• >> Meno centras | Art Centre:
• Istorija - memories on art centre

• >> Galerija | Art space / gallery:
• Istorija #1 - art space history
• Istorija #2 - and art projects

• >> Klubas | Music club:
• Istorija - club history indeed
• Plakatai - posters, flyers

• >> Baras | Bar / Restaurant:
• Istorija - stories of coffee

• >> Projektai | Projects:
• Balticoco - electronic art festival
• Welcome! - urban event series
• Press Jazz - jazz event club
• Fashion Session - fashion show

• >> Artists | Art:
• Vygandas Šimbelis - artist
• Ugnius Gelguda - artist
• Agnė Kondrataitė - artist
• Mindaugas Tendziagolskis - artist

• >> Archive | Photos of INTRO
• FusedMarc | D. Jurevičius

• >> Info:
• Contact
• Lietuviškai - LT
• English - EN
• Flickr | Links
• Home

>> info at intro dot lt

>> Copyright 2001-2008 etc.

>> Draugiška reklama | Friends:

The physical space of art centre INTRO is closed now. It was open and run of full and productive program during the period of 2003-2007. The centre was situated in Vilnius old town, Maironio street 3, at the heart of the capital of the Republic of Lithuania (EU). Vilnius Academy of Arts was a project partner. INTRO was consisting of art gallery, music club, restaurant, and web platform. From small to large art and culture projects were executed at INTRO: exhibitions, workshops, festivals, concerts, etc. Finally, during the 5 years of active existence, the INTRO project's goals were successfully achieved and the centre was shut down with a great challenge.

It was an open platform for art initiatives, for established and emerging artists. The centre worked for opening up a dialogue and creating critical engagement. INTRO aims to foster critical discussions and innovative thoughts among practitioners and common crowd in the fields of contemporary arts and culture as well as involving creatives, writers, producers, directors, artists, designers, and other talents. It serves as a place to create, engage in artistic activities, build community, find collaborators and partners, discover new possibilities, and share cutting-edge ideas. Activities were involving participants into cultural and broader societal discourses. Many important contemporary topics were introduced to the public as well as artists and their projects were established. INTRO is an introduction to important discourses and introduction of artists and their works. INTRO to the world!

The INTRO art centre was run as art project and was investigated by the artist Vygandas Simbelis. He has produced and managed INTRO from the idea till its final end. Simbelis has been researching institutional discourse within the constructs of INTRO art centre and within general political and artistic situations of the country (Lithuania is a former soviet republic). Institutional critique became a credo for centre's initiatives and activities. The important stance of independence was predominant for all cultural activities at INTRO.

The contextual aspect of the centre was at its core – the premises were located in the heart of Vilnius (capital of Lithuania) old town, on the industrial site, in the loft-style house - in the premises of the former soviet propaganda newspaper “Pravda” (English translation - the Truth) printing-house. Introducing Pravda!

Gallery

The policy of the art space (2 exhibition spaces, so called "gallery") was execution of artist-run strategy. It never sought commercialization or got institutionalized, nor been oriented to art market. Contemporary engaged platform became a port for emerging projects. The art gallery was a space for experimental projects, and interdisciplinary was a credo. Video art screenings, media art installations, social acts, painting exhibitions, VJ performances, sound art sessions and other art stuff had opportunity to live there together. The art space was run by Creative Director Vygandas Simbelis, curator and project manager Daina Pupkeviciute, and administrator Giedrius Mickevicius, to name a few. A common characteristic for the INTRO gallery was artworks exhibited together of young emerging and established artists.

All nodes of the INTRO art centre were dedicated to art and culture, which involves artistic activities and protocols of art scene, independent procedures and underground stances, interdisciplinary and contemporary art proceedings, collaboration and live acts. Project partners were British Council, Goethe Institute, Nordic Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Culture in Lithuania, Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuanian Artists' Association, Interdisciplinary Art Union, and others.

Club

Many activities have happened at INTRO club scene, hundreds of artists were presented in the club - at the hottest spot in the art centre. The bands performed: No Means No (CA), Against Me! (USA), Ba Cissoko (GN), Subway (FR), Los Fastidios (IT), Paprika Korps (PL), New York City Survivors (FI), Sabot (CZ), etc.

Djs and producers performed at INTRO: Chris Clark (WARP records / UK), Animals on Wheels (Ninja Tunes / UK), Battery Operated (Cocosolidciti / UK, CA), Pluxus (Pluxemburg / SE), Sutekh (USA), Monolake (DE), Deadbeat (CA), Frans de Waard aka Freiband (Korm Plastics / NL), Janek Schaefer (AudiOh! / UK), Sleepy Town Manufacture (RU), Shlomo (Humanbeatbox / UK), Paul B (RU), Faze Action (UK), Daniel Bell (aka DBX / DE), Jeff Milligan (aka Algorithm / CA), Paco Osuna (Cocoon Rec / DE), Burgener (CH), Dj Rok (Tresor, International Deejay Gigolo Records / DE), Submerged (Ohm resistance / USA), Kain (Ohm resistance / EE), Digital (Metalheadz / UK), Rcola (JungleX / CA), Ashtar-DXD live (hART?de.FAKtE / DE), B key (Freak Rec, Tech Itch / UK), Kryptic Minds (Tectonic, Metalheadz / UK), Ceephax (Rephlex records, Planet Mu / UK), to name a few.

Almost all Lithuanian musicians and artists have been participating at INTRO club projects.

Here you can find INTRO posters. A link.

Below you will find some moments of attraction, just scroll down: