What kaunas 2022 does

Kaunas 2022 (legal name: Viešoji įstaiga 'Kaunas 2022') was a Lithuanian public institution (VšĮ) established on April 6, 2017 to implement the Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 program. Co-founded by Kaunas City Municipality, Kaunas District Municipality, and the Culture Tempo Academy Association, the organization served as the central coordinating body for a year-long international cultural program comprising 3,199 events that attracted over 2.3 million visitors and spectators across Kaunas city, Kaunas district, and international venues. Its portfolio spanned 13+ core programs including the ConTempo international stage arts festival, the Memory Office historical program, the Fluxus Festival, Modernism for the Future, the Emerging Kaunas youth program, the We The People community-building program, and the Culture Vessel 'Nemuno7' residency space on a former ship-dredger.

The organization's business model was public-institution rather than commercial: it was funded primarily through EU structural funds, the Lithuanian national government, and the two co-founding municipalities, totaling over 32 million EUR in project value, with a minor secondary stream of ticket revenue from a subset of paid events (most events were free). It operated an event-driven go-to-market motion through an ecosystem of 64 cultural partner organizations, venue-based programming in non-traditional spaces, and an ambassador network of cultural figures. Marketing and distribution relied on the kaunas2022.eu website, Instagram, press releases, ECoC forum participation, and international communications partners including Kaunas IN and Keliauk Lietuvoje. Following the conclusion of the ECoC year, the shareholders voted on March 31, 2023 to liquidate the organization, with official cessation effective October 1, 2023; Živilė Stankevičienė was appointed liquidator.

Name

kaunas 2022

Legal name

Viešoji įstaiga "Kaunas 2022"

Website

https://kaunas2022.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kaunas 2022 was a Lithuanian public institution that coordinated the European Capital of Culture 2022 program, delivering 3,199 events to over 2.3 million visitors across Kaunas and Kaunas district before being liquidated on October 1, 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Program Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ), Cultural Heritage & Traditional Festivals (Folk, Ethnic, Indigenous) (MPAGAEAB), Arts, Culture, Heritage & Tourism Congresses (THAHAJAN)

Keywords

• Cultural program management
• European Capital of Culture
• Arts festival coordination
• Public cultural events
• Community cultural programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kaunas

HQ country

Lithuania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. EU Structural Funding and National/Local Government Funding: The primary revenue stream was public funding from the European Union (EU structural funds), the Lithuanian national government, Kaunas City Municipality, and Kauno rajonas Municipality. The project value was over 32 million EUR.
2. Ticket and Event Revenue: Some events charged admission fees (e.g., Hiroaki Umeda performance tickets, Keisuke Sugawara performance tickets, experiential tours), while many events were free. Revenue from paid events contributed to program costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kaunas 2022 coordinated and delivered the European Capital of Culture 2022 program, organizing 3,199 cultural events, festivals, exhibitions, and community programs across Kaunas and Kaunas district. The organization acted as a public institution managing a year-long international cultural program with a budget exceeding 32 million EUR, partnering with 64+ cultural organizations, municipalities, and international entities to deliver programming that attracted over 2.3 million visitors and spectators.

Product overview

Kaunas 2022 is a cultural organization managing the European Capital of Culture 2022 program. It operates as a multi-program platform rather than a single product, offering a portfolio of interconnected cultural festivals, programs, and initiatives. The core offerings include the international stage arts festival ConTempo, the Japan Days WA Japanese culture festival, the Memory Office historical exploration program, and the Fluxus Festival. Supporting programs cover architecture (Modernism for the Future), design (Designing Happiness), youth engagement (Emerging Kaunas), community building (We The People), and cultural education (Tempo Academy). Additional offerings include the Culture Vessel 'Nemuno7' for artistic residencies, a volunteering programme, and cultural support for Ukraine. The organization also preserves its legacy through publications, films, and documentation available in the Legacy Library.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ConTempo International Stage Arts Festival The largest performing arts festival in Kaunas and Kaunas district, presenting interdisciplinary stage arts projects in non-traditional spaces with the goal of bringing culture to peripheral communities and supporting young artists.
• Japan Days in Kaunas WA Festival A festival celebrating the synthesis of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture in Kaunas, featuring digital art, modern dance, music, photography, calligraphy, and related art forms.
• Memory Office (Atminties biuras) A cultural program exploring Kaunas' complex history through exhibitions, concerts, performances, and the CityTelling Festival, addressing Jewish memory, the 1972 Kaunas Spring protests, and reconciliation efforts.
• Fluxus Festival A Fluxus-inspired contemporary cultural festival opening with a traffic-stopping climb to Parodos kalnas (Exhibition Hill) and featuring contemporary performances and cultural events.
• Modernism for the Future (Modernizmas ateičiai) A program celebrating Kaunas interwar modernist architecture, promoting the city's UNESCO Creative City of Design status and preserving architectural heritage.
• Designing Happiness (Dizainas laimei) A program focused on design as a tool for creating happiness and improving quality of life in the city, supporting the Kaunas City Design Festival.
• Emerging Kaunas (Kylantis Kaunas) A youth-focused cultural program including 'Kauno iššūkis' (Kaunas Challenge) that supports young people's cultural initiatives and engagement.
• We The People (Visi kaip vienas) A community-building program including Matters, Upynės, and STAR Cities sub-programs focused on citizen participation and community-led cultural projects.
• Culture Vessel 'Nemuno7' A unique contemporary art, landscape design, and artistic residency space built on a former ship-dredger in Zapyškis (Kaunas district).
• Tempo Academy of Culture (Kultūros tempo akademija) An educational program building capacity in the cultural sector, including forums and professional development activities for cultural professionals.
• Volunteering Programme A program coordinating volunteers for cultural events and initiatives throughout the European Capital of Culture year.
• Legacy Library and Publications An archive of publications, films, and documentation from the Kaunas 2022 project including impact study reports, volunteer program documentation, and community program experiences.
• CulturEUkraine A program supporting cultural initiatives related to Ukraine and Ukrainian communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.3 million visitors and spectators attracted to 3,199 events
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Japonijos ambasada Lietuvoje (Embassy of Japan in Lithuania)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023The Embassy of Japan in Lithuania was a presenting partner for the Japan Days WA festival, co-organizing Japanese cultural events including the opening concert, traditional music performances, and Japanese film screenings. Provided diplomatic and institutional support.
• Kauno miesto savivaldybė (Kaunas City Municipality)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Kaunas City Municipality was a presenting partner for multiple events including Japan Days WA festival and other Kaunas 2022 cultural programs. Provided municipal support, venues, and co-funding for cultural initiatives.
• Vytauto Didžiojo Universitetas (Vytautas Magnus University, VMU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023VMU was a presenting partner for Japan Days WA festival, hosting the opening concert at the VMU Grand Hall and supporting the international conference 'Me – We – World' through the VMU Centre for Asian Studies.
• Gifu prefektūra, Japonija (Gifu Prefecture, Japan)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Gifu Prefecture co-presented the Japan Days WA festival and facilitated participation of the Nakatsugawa City ji-kabuki theater troupe from Gifu Prefecture.
• Hiracukos miestas, Japonija (Hiratsuka City, Japan)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Hiratsuka City was a festival partner, organizing a photography exhibition about the city at Laisvės alėja and coordinating cultural exchange activities with Kaunas.
• Kauno šokio teatras 'Aura'coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Kaunas Dance Theater 'Aura' was a festival co-organizer for Japan Days WA, presenting the premier performance 'Garden 4.12°' created in collaboration with Japanese digital artist Tatsuru Arai. The theater was also a key partner in the ConTempo contemporary performing arts festival.
• Sugiharos namų muziejus (Sugihara House Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Sugihara House Museum was a venue partner for Japan Days WA, hosting multiple exhibitions and events including the photography exhibition 'OIEMOTO' by Hiroshi Seo and experiential tours 'Mysteries of Interwar Kaunas.'
