Arts Printing House

Menų spaustuvė

Arts Printing House or (Menų spaustuvė in Lithuanian) is a unique creative phenomenon in Lithuania, a vibrating performing arts venue and a meeting place for artistic souls. Established in a former printing house dating back to 1805, nowadays it produces a different kind of layouts, typecasts and linotypes – those that help develop a new understanding of creativity within the modern society.

Arts Printing house is a non-profit artist-run space based in the old town of Vilnius. Arts Printing House strives to bring about change and is the first infrastructural complex for creative industries in Lithuania. Their vision is to collect different types of independent performing arts projects into one place and allow them to share their artistic vision with the audience. Now the place is open up as a performing arts centre with 2 venues, 3 rehearsal spaces, offices for the young non-governmental organizations and resource library. 

Accommodation space will be arranged within a walking distance from the Arts Printing House in a apartment or hotel. Rooms might have to be shared. Single rooms can be arranged for an additional price.

• Black Hall: Multifuncional black box style space could be transformed to the classic theatre, cinema, conference or concert hall. The hall is equiped with folding amphitheater, that can accommodate 203 spectators. When the amphitheater is folded, the space can accommodate about 300 standing spectators. Space size: 19,8 x 13,7 m., height - 7 m. (to the catwalk). Then the auditorium is used, stage width - 13,7 m, deapth - 9,8 m.
• Pocket Hall is a performance venue at Menų spaustuvė, used for smaller scale performances, conferences, rehearsals and other events. Number of seats: 60. Width 7.6 metres, Depth 8.5 metres.
• Rehearsal rooms: There are three currently operating rehearsal rooms of different sizes. One of them has a special floor for dance rehearsals, others are more used for theatre rehearsals, workshops and seminars. 
• Studio 2 (171.45 square m / length: 20.34 m / width 8.43 m / height 3.5 m). The studio is suitable for a theater, contemporary circus and interdisciplinary projects. The floor is wooden and the studio has installed sound system. 
• Studio 3 (177.30 square m / length: 20.6 m / width 8.6 m / height 3.5 m). The studio is suitable for dance or contemporary circus projects. There is special dance floor and installed sound system.  

Located in the old town of Vilnius, the premises of the Arts Printing House had previously been used as a printing house for books from 1805 and then converted into a communist printing house for main newspapers of the regime in 1965. After Lithuania gained independence, several performing arts NGOs used the premises for independent arts projects. In 2002 the Arts Printing House was established and a lease contract between Municipality of Vilnius and the newly founded organization was signed. Since then a number of theatrical, contemporary dance, interdisciplinary and educational projects take place in the building annually.

Here you can read more about the project from Mykhailo Syromlia and Tatiana Bielousova, developed in the residency and supported by i-Portunus, EU Mobility Scheme for artists and cultural professionals.