The Latvian School Bag Programme is an initiative operating since 2018 to ensure that every school-age child in Latvia, from the beginning of primary to the end of secondary education, can “regularly experience high-quality Latvian culture and arts events as a part of the formal learning process.” It provides state funding for arts and culture events, making such events a mandatory part of formal school, and providing a wide range of age‑appropriate arts programming to all Latvian public schools.
Latvian School Bag Programme – Latvia
Abstract
In 2016, the Latvian Academy of Culture found that one fifth of all students had not visited any extracurricular cultural event during the school year. From 2015‑16, the National Cultural Centre conducted research into the specific barriers to students’ engagement with the cultural sector. A survey of about 170 schools showed that cultural offerings in education were viewed as uncoordinated, dependent largely on the competence and resources available to individual teachers. The research identified key barriers to accessing cultural programming, most notably ticket fees (81%), transport costs and access (66%), distance to venues (64%), financial means of parents (63%), lack of time or too many other educational obligations (41%), and limited offers for the age and interests of students (24%).
The Latvian School Bag programme was initially conceptualised to promote Latvian culture in education as part of the country’s Centenary in 2018, during which 40% of the Centenary state budget was allocated to it. In 2016, the programme was piloted in three regions, serving a group of about 600 students. Per the National Cultural Centre, the rationale for the programme noted that cultural and arts programming promotes motivation to learn, positively affects students’ emotional well-being and mental health, promotes co‑operation with families, and modernises the learning process.
The programme began operations in 2018, and since 2022 has been administered by the Latvian National Cultural Centre. As of 2023, it entails providing a fixed funding sum per student allocated to each school specifically to cover costs associated with cultural programming events (e.g. transport, tickets), a stipulation that such programming should be integrated formally into the curriculum, and special cultural programming created for students in tandem with cultural institutions.
In practice, there are three formats possible in the programming offered under the School Bag, with a goal of at least 24 different events taking place across the 10 cultural areas. These are: student visits to cultural institutions, cultural institutions or their representatives visiting schools, and digital events. A key element of the programme is its centralised resource site for schools, teachers, and cultural sector professionals, which serves as a way to co‑ordinate and share programming. The website features:
Comprehensive information about the criteria for inclusion (Latvias Skolas Soma, 2024[1]) of a cultural event as programme‑eligible, which include registering on the website and creating appropriate descriptions.
A national schedule (Latvias Skolas Soma, 2024[2]) of eligible events and special programming. There is a roster of about 650 in-person events constantly available, as well as 300 digitally available events, and ephemeral events. For example, the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art designed an eligible master class (The Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art (LCCA), 2024[3]), featuring encounters with artists and workshops which can be hosted on-site at schools.
Pedagogical guidance (Latvias Skolas Soma, 2024[4]) for teachers, for example, lesson plans, resources, and recommendations on teaching topics and connections to content within the ten foundational areas.
As of 2022, the programme has reached coverage for 96% of students from 1st through 12th grade. More than 230 000 Latvian children and young people have been reached, and more than 10 000 cultural and artistic events take place each school year.
This practice also supports to the implementation of provisions II.8 and IV.5 of the OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People (OECD, 2022[1]).
Further reading
[1] Latvias Skolas Soma (2024), Criteria for the inclusion of cultural developments in the content of the programme, https://latvijasskolassoma.lv/par-programmu/kriteriji-kulturas-norises-ieklausanai-programmas-satura/.
[2] Latvias Skolas Soma (2024), Kultūras norišu izlases, https://latvijasskolassoma.lv/resursi/kulturas-norisu-izlases/.
[4] Latvias Skolas Soma (2024), Metodiskie ieteikumi, https://latvijasskolassoma.lv/resursi/metodiskie-ieteikumi/.
[3] The Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art (LCCA) (2024), Latvian School Bag, https://lcca.lv/en/education/school-bag/#:~:text=The%20Latvian%20School%20Bag%20program%20aims%20to%20ensure%20that%2C%20within,and%20gets%20to%20know%20Latvia.
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