“Signs of the Latvian Soul” is a story about the development of the Song and Dance Celebration tradition in connection with the formation of the national self-esteem and the statehood, and the national costume as one of the forms of self-expression of the nation. The exhibition features 26 costumes from the National Costume centre ‘Senā klēts’, as well as objects from the collections of Latvian museums - photographs, ethnographic and archaeological objects and pictures, Latvian signs and informative texts. The audio-visual display reflects the role of songs and dances in the Latvian perception of life. Visitors of the exhibition have the possibility to get a taste of the communal singing of the Song and Dance Celebration at different times, quickness of the dance step, as well as to explore the meaning and interconnections of the Latvian patterns and signs in time and space.

‘In March and April of this year the exhibition was on display at the Museum of Five Continents in Munich, in May and June – in the framework of the Days of Latvian Culture - in Neumünster Abbey, Luxembourg. Altogether the exhibition has been attended by 3000 visitors. We are really delighted about the large number of visitors and the words of praise from our cooperation partners and visitors of the exhibition. Now we have taken the exhibition home, and it is even a greater joy and a greater responsibility to display it here,’ says the project manager Linda Rubena.

The exhibition ‘Signs of the Latvian Soul’ is organised by the Latvian National Centre for Culture. Project manager - Linda Rubena, artist - Jurģis Krāsons, content concept authors - Valdis Celms and Toms Skābardis. In creation of the exhibition took part also the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, the National History Museum of Latvia, Madona Local History and Art Museum, Tukums Museum, the Bank of Latvia and the National Library of Latvia.
The exhibition is included in the cultural programme of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the basic values of which are the recentness, uniqueness and excellence. This exhibition also reveals one of the thematic lines of the programme – the tradition of Song and Dance Celebration.

Head of the Secretariat of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Kristine Pommere emphasizes: “This unique exhibition offers a new view on the formation of Latvia and the Latvian nation, our traditions and folklore, beginning to look into the meaning of patterns and signs in the life of Latvians. The creators of the exhibitions have managed to find new artistic solutions to tell the visitors about values that are essential to the Latvian people and about our vision of the world in an exciting and educational way.”