Among the most anticipated events on the festival programme this year are the three premieres by Japanese artists, created in collaboration with Riga – its architecture, history, rhythm and people. It is why we put the opening of this 15th festival edition in the hands of our guests – the expressive Japanese performance collective contact Gonzo whose practice combines body contact and urban elements, and the delicate sound artist Tetsuya Umeda whose collaborators are transient matters like water drops, smoke or air flow. ‘Fifteen’ is an improvised session staged against the backdrop of the city with everyone in the audience as participants.