On 29 December 1999, Birojs 2000, Co-ordination Centre for the
Organisation of the EBRD Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting, announced the tender for
performing the renovation and restoration works of the Art Museum Arsenals. The
purpose of the tender was to select a competitive bid for the renovation of Arsenals.
The Inter-department Board of the Culture Capital Fund has already approved financing in
the amount of 15 thousand lats for the development of the design project of the first
stage of Arsenals reconstruction.
Maris Berzins, Director of the Culture Capital Fund, admits that it was
very important to grant financing to this particular project:
– We value high the importance of this project in terms of the
cultural progress and preservation of cultural heritage, because the funds are to be
invested in the material assets of the museum, as a result of which the museum will
develop into one of the major exhibitors of the Latvian art. During the EBRD Annual
Meeting the premises of the museum Arsenals will host a reception, which will
highlight Riga as a city of ancient culture, especially on the eve of its 800th
anniversary. This means that through organising an international event we will renovate
the museum’s building and it will fully meet the requirements of a modern exhibition
site for local or international exhibitions. The city will benefit as well as its
residents and guests, artists and museum’s staff. Art Expert Ruta Caupova also admits
there is an acute need for larger premises suitable for organising art exhibitions in
Riga. All these conditions encouraged the Inter-department Board of the Culture Capital
Fund to decide in favour of allocating financing for the development of the design project
of the first stage of Arsenals reconstruction.
