On the 23rd and 24th of August, the creative quarter Viskaļi in Riga will host the festival “Art for a Meat Tax”, with which the organizers hope to spark discussion on the introduction of a meat tax in Latvia, reports the initiative’s co-author Sandris Mūriņš.
The festival, bringing together artists and scientists, is intended as a platform to inform and engage society, creating dialogue about the long-term well-being of people, animals, and the planet. The event is directly linked to the initiative proposed on Manabalss.lv calling for a differentiated natural resource tax on the production of meat and meat products.
The goal of the initiative is to reduce meat consumption by addressing the loss of biodiversity caused by industrial livestock farming, climate change, health risks, and animal suffering. Festival co-author Mūriņš emphasizes that art has the potential to be a catalyst for change. He explains that introducing a meat tax is a social innovation that requires time, effort, and social mobilization to shift public attitudes from rejection to understanding.
The Manabalss.lv initiative highlights that meat products are often too cheap on the market because their prices do not reflect their full costs to the environment, climate, and public health.
To tackle this problem and encourage a sustainable food system,
the authors propose introducing a differentiated natural resource tax on different types of meat products.
The amount of the tax would be based on the product’s harmful impact—for example, on natural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and health. The initiative, submitted in April, has so far been signed by 223 people.
Twenty artists and scientists have agreed to participate in the festival, ready to create artworks and engage in discussions on the topic. Mūriņš invites opponents of the meat tax to attend as well, in order to have a constructive dialogue.
The festival will feature an exhibition with works by Katrīna Tračuma, Katerina Maouni, Jana Purmale, Hugo Zauerhagen, and Tony Strods. Performances will be created by Mailo Mēness, Keita Dude, Santa Igaune, Tračuma, Elīna Buka, Roberta Tukiša, Daria Petra, Mūriņš, Helias Dzimolakis, and others.
Visitors will also have the chance to explore the underwater world through an open tour at the aquatic pet sanctuary AkvaRīga, while Dzimolakis and Tračuma will present short films. Katrīna Rudzīte will read political poetry. The festival’s lectures will feature philosopher and animal rights advocate Sandris Ādminis, scientists Jānis Brizga and Miķelis Grīviņš. A tattoo workshop will be led by Ksenija Smoļaninova, and a screen-printing workshop by Katrīna Herta and Mārtiņš Dziļums.
Read also: BNN IN FOCUS | Rajevskis warns: Government’s deferred austerity risks tax hikes and painful cuts