On May 1, the World Latvian Amateur Theatre Union (PLATS) launched the project “Strengthening the Capacity of World Latvian Amateur Theatres”, which is being implemented within the Society Integration Program “Civic Participation Promotion Program to Support Diaspora NGO Activities”. With the cooperation of diaspora Latvian theatres around the world, the project will last until October 31.

The project aims to develop the activities of Latvian diaspora amateur theatres and the PLATS organisation and strengthen the capacity of its members. PLATS, which brings together 22 diaspora Latvian theatre groups from three continents and 13 different countries – Australia, Norway, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, USA, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Ireland and Germany, was born during the Covid pandemic, starting its activities in January 2021. Working together and implementing projects remotely, theatres from three continents did a tremendous job to prepare all the legal documentation necessary for registering the organisation, create working groups, implement a number of creative and educational projects, and strengthen the capacity of both each individual theatre and the organisation as a whole. The founders of PLATS are theatre professionals living abroad who care about enhancing the image of Latvia and the development of Latvian theatre art not only in Latvia, but throughout the world. PLATS's mission is to ensure close connections between Latvian amateur theaters around the world.

The project aims to provide administrative support for the organization's core activities and also organize a face-to-face meeting, including training - master classes, performance analysis and development of resources necessary for other theater participants to prepare performances, as well as prepare and publish live broadcasts from the meeting venue, including video fragments of performances and interviews, thus ensuring publicity for the organization and the event. For the successful implementation of the project, professionals from the relevant field have been involved, who provide daily support for the organization's work and the successful implementation of project activities.

It is already known that Latvian amateur theaters from around the world will gather on September 23-25 at the “PLATS SOLIS” gathering in Stockholm, Sweden. A wide range of activities is planned for the gathering. The participants of the event will watch what productions their colleagues have brought and will show their own. They will listen to how Latvian experts will evaluate them; what they will recommend to improve, what shortcomings they will point out, which ones they will recognize as successful, as well as gather in master classes and discuss the benefits. We will also evaluate the work of our colleagues ourselves. We will greet the best actor and actress, the brightest production, the best direction, the most successfully chosen music, the most appropriate lighting design, etc. But most importantly – we will enjoy and rejoice in being together, meeting old friends and celebrating meeting new ones.

The “WIDE STEP” gathering is an open event and everyone is invited to participate. You just have to decide in what capacity – as a participant or a spectator.

"The event is financially supported by the Society Integration Fund from the Latvian state budget funds allocated by the Ministry of Culture." The World Union of Latvian Amateur Theatres is responsible for the content of the publication."