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On October 17, the “TO SOUND FOR FREEDOM” concert took place at the Dance Theatre of the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art in Vilnius, bringing together the Vilnius University Song and Dance Ensemble and its guests from Ukraine – the “Cheremosh” Song and Dance Ensemble of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.

A delegation of more than 40 people travelled from Ukraine to Vilnius, with the bus journey from Kyiv taking exactly 24 hours. However, the performers were met not with rest, but with an intensive programme: rehearsals, excursions, a joint concert, and plenty of time spent together with students from the Vilnius University Song and Dance Ensemble.

Vilnius University Girls' Choir "Virgo" took part in the international festival of women's choirs and vocal ensembles "Vox Maris," held over the weekend of October 17-18. On Saturday, the Vilnius ensemble performed at the Church of Mary, Queen of Peace in Klaipėda, and on Sunday at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Palanga.

What does freedom mean to us, and how does it resonate through our culture? On October 17, the joint concert “To Sound for Freedom,” celebrating the friendship between Lithuanian and Ukrainian students, will invite audiences to explore these questions through music, song, and dance. The concert will take place at the Dance Theatre of the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art. Two student art groups will meet on stage: the Vilnius University Song and Dance Ensemble and “Cheremosh,” the Song and Dance Ensemble of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.

Interestingly, “Cheremosh” first performed in Lithuania back in 1978. This autumn, the guests from Lviv are returning to Lithuania to share their culture and forge a new friendship with the Vilnius University Song and Dance Ensemble.

The Vilnius University (VU) Choir “Gaudeamus” will be in Leipzig, Germany, on 7–8 October. On 7 October, the choir will perform at the University of Leipzig’s matriculation ceremony for new students, held at the famous Gewandhaus concert hall. On 8 October, the choir will give a concert at St. Paul’s University Church (Universitätskirche St. Pauli). The VU choir’s visit is part of the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Leipzig University Choir.

Vilnius University Song and Dance Ensemble invites you to “TO SOUND FOR FREEDOM,” a joint concert celebrating the friendship between Lithuanian and Ukrainian students, on October 17 at 5:00 p.m. at the The National M.K.Čiurlionis School of Art Dance Theatre.

“She is seen and heard in our sighs…”
Justinas Marcinkevičius

The traditions of the autumn equinox are an important part of Lithuania’s ethnic culture, inviting us to pause and reflect on the transition between seasons.

On the evening of 22 September, VU Kinetic Theatre Troupe took part in the autumn equinox celebration “Durys” on Stalo Hill in Kalnų Park. Through a dance performance, the troupe portrayed the meeting of light and darkness.

We are pleased to collaborate with the Vilnius Ethnic Culture Centre and to have the opportunity to nurture living cultural traditions together.

More moments from the celebration can be found on the LRT.lt portal.

Vilnius University Academic Choir “Gaudeamus” took part in two concerts dedicated to Baltic Unity Day – in Klaipėda and Liepāja.

Baltic Unity Day is celebrated annually on 22 September, commemorating the 1236 Battle of Saule, in which the Samogitians defeated the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. The day symbolises the historical and cultural ties between Lithuanians and Latvians, the two surviving Baltic nations.

Almost 200 years ago, Motiejus Valančius celebrated his first solemn Mass (Primiz) at St John’s Church. He would later become one of the most important figures in Lithuania’s religious, cultural, social and political life in the mid-19th century. Two centuries later, on the occasion of his 225th birth anniversary, the ideas of the Bishop of Samogitia and the spirit of his homeland – Žemaitija – will once again fill the space that once echoed with the voice of the young priest, in a concert entitled Eiso laukon paveizietė.

On 22 September, we celebrate Culture Day and the birthday of M. K. Čiurlionis.
 
A fitting coincidence: the Vilnius University Culture Centre is based on a street named after him. We see his name at the entrance every day, while inside, we hear a new generation of artists rehearsing.
 
“Let us never stop taking an interest in culture. Perhaps because culture is woven into almost everything around us – from a handshake with a friend to new trees taking root in the city – we tend to take it for granted. And we often fail to value what we take for granted until it is gone. Yet culture always begins and ends within each of us. So let us enrich our inner lives. I know that VU students know how to do just that. I wish you many gifts of culture to share with yourselves and those close to you,” says Gintė Jokubaitienė, Director of the VU Culture Centre.
 
