29 September – 2 October 2022 The Thomas Mann Cultural Centre in Nida organises the euroart General Meeting.
Artists’ colonies emerged as a phenomenon in the first half of the 19th century, when artists, especially painters, began to look for inspiration in places far away from cities. They were motivated both by a desire for a simpler, more natural existence and by a desire to get rid of academicism in art. In addition to the landscape, the local population was a rich source of inspiration. Along with the artists, friends from all walks of life came to the newly established artists’ colonies across Europe: writers, poets, composers, representatives of the music and theatre worlds, art critics and art collectors. The artists’ colonies have become their meeting place. An artists’ colony was also established in Nida, which became a favourite summer and creative destination for German artists and intellectuals: painters, photographers, writers, actors and composers found an island of peace and a source of creative inspiration in the Curonian Spit. Unfortunately, after the Second World War, the artists’ colonies lost their existence.
After the end of the Cold War, the artists’ colonies that spread across Europe were reborn, not only to preserve their past, but also to create the possibility of a new artistic future together. In 1994, euroart, the European Federation of Artists’ Colonies, was created as an essential network to achieve this goal. euroart was founded in Brussels under the auspices of the European Parliament and the European Commission.
euroart is currently made up of around 70 member organisations, associated organisations and individual members from 13 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia and France. euroart members work together to organise exhibitions, exchange views, knowledge and artists. At their annual meetings, they not only inform each other about what is happening in their respective colonies, but also work together for greater cultural understanding and cooperation in a European context.