 1941
The author compares the study by American historian Katherine Jolluck Exile and Identity. Polish Women in the Soviet Union During World War II (Pittsburg: University of Pittsburg Press, 2002, with memoirs of the Lithuanian exile Dalia Grinkevichiute: Lithuanians by the Laptev Sea.

Rimantas Morkvenas
The role of Jonas Budrys in the Klaipeda Uprising
The article is based on research done in the American Lithuanian archive of culture on the activities of Jonas Budrys, former Lithuanian general consul in New York (from 1936 to 1964). Few Lithuanian diplomats could boast of such a spectacular, and even mysterious, biography, writes the author.

Letter by Vincenta Lozoraitiene to her cousin Elena
These letters shed light on principles eventually shared by their sons, Lithuanian diplomats Stasys (1924-1994) and Kazys (1929-2007).

Mindaugas Peleckis
Slow life should be blessed
Review of the book by the famous Canadian writer Carl Honoré, In Praise of Slow.

Krescencija Surkute
Discussion in the rhythm of Salsa
Ironical essay on Lithuania's cultural and political life.

Published 2010-01-18