Applied Art Studio "Vāpe"

The applied art studio of the University of Latvia (UL) "Vāpe" was founded by its long-time director, ceramist, art porcelain artist, assistant professor of UL Helga Ingeborga Melnbarde. In 2022 Raitis Bobrovs, who has been working at "Vāpe" since 2008, took over the work as the head of the studio.
UL is the only higher education institution in Latvia, which for 45 years has been providing its students, graduates and employees with an exclusive opportunity to realize their creative ideas in visual plastic material. Under the leadership of Helga, "Vāpe" has become one of the brightest ceramic studios in Latvia, which annually delights Latvian and foreign spectators with its extraordinary ceramics-themed exhibitions at local, as well as international exhibitions in Lithuania, Russia, Georgia and Japan.

"Vāpe" is also related to the research and creative use of the traditional cultural heritage of the Latvian people in the creation of modern visual plastic art and design, participating in various exhibitions. One of the more extraordinary ones was the ambitious exhibition "A place at the table. Invited by Ludwig Wilhelm Kerkovius" of the national applied art exhibition "Latvia's 100" at the Natiowide Latvian Song and Dance Festival”.