LYRA - Latvian Beasts (Linda Leimane, Mārtiņš Grauds and Sabīne Moore)

In the work “Latvian Beasts”, five fairy tales for children written by the contemporary Latvian writer Inese Zandere are told in an audio and visual way. In the winter of 2022, the composer Linda Leimane accidentally discovered a very engaging children’s design book “Latvian Animals” in an empty apartment, the author of the idea of which is the artist Mārtiņš Grauds. In the summer of 2022, on the textual and visual basis of the book, Linda Leimane and Mārtiņš Grauds create a new collaboration in the LYRA project, bringing the book to life for the children’s joy in both sonic rhythms and cinematic sound effects, as well as giving it the life of movement and shadow games. The performance is acompanied by animated visuals directed by Mārtiņš Grauds and animated by Sabīne Moore.

LYRA receives grants in the amount of EUR 206,256.00 within the framework of the EEA Grants and Norway Grants funded by Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway. The project aims to introduce kids and teenagers to experimental music and to get them involved in its creation. As it is democratic and non-hierarchical in essence, experimental music gives trained and untrained kids the chance to take part in making music. Since the project crosses social and ethnic divides, it is also socially inclusive.

Total LYRA eligible costs: EUR 202,510.00, European Economic Area financial instrument programme Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Culture Cooperation support sum: 85% or EUR 85,000.00, of which:
• European Economic Area financial instrument co-financing: 85% or EUR 175,317.60;
• State Budget co-financing: 15% or EUR 30,938.40.