To the members and directors of our performing arts groups, our partners and everyone in our audiences: happy Culture Day! 

The beginning of a new academic year is a great time not only to get to know the university, but also to discover an activity that can become an important part of student life. Vilnius University Culture Centre invites the VU community to join its art collectives and explore music, theatre, dance, improvisation, folklore and other creative activities.

VU Culture Centre brings together 15 art collectives, where creativity, community and stage experiences connect more than 600 members of the VU community. Each year, the collectives take part in more than 150 events in Lithuania and abroad – from concerts and performances to festivals, competitions and various university events.

Discover more than just the stage

Joining an art collective is a chance to experience university life in a different way. Rehearsals, performances, trips and creative projects offer opportunities to meet like-minded people, try something new and discover an activity that can become an important part of your student years.

You don't have to be a natural-born performer. Some collectives welcome complete beginners – what matters most is the willingness to learn, create and be part of a community.

Where can you join?

VU Culture Centre brings together art collectives from a wide range of fields – from choirs, orchestras and folklore ensembles to theatre, improvisation, dance, tango and organ studies.

New members are welcome to join:

VU Chamber Orchestra
Wind Orchestra “Oktava”
Lindy Hop Dance Group
Academic Mixed Choir “Gaudeamus”
Girls’ Choir “Virgo”
Mixed Choir “Pro musica”
Kinetic Theatre
Drama Theatre
Improvisation Studio “ImproVU”
Song and Dance Ensemble
Folklore Ensemble “Ratilio”
Folk Music Ensemble “Jaunimėlis”
Organ Studio “Unda Maris”
VU Jazz Voices
Tango Studio

Auditions vary from one collective to another – you may be asked to complete a short musical, dance or movement task, while in some cases, the most important thing is simply your willingness to give it a try.

Who can join?

VU art collectives are open to the entire university community – first-year and senior students, staff and lecturers.

Audition dates, locations, registration forms and other information about each collective can be found on the ADMISSION page. 

Choose what catches your attention, come to an audition and find your place at VU Culture Centre.

I WANT TO JOIN!

On 17 September at 19:00, Vilnius University’s improvisation studio IMPROVU invites audiences to the VU Theatre Hall for “Improv Start 2026”, an event marking the opening of its new season. The free event, held in English, offers an opportunity to discover improvisational theatre, see it in action and learn more about joining ImproVU.

The XIII World Congress of the International Association of University Theatres (AITU-IUTA) in Vilnius has concluded, but the discussions and ideas it sparked continue to resonate. The Congress Book of Abstracts is now publicly available – a digital publication bringing together abstracts of the presentations delivered as part of the Congress’s academic programme.

On 2 September at 18:00, the new season of "An Hour with RATILIO", an open workshop series organized by the Vilnius University Culture Centre, will begin in the Magna Aula of Vilnius University. The first gathering of this autumn will invite the university community and everyone interested in Lithuanian folklore not only to observe, but to become part of a living tradition themselves.

From 7 – 13 July, Vilnius University welcomed theatre makers, researchers, lecturers, and students from more than 22 countries around the world for the 13th World Congress of the International Association of University Theatres (AITU – IUTA) and the accompanying International University Theatre Festival. This was the first event of such scale ever held in the Nordic and Baltic region.

From 7–12 July, the Vilnius University (VU) Culture Centre invites audiences to the International University Theatre Festival, held alongside the 13th World Congress of the International University Theatre Association (AITU-IUTA), taking place in the Baltic States for the first time. The festival programme features 16 free events showcasing university theatre companies from Lithuania, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, Colombia, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

What connects 16th-century Jesuit theatre, today's students' search for identity, and theatre studies in war-torn Ukraine? At first glance – very little. Yet these themes reveal how the role of university theatre has shifted across different eras and why it remains relevant today.

At the XIII World Congress of the International University Theatre Association (AITU-IUTA), taking place at Vilnius University on 8–13 July, the keynote speakers will invite attendees to explore university theatre from different perspectives – from its historical roots in Europe to the contemporary challenges faced by young people and theatre communities around the world.