Climate Imagination
October 22–23, 2026
National Library of Latvia (LNB), Riga / RIXC Gallery
Free registration: https://ej.uz/rixcfestival2026tickets

This year’s RIXC Art Science Festival, taking place from October 22–23, 2026, at the National Library of Latvia in Riga, explores CLIMATE IMAGINATION as a cultural and scientific field where art, technology, and environmental research intersect, featuring a symposium, exhibitions, European Media Art Platform (EMAP) workshops, and other events. As climate change reshapes ecosystems, infrastructures, and everyday life, the festival aims to bring together artists, researchers, and practitioners to explore imagination as a critical capacity for sensing and rethinking our relationships with the Earth. The festival’s central event is the exhibition: CLIMATE IMAGINATION, featuring artworks by more than 10 international artists, which will be on view at the National Library of Latvia from October 22 to December 12, 2026.

The festival’s exhibitions, symposium, and workshops aim to create multisensory encounters with environmental change, exploring how artistic practices – from immersive media and XR to data visualisation and environmental sensing – can expand how climate processes are perceived and imagined. 

The festival will host a Baltic STS workshop-meeting, bringing together researchers from the Baltic–Nordic region to discuss climate knowledge, environmental sensing, and socio-technical infrastructures. The program will also include an EMAP (European Media Art Platform) workshop, connecting the festival to broader European art–science collaborations.

CLIMATE IMAGINATION
Exhibition
National Library of Latvia, Mūkusalas iela 3
Opening: Thursday, October 22 at 18:00 // On-view: until December 12, 2026
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00-20:00 / Sat, 11:00-18:00. Free entry

Artists: Maija DEMITERE (LV), Patricia DOMINGUEZ (CL), Anne Duk Hee JORDAN (KR/DE), Pauline DOUTRELUINGNE (BE/DE), Ryu FURUSAWA (JP), Marcus MAEDER (CH), kennedy+swan (DE), knowbotiq in collaboration with Pablo Torres (CH/AT/CO), Jurģis PETERS (LV), Mārtiņš RATNIKS (LV), Rasa SMITE (LV/CH), Raitis SMITS (LV), Benedikt TERWIEL (DE) in collaboration with ANOHNI (US).

Curator: Raitis SMITS (LV)

PROMPTED EVOLUTION
Exhibition by Rasa SMITE (LV/CH), Raitis SMITS (LV)
RIXC Gallery, Lencu iela 2
Opening: Friday, October 23 at 18:00 // On-view: until December 12, 2026
Opening hours: Wed-Sat, 12:00-18:00. Free entry

Guides are available in English and Latvian. To book group tours, email rixc@rixc.org

PROGRAMME

Thursday, October 22 // Opening Programme

10:00 Press Conference & Exhibition Preview

Venue: National Library, Exhibition Hall, Level 0

13:00 Session 1: Baltic Art STS on Artistic Experimentation
Workshop with Philippe Sormani / Artist Interventions / Discussion
Venue: National Library, Conference Center, Level -1

16:00 Keynote by Philippe Sormani and Artist Talk
Venue: National Library, Conference Center, Level -1

18:00 Official Festival & Exhibition Opening: Climate Imagination
Venue: National Library, Exhibition Hall, Level 0

Friday, October 23 // Symposium

12:00 Session 2: EMAP: Sustainable Digital Productions

Artist Case Studies / Workshop with Maija Demitere
Venue: National Library, Level 11

14:30 Session 3: SensUs On Extending Climate Realities – Panel with Jane Tingley and Rasa Smite / SensUs XR showcases
Venue: National Library, Level 11

16:30 Outlook: Extending Realities Liepāja 2027 / Baltic Art STS
With Rasa Smite and Philippe Sormani
Venue: National Library, Level 11

18:00 Prompted Evolution exhibition opening
Venue: RIXC Gallery, Lencu iela 2

FREE REGISTRATION for the festival on EVENTBRITE platform: https://ej.uz/rixcfestival2026tickets

 Register for:

- Full Festival Pass

- Day Tickets

- Session / Keynote Tickets

More:
https://festival2026.rixc.org/