Medieval diplomatic communication was different from modern diplomacy, fragmented rather than continuous. A fixed system of delegations and a permanent body of resident ambassadors - the basic elements of modern diplomacy - only emerged at the end of the fifteenth century, when many of the Italian city-states set up their first permanent foreign missions. In that era, city diplomacy, citizen diplomacy, monarchical diplomacy and state diplomacy emerged. Both now and in past epochs, diplomacy initially rejects the state as the main actor in diplomacy: diplomacy is carried out by individuals, not faceless metonyms. Decisions at the highest levels of government are ultimately taken by individuals with their own personalities, experiences and agendas, operating within a given political and cultural context. One of the main features of medieval diplomacy was the wide range of diplomatic actors, similar to the various non-state actors who continue to engage in diplomatic relations today. Rulers, knights and patricians, missionaries, pilgrims and nuncios, diplomats, scribes and craftsmen, monks, intellectuals and scientists, merchants, monks and cadets, artists, musicians or politicians in transit and getting to know Lithuania themselves. All those who left their imprints on our history and brought back impressions recorded in diaries and correspondence, who wrote the first prototypes of "travel guides", recorded their impressions in donors' reports, wrote their own memoirs, or who recorded in memoirs their impressions that had already become somewhat crystallized, were creating a global image for the whole country and for the town of Trakai. The images captured by cartographers and artists, and subsequent photographs and video footage that followed, are comprehensive, coherent and virtually unquestionable sources of content. Trakai city has played a significant role in maintaining both economic and political relations with foreign countries. The city is associated with the reign of Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania like no other - in the early 15th century, Trakai was a thriving city, with a large number of merchants, distinguished guests and foreign envoys visiting Trakai and being received in the Representative Hall of the Castle Dukes’ Palace. We invite you to take part in this competition as part of a diplomatic mission: your works turned into an exhibition, as a colorful travel guide will present the attractive, diverse, non-boring face of the hospitable city. The international nature of the competition helps to build new bridges of Trakai diplomacy, and the contestants will become the ambassadors who represent Trakai to the world as a unique place of new discoveries, a magnificent historical past, a place that lives in the present and is committed to the future.

Professional artists as well as children and youngsters from 4 until 19 are welcome to participate in the Competition.

We kindly ask

Applicants from non-EU countries: June 1, 2024(deemed on the date of the postmark stamped on the envelope).
Applicants from EU countries: June 10, 2024 (deemed on the date of the postmark stamped on the envelope).

Please find the Terms of Competition attached. The information on the Competition and the Registration Form are available here:

PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS

1. TERMS OF COMPETITION (.PDF)

CHILDREN AND YOUNGSTERS

2. TERMS OF COMPETITION (.PDF)

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Živilė Barkauskaitė

El. p. zivile.barkauskaite@trakaimuziejus.lt

Tel. Nr. +370 611 85612, +370 528 53947