When the bi-annual Homo Novus festival was founded in Daugavpils in 1995 by the theatre director Pēteris Krilovs, it was the first international theatre festival to be held in the independent state of Latvia. Lively and energetic, it was fueled by the huge and equally shared enthusiasm of the organisers, volunteers, technicians and artists alike.

18 years and 9 editions later with a new team and director Gundega Laiviņa, Homo Novus has gained considerable experience, seen what the rest of the world has seen from 9/11 till the Arab spring, financial crisis and occupy movement, lost some of the naivety and illusions, yet we dare to say that we have kept the same enthusiasm and belief in the art that can (and should) change lives and the world, that is bold and dares to show some guts.

The 10th Homo Novus’ programme reflects exactly this feeling. We are happy to present artists and works that take risk and speak about issues that are central to the contemporary world and people in all their variety.
We will again map the whole city with festival events – from theatre venues to streets, parks, a private flat and out in the forest. As in the past festival editions, we will give the platform to new creations by Latvian artists. This time, to mark the 10th anniversary of the festival, we have invited 11 local artists and companies, all of them previous collaborators of Homo Novus, to create individual projects on the same concept of „theatre as the last human venue” to be presented in an abandoned villa in Riga city centre.
We welcome you to join us and celebrate the 10!