Every year, since 2008, a city has been named Lithuanian Capital of Culture. It is elected by the Ministry of Culture every 3 years through a competition. Ramūnas Karbauskis, the owner of the Agrokoncernas Group of companies, came up with the idea that a similar initiative could exist not only in the country’s major cities but also in the regions.
That’s why the unique project “Small Capitals of Culture” was launched in 2015. Naisiai was declared the first and only regional capital. Starting in 2016, it has been decided to designate 10 towns in the country as Lithuania’s Small Capitals of Culture each year.
The Agrokoncerno Group donates €3,000 to each community for a total of €30,000 per year. Lithuania’s Little Capitals of Culture help strengthen cultural traditions in the regions, expand cultural life, encourage new creative initiatives, increase access to professional art and ensure its dissemination.
The Little Capitals of Culture competition is initiated by the Lithuanian Union of Rural Communities.