• Prezidento Valdo Adamkaus biblioteka-muziejusminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023The Presidential Library co-presented the Tosen Iwasaki calligraphy exhibition 'Sense of Wonder' as part of the Japan Days WA festival program.
• Kauno menininkų namai (Kaunas House of Artists)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Kaunas House of Artists was a venue and co-presenting partner for the ConTempo festival and other cultural events, hosting performances including Keisuke Sugawara's '(Un)heard' dance performance.
• EU-Japan FestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022EU-Japan Fest is the primary strategic partner for the Japan Days WA festival, which continued the Kaunas 2022 cultural tradition in 2023. The organization coordinated the invitation of over 30 Japanese artists and performers, including Hiroaki Umeda, Tatsuru Arai, and the Nakatsugawa ji-kabuki theater, to participate in the festival program.
• Kauno IX forto muziejus (Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum was the venue for Christian Boltanski's installation 'Animitas (Kaunas),' a permanent farewell gift from Kaunas 2022 to the city. The installation commemorates Holocaust victims and was part of the Memory Office program.
• Kauno žydų bendruomenė (Kaunas Jewish Community)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022The Kaunas Jewish Community was a partner in Holocaust memorial events and the Christian Boltanski installation 'Animitas (Kaunas),' ensuring authentic representation of Jewish heritage in the Memory Office program.
• Švyturys nealkoholinisminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Švyturys nealkoholinis was the main sponsor of the 'Kultūra į kiemus' (Culture to Courtyards) project, which brought professional cultural performances to apartment building courtyards during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Autotoja, Toyota atstovybė KauneminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Autotoja (Toyota dealership in Kaunas) co-presented the Japan Days WA festival, supporting the Hiroaki Umeda performance and other cultural events as a commercial sponsor.
• Kauno meno bienalė (Kaunas Art Biennale)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Kaunas Art Biennale curators, including Josée Drouin, facilitated the invitation of international artists including Christian Boltanski to the Kaunas 2022 program. The biennale was an integral part of the cultural programming ecosystem.
• Kaunas miesto muziejusminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Kaunas City Museum was identified as a future organizer of the 'Istorijų festivalis' (Stories Festival) from 2024, demonstrating the legacy transfer of cultural programming.
• Club 'Lizdas'minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Club 'Lizdas' partnered with the alumni of the youth program 'Kauno iššūkis' to organize the 'Audra' contemporary electronic music and culture festival, which continued as part of the post-2022 cultural legacy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Galway 2020 (European Capital of Culture): Galway's ECoC 2020 implementing organization. Direct functional peer: same EU ECoC initiative, comparable public funding structure, and event-driven cultural program model extended to legacy operations.
• Elefsina 2023 (European Capital of Culture 2023): Implementing body for Elefsina's ECoC 2023 program. Direct peer sharing the same EU ECoC framework, public-institution status, and event-coordination role across an industrial/heritage city.
• Matera 2019 Foundation (European Capital of Culture 2019): Foundation implementing Matera-Basilicata 2019 ECoC. Direct peer in the same EU ECoC framework, with similar legacy infrastructure focus and use of non-traditional venues for cultural programming.
• Timișoara 2023 Association (European Capital of Culture 2023): Implementing organization for the Timișoara European Capital of Culture 2023 program. Direct functional peer: public-institution vehicle, municipality-co-founded, responsible for delivering a year-long cultural program of comparable scale with EU and national public funding.
• Rijeka 2020 (European Capital of Culture): Implementing organization for Rijeka's ECoC 2020 title. Direct peer: same EU framework, public-institution model, and multi-program portfolio spanning festivals, urban regeneration, and international artist programming.
• Aarhus 2017 (European Capital of Culture): Aarhus's ECoC 2017 implementing organization. Direct peer: same EU ECoC initiative, similar public-institution governance, comparable scale of programming and partnership-based delivery.
• Veszprém-Balaton 2023 (European Capital of Culture 2023): Implementing organization for the Veszprém-Balaton ECoC 2023 title. Comparable to Kaunas 2022 in mission (delivering a year-long cultural program combining city and regional venues), funding mix (EU and national funds), and public-institution governance model.

Regional players

• Wrocław 2016 (European Capital of Culture): Wrocław's ECoC 2016 implementing organization. Functionally comparable as a Central European ECoC implementing vehicle, sharing similar scale, public funding mix, and the cross-border regional programming approach that Kaunas 2022 also pursued.

Broad incumbents

• Marseille-Provence 2013 (European Capital of Culture): Association implementing the Marseille-Provence 2013 ECoC. Comparable in mission and structure, but materially larger in scope (a multi-city agglomeration) and budget than Kaunas 2022, making it a broader-incumbent reference point for program design and legacy planning.

Emerging players

• Leeuwarden-Fryslân 2028 (European Capital of Culture): Implementing organization for the upcoming Leeuwarden-Fryslân ECoC 2028. Forward-comparable peer operating under the same EU framework and public-institution model, with analogous program structure and funding base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kaunas2022
• Xx.com/kaunas2022
• Facebookfacebook.com/kaunas2022
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaunas-2022

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about kaunas 2022