Hundreds of people march demanding solutions to salary issues in the cultural sector

Several hundred people, chanting slogans, marched on Tuesday from the square of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet as part of the action "Culture (survives)" to draw attention to salaries in the cultural sector, reported the agency LETA.

People held homemade placards with various slogans, such as "Culture is not a hobby", "Working for peanuts is not art", "Working in a museum = art (survives)", "The happiness bear [will not] come", "What receives a salary will survive", "Wisdom has limits, foolishness does not", "Culture is work", "We want to work in Latvia, do you want us?" and others.

The action was monitored by the State Police.

The march began at the LNOB, its route led past the Freedom Monument, and the endpoint was the Latvian National Museum of Art.

The organizers of the "Culture (survives)" action emphasize that in the second quarter of 2026, the average gross salary in cultural heritage institutions was 1395 euros, in the performing arts sector - 1365 euros, while in the public sector it was on average - 1926 euros.

"The long-term low salaries contribute to the outflow of experienced specialists from the sector and Latvia, while making it difficult to attract new professionals.

This is a problem whose consequences will be felt by the entire society in the future - in the quality, diversity, and accessibility of cultural offerings," say the organizers of the action.