Arts Printing House/ Menų spaustuvė

Arts Printing House or (Menų spaustuvė in Lithuanian) is a unique creative phenomenon in Lithuania, a vibrating performing arts venue and a meeting place for artistic souls. Established in a former printing house dating back to 1805, nowadays it produces a different kind of layouts, typecasts and linotypes those that help develop a new understanding of creativity within the modern society.

Arts Printing house is a non-profit artist-run space based in the old town of Vilnius. Arts Printing House strives to bring about change and is the first infrastructural complex for creative industries in Lithuania. Their vision is to collect different types of independent performing arts projects into one place and allow them to share their artistic vision with the audience. Now the place is open up as a performing arts centre with 2 venues, 3 rehearsal spaces, offices for the young non-governmental organizations and resource library.

Arts Printing House offers a residency to professional international artists in Contemporary/New Circus, Multimedia in Performing Arts, Site Specific Theatre fields. They encourage and strengthen the interaction between Lithuanian artists and guests from other countries via Artists in Residence program Print Art on Stage.

Located in the old town of Vilnius, the premises of the Arts Printing House had previously been used as a printing house for books from 1805 and then converted into a communist printing house for main newspapers of the regime in 1965. After Lithuania gained independence, several performing arts NGOs used the premises for independent arts projects. In 2002 the Arts Printing House was established and a lease contract between Municipality of Vilnius and the newly founded organization was signed. Since then a number of theatrical, contemporary dance, interdisciplinary and educational projects take place in the building annually.

http://www.menuspaustuve.lt

Arts Printing House/ Menų spaustuvė


The Arts Printing House is a unique creative phenomenon in Lithuania, a vibrant performing arts venue and a meeting place for artistic souls. Established in a former printing house dating back to 1585, nowadays it deals with performing arts layouts and linotypes- those that help develop a new understanding of creativity within modern society.


Typography of Arts


Located in the old town of Vilnius, the premises of the Arts Printing House had previously been used as a printing house for books and then converted into a communist partys printing house Tiesa (Pravda, The Truth) for the main newspapers of the regime. After Lithuania gained independence in 1991, several performing arts NGOs as well as individual artists used the premises for independent arts projects. In 2002 the Arts Printing House was established and based on an agreement with the Municipality of Vilnius City it acquired the right to use the historical building. Since then hundreds of theatrical, contemporary dance, new circus, interdisciplinary and educational projects take place annually in the building.


Transforming old into new


While harbouring its unique history, at the same time the Arts Printing House strives to bring about change and becomes the first infrastructural complex for creative industries in Lithuania. It aims to foster creativity and support performing arts NGOs. In other words, our vision is to serve as a matrix-case, which collects different types of independent performing art projects into one place and allow them to share their artistic vision with the audience.


In November 2004 it joined one of the oldest European cultural organizations network, Trans Europe Halles (TEH), which unites cultural centres established in non-traditional, often post-industrial spaces. Over the years Arts Printing House has gained recognition and joined other major international networks such as Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM), Res Artis , and Circostrada, has served as a venue for various international gatherings, festivals, projects.


Arts Printing House now is open for national and international residencies. Under one roof more than 10 national performing arts organizations have their homes, with offices and spaces for rehearsals and performing. As well as international artists and organizations are welcome to visit Vilnius as international residents of Arts Printing House.


Reconstruction of the premises of the House are still not completed , However, it is must mentioning that the main part of reconstruction had been funded by EU Structural Funds and Vilnius City Municipality, while House has been equipped with generous support from Ministry of Culture/State Investments Program of Lithuania. Currently the 3000 m2 of space are functioning as a performing arts centre with 2 venues, 3 rehearsal spaces, offices, resource library Non commercial cinema, café-club and a guesthouse.