Art centre INTRO is closed down. It was open in a period of 2003-2007. INTRO successfully achieved project's goals and was shut down with a great challenge by its founder.
INTRO is art gallery, music club, bar and website. From small to big art projects were realised at INTRO: workshops, festivals, exhibitions, concerts, etc. It was open platform for established and emerging artists. Art centre as art project was run by artist Vygandas Simbelis, he produced and managed INTRO from the idea till the end. Institutional critique was a credo for centre's initiatives and activities. Independent sense was predominant. Premises were in the heart of Vilnius (capital of Lithuania) old town, in industrial house, in loft style site, in urban environment, in former soviet newspaper Pravda printing house. Vilnius Academy of Arts was a project partner.
The policy of art space (so called gallery) was implementation of artist-run strategy. It never was commercial nor institutionalized. Contemporary engaged platform became a port for emerging projects. Art gallery was a space for experimental projects, interdisciplinary was a credo. Video art screenings, media art installations, social acts, painting exhibitions, VJ performances, sound art sessions and other art stuff lived there. Art space was run by creative director / chief curator Vygandas Simbelis, curator Indra Motiejunaite, projects manager Daina Pupkeviciute, and administrator Giedrius Mickevicius. Common characteristic of INTRO gallery was together exhibited works of young emerging and established artists.
All nodes of INTRO were dedicated to art and culture, which involves independent and underground senses, interdisciplinary and contemporary proceedings, collaboration and live acts. Projects' partners were British Council, Goethe Institute, Nordic Council of Ministers, Ministry of Culture, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuanian Artists' Association, Interdisciplinary Art Union, and others.
A lot of activities happened at INTRO, hundreds of artists were presented in the club - the hottest spot in the centre,
bands: No Means No (CA), Against Me! (USA), Ba Cissoko (GN), Subway (FR), Los Fastidios (IT), Paprika Korps (PL), New York City Survivors (FI), Sabot (CZ), etc.,
djs and producers: Chris Clark (WARP records / UK), Animals on Wheels (Ninja Tunes / UK), Battery Operated (Cocosolidciti / UK, CA), Pluxus (Pluxemburg / SE), Sutekh (USA), Monolake (DE), Deadbeat (CA), Frans de Waard aka Freiband (Korm Plastics / NL), Janek Schaefer (AudiOh! / UK), Sleepy Town Manufacture (RU), Shlomo (Humanbeatbox / UK), Paul B (RU), Faze Action (UK), Daniel Bell (aka DBX / DE), Jeff Milligan (aka Algorithm / CA), Paco Osuna (Cocoon Rec / DE), Burgener (CH), Dj Rok (Tresor, International Deejay Gigolo Records / DE), Submerged (Ohm resistance / USA), Kain (Ohm resistance / EE), Digital (Metalheadz / UK), Rcola (JungleX / CA), Ashtar-DXD live (hART?de.FAKtE / DE), B key (Freak Rec, Tech Itch / UK), Kryptic Minds (Tectonic, Metalheadz / UK), Ceephax (Rephlex records, Planet Mu / UK) to name a few.
Almost all Lithuanian musicians and artists have been participating at INTRO club projects.
Here you can find INTRO posters. A link.
Below moments of attraction, just scroll down:
