In early April, 13 young people from the Elverum municipality in Norway came together with students from the Valmiera School of Design and Art in Vidzeme to work on a shared task: promoting Vidzeme as a tourist destination. This type of activity not only enables the creation of visually appealing tourism marketing but also encourages creativity and collaboration among youth from different countries.
Following an informative presentation on souvenirs—covering their significance and current trends—the participants split into three groups to focus on themes such as nature hikes, the city, and food. The Latvian youth introduced their Norwegian peers to Vidzeme, and together they developed ideas to define the key elements for visual identity on souvenir products.
Each design concept was turned into a sketch, and participants had the opportunity to bring their ideas to life in three workshops: personalized T-shirts using screen printing, mugs with thermal transfer printing, and coasters made with a laser cutter. These activities took place in co-working spaces — DARE and Skola6 — established under the “Entrepreneurship in Vidzeme” project.
Valmiera’s DARE maker space provides tools and a creative environment for prototyping new products, refining existing ideas, or simply pursuing creative hobbies. It houses over 20 pieces of equipment, including various electric hand tools, large worktables, and access to professional technical experts. The workshops are open to all — no prior equipment experience is required, as staff are on hand to teach participants so they can later work independently.
Meanwhile, the “Skola6” co-working facility houses photography equipment acquired through the “Entrepreneurship in Vidzeme” project and includes a dedicated photo studio. This setup benefits both residents of the center and the local community. Thanks to a product photography masterclass led by Anete Rudmieze, local entrepreneurs and photo enthusiasts had the chance not only to learn photography techniques but also to apply them in practice—strengthening the creation of high-quality visual content.
Additionally, a catalog created by students of the Valmiera School of Design and Art during their internships is now available, making information about the available equipment and how to use it easily accessible.
The Valmiera School of Design and Art is dedicated to both educational and nurturing activities within vocational programs in the fields of design and art. Its goal is to prepare students for professional work, promote the acquisition of knowledge and skills, and cultivate attitudes that enhance students’ competitiveness in changing socioeconomic conditions.
The trip was organized by the Vidzeme Business Centre of the Vidzeme Planning Region, under the “Entrepreneurship support measures in Vidzeme Planning Region” project, co-financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through EEA grants.
