The fifth Neringa Municipality scholarship for a writer in residence at the International Centre for Translators and Writers is awarded to Inga Mikulėne, a singer, songwriter, lyricist and composer from Klaipėda region, known as Ingaja.
During the residency, she plans to implement the project “Musical Postcards from the Curonian Spit”, which explores the relationship between man and nature through music, poetry and an innovative process of sound recording. The plan is to create four musical postcards – audio letters that will reveal the subtle interaction between man and nature through music, natural environmental sounds and haiku poetry.
“The sounds of nature will be recorded using the innovative Touch & Sound instrument, which allows the creation of interactive, live sounds by directly touching natural objects – sand, plants, water. This technology enables the transformation of natural impulses into music, emphasising the subtle dialogue between human touch and the environment,” Ingaja said.
At the end of the residency, a public presentation of the project will take place in Nida, giving the community the opportunity to directly experience the creative results. The documentation of the project will be disseminated on social networks and international music platforms, thus ensuring a wide dissemination of the cultural context of the Curonian Spit.
Darius Jasaitis, the Mayor of Neringa Municipality, emphasises that this scholarship is not only a financial incentive, but also a way to strengthen the link between the artists and the local community. “Neringa has always been a place of creative exploration, inspiring many artists. I am glad that thanks to the grant, this process is continuing, with creators discovering new ideas and sharing them with our community. I have no doubt that Ingaja’s project will reveal a unique dialogue between nature and music, which will not only enrich our cultural life, but also remind us once again how special the Curonian Spit environment is.”
The Neringa Municipality Scholarship is awarded for a programme of creative activities carried out during the residency at the International Centre for Translators and Writers, where the work created, performed or publicly presented is for the benefit of the Neringa community. The amount of the scholarship is €1000.
Potential applicants for the scholarship are first selected by a panel of experts established by order of the Director of the Klaipėda County Ievos Simonaitytė Public Library, taking into account the applications received. The selected applicants are evaluated by a commission established by the ordinance of the Mayor of the Municipality of Neringa, which takes into account the importance of the creative activity programme for the development of culture and art in Neringa, and the links to the cultural identity and identity of the Curonian Spit. The scholarship is awarded by a decree of the Mayor of Neringa Municipality.
