Riga’s “Staro Rīga” Light Festival Becomes Accessible to Blind People for the First Time
For the first time, the “Staro Rīga” light festival in Riga, running 15–18 November, will offer audio descriptions of all 52 installations for blind and partially sighted visitors. The descriptions were prepared by the organisation SOCINTEGRA.
The annual light festival “Staro Rīga” takes place in Riga from 15 to 18 November, and for the first time in its history the programme will be more accessible to people with visual impairments. The organisation SOCINTEGRA, which promotes accessible cultural environments in Latvia, has prepared professional audio descriptions for all 52 of the festival’s light installations, allowing blind and partially sighted visitors to explore every one of them.
The audio descriptions will be available on the festival’s website in Latvian and English. They put into words what a sighted person perceives visually: the installation’s form and scale, composition, colour choices, arrangement of elements and the movement of light. They also convey the stories contained in each artwork, helping visitors build their own picture of the works and better understand the festival’s concept.
Comment from the organisation
Marija Kožarina, chair of the board at SOCINTEGRA, said the project means more than simply creating audio descriptions: it is a chance to make a cultural event accessible to everyone regardless of their ability to see. She thanked the team and specialists who contributed their knowledge and time.
In recent years SOCINTEGRA has worked with museums, theatres, cultural institutions and tourist sites. It also develops tactile maps, spatial models, and audio descriptions of exhibitions and architectural objects.
About the festival
The theme of “Staro Rīga” in 2026 is unum momentum (“that special moment”). During the festival, Riga’s streets, parks and urban spaces turn into a light art gallery. The programme includes 52 installations, audiovisual works and light projections created by Latvian and foreign artists. The festival runs daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
