The Art Academy of Latvia welcomed visual communication educators to Riga from 27 to 30 October 2026 for CIRRUS’s annual VISCOM in the North symposium. This year’s theme, Local Coordinates, asked a question that each school could answer from its own experience. How does the place where we teach shape the design work we do?

Through school presentations and workshops, participants shared perspectives on visual communication and design education across the Nordic and Baltic region. Visits to two institutions brought Riga itself into the discussion. At the National Library of Latvia, the hosts shared their knowledge of books and their collections. At the Medical History Museum, participants explored how artists and designers had intervened in the displays. For Rupesh Vyas of Aalto University, the museum visit stood out for the questions and conversations it sparked among colleagues.

CIRRUS thanks Matīss Zvaigzne, Maija Rozenfelde, Evija Štelpa and the team at the Art Academy of Latvia for hosting. The next VISCOM in the North gathering will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Photos: Anete Rozenfelde, graphic design student at the Art Academy of Latvia