The Ministry of Culture (KM) has announced an open competition for the position of board member of the state-owned “Jaunais Rīgas teatris” (New Riga Theatre/JRT).
The announcement of the competition was commented on social media by the artistic director of JRT, Alvis Hermanis, who has himself overtly entered the political sphere by founding a new party called “We change the rules” (“Mēs mainām noteikumus”).
The day after the public announcement of the open competition, Hermanis expressed his opinion on social media.
The artistic director said the theatre’s long-time director Gundega Palma, with whom he has long collaborated “is the formal director of this theater (because as the artistic director, I am subordinate to her, not the ministry).”
Alvis Hermanis is the chairman of the board of the political party “We Change the Rules” and has announced his intention to run in the 15th Saeima elections this year.
“My political activities here also do not change anything. In the event that I end up in parliament in the fall, I plan to combine it with work in the theatre. Next season, as usual, I will stage two new plays,” he said.
If Culture Minister Agnese Lāce wants to get rid of him, then she would have to replace the director, Hermanis claimed.
In response to the discussions on social media, the Ministry of Culture drew attention to the fact that State Theatres in Latvia are state-owned capital companies and, in accordance with Latvian legislation, open competitions are organized for the positions of board members of capital companies (positions of theatre directors).
In state-owned companies, the term of office of board members is five years and therefore as the end of the previous term approaches, an open competition for the position of board member is being organized not only at JRT but at all state-owned theatres and concert organizations, the Culture Ministry explained. The current term of office of JRT board member Gundega Palma ends in September of this year, therefore KM has announced a competition for the position of JRT board member.
Previously, in 2021, a competition for the vacancy of a member of the JRT board was not held, as this procedure has only been in effect since the end of 2022 when this procedure was changed to promote compliance of the board member nomination process with the principles of good corporate governance practice, ensuring open, fair and professional selection of board members.
Since the beginning of 2023, several competitions have been held for positions as board members of state-owned companies of the Ministry of Culture, for example, at the Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre, the Latvian National Theatre, the Latvian National Opera and Ballet, the Daile Theatre, and the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, the ministry indicated – which suggests that while Hermanis might assume it’s all about him, it might not actually be the case.
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