International conference 'Art as an Agent of Change: Cultural Literacy for Societal Resilience' to take place at RSU

Arts education is an interdisciplinary field that brings together creative, social, and critical skills. In today’s social and geopolitical context, it gains particular importance by strengthening societal resilience, critical thinking, cultural literacy, and social cohesion. Although the cultural and arts sector is often marginalised in political agendas, its impact on democracy, youth development, and communities is significant.

The conference 'Art as an Agent of Change: Cultural Literacy for Societal Resilience,' which will take place at RSU on 22 April 2026, will bring together educators, researchers, artists, and cultural policy-makers to examine the potential of arts education and emerging practices in Europe and Latvia. The event is organised within the international CLiViE project, which aims to assess the value of cultural literacy using the Theory of Change and Social Return on Investment (SROI) approaches.

Main thematic directions of the conference

• Cultural literacy and social cohesion: theoretical and practical aspects
• Determining the value of arts education: Theory of Change and Social Return on Investment (SROI) approaches
• The arts educator as an agent of change: innovative pedagogical approaches for promoting social justice and inclusion
• Arts education policy: arguments and strategies in an era dominated by military and economic security issues
• Best-practice examples in arts and cultural education in Europe and Latvia

Further details and participant registration