Located in the Old Town of Vilnius, the Contemporary Art Centre (CAC) is one of the largest contemporary art venues in the Baltic region. It is a public institution founded in 1992 by the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture. The CAC aims to enrich the cultural life of the city and the local and international discourse of contemporary art, and create valuable professional opportunities for artists and other participants in the field.
The CAC organises a programme of 10 to 15 exhibitions a year as well as performances, film screenings, other types of events and a wide range of education programmes. It also acts as a publisher. Every three years the CAC organises the Baltic Triennial – one of the most ambitious international exhibitions in North Europe. The CAC regularly collaborates with international art biennials and venues to present Lithuanian artists’ work abroad, and has overseen the Lithuanian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale a number of times.
The main venue of the CAC reopened in mid-2024 following a major renovation that began in 2021. During the renovation, the CAC organised exhibitions and events at various locations in Lithuania and abroad, curated the Lithuanian Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, and continued its education programmes and publishing projects. As a result of the renovation, some of the CAC’s functions – the CAC cafe, Cinema, Sculpture Garden and Fluxus Cabinet – remain temporarily closed. However, in spring 2024, the CAC expanded its activities by opening a new branch in the Antakalnis area of Vilnius – the Sapieha Palace – and now offers a total of approximately 3000 sq. m. of exhibition space as well as several spaces for special events.
Exhibitions are now open in the newly renovated main building of the CAC. The CAC Reading Room, which offers free access to the largest collection of contemporary art publications in Lithuania, is open in its temporary space at Aušros Vartų g. 5 / Pasažo skg. (next to the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society).
The Contemporary Art Centre and Sapieha Palace employ about 60 members of staff. Since 1992, the Contemporary Art Centre has been headed by its founding director Kęstutis Kuizinas.
ARCHIVE OF THE CAC’S ACTIVITIES
This website provides insight into the latest news regarding the CAC’s activities as well as the archive of CAC’s activities that goes back to 1992. Researchers interested in further information are welcome to send their inquiries via email to [email protected].
Photos: Andrej Vasilenko