Baltic Manors as a Shared Cultural Heritage

About

The international Baltic Manor Summer School (BMSS) is a dynamic one-week intensive course designed for specialists. Jointly organized by the Association “Baltic Manors” and Vilnius Academy of Arts, BMSS aims to enhance the expertise of manor heritage owners and workers. By fostering dialogue among researchers, property owners, and cultural heritage enthusiasts in the Baltic Sea region, BMSS bridges theory and practice. With an interdisciplinary approach spanning history, culture, art, heritage, and tourism, the program explores the latest research findings and encourages meaningful international discussions. The focus is on the rich historical and cultural connections that define the Baltic Sea region.
The BMSS offers intensive, hands-on training courses, bringing together 16 participants and dedicated accompanying teachers. Over the course of a week, participants will visit 12 manors and attend 12 insightful lectures, in addition to engaging excursions. All lectures, accommodations, and leisure activities are thoughtfully arranged at or near the historic manor heritage sites, ensuring a fully immersive experience. BMSS is not only about educating specialists and providing opportunities for collaboration. The project, focused on continuity and internationality, raises the prestige of cultural heritage and its specialists in society and implements one of the most important missions of BMSS – to use professional research for the creation and promotion of the Baltic Manor Route.
Objects and content. The 2025 program includes the following objects: Panemunė, Raudonė, Veliuona, Belvederis, Raudondvaris, Lipliūnai, Baisogala, Šeduva, Pakruojis, Rundāle, Bauska, Kaucminde, Mežotne (the organizers reserve the right to change the objects).
The 2025 BMSS program is structured into three key parts:
Theoretical Lectures. These sessions provide a comprehensive overview of the specifics of Baltic manors, examining them from historical, art-historical, and tourism perspectives. The interdisciplinary approach connects themes of history, culture, art, heritage, and tourism, presenting the latest research findings and fostering meaningful international discussions. Special emphasis is placed on the rich historical and cultural connections that characterize the Baltic Sea region.
Practical Activities. Hands-on experiences include site visits and excursions designed to deepen understanding of the theoretical material. These are complemented by workshops and presentations, where experts share insights into heritage management and tourism practices.
Informal Experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with manor estate owners, participate in candid discussions, and build connections during free-time activities, creating a deeper, personal understanding of the estates and their cultural significance.
Who can participate? Owners and managers of manors in the Baltic region and professionals in this field (conservators, architects, architectural experts, art historians, cultural heritage and tourism specialists) are invited to the BMSS.
Prices. The course price is 300 EUR/person. There are 16 available places (2 for each Baltic area country: Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark). The price includes: lectures, entrance fees to the visited sites, meals 3 times a day, accommodation, transportation. Travel expenses are not included.
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Important dates:
• Applications should be sent by 2025 April 1;
• Notification of selected applications will be published by 2025 May 1.

Course leader

Dr. Marius Daraškevičius (Association “Baltic Manors”) and Dr. Aistė Bimbirytė (Vilnius Art Academy, Lithuania)

Fee info