As announced in a press release by the Kaunas municipality, the first competition for the position of director of the Kaunas Dance Theatre “Aura” was announced in June 2026, and the selection took place at the end of July.
During the process, the candidate’s proposed prospective activity program was evaluated, and a verbal exam-interview was conducted.
According to the competition conditions, a wide range of requirements and competencies are set for the head of the institution – from leadership, strategic planning, and financial management to professional performing arts, marketing, human resources, and knowledge of cultural policy.
The candidacies were evaluated by a seven-member commission composed of performing arts professionals delegated from state theaters operating in Kaunas and representatives from Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy and the municipality’s Culture, Personnel, and Legal departments.
The transparency of the competition was monitored by a representative delegated by the employees of the Kaunas Dance Theatre “Aura” – the institution’s deputy director Evelina Queiros Casais.
Considering that the minimum score was not reached during the selection, procedures for organizing a repeated competition are being initiated. They will be conducted according to the applicable legal acts and the procedures defined therein.
Read more NATO fighters took off five times to identify and escort Russian aircraft
Applications are awaited from all those wishing to take the position of the institution’s director.
Candidates will be required to present their leadership experience, competencies, and a five-year vision for “Aura”. While the competition procedures are ongoing, the institution will be temporarily led by the deputy director E. Queiros Casais.
The winner of the competition is expected to receive a fixed-term employment contract for five years. The coefficient of the fixed part of the director’s salary may reach up to 2.11, which amounts to about 3767 euros before taxes.
The deadlines for announcing the new competition and accepting candidates’ documents will be indicated shortly.
15min reminds that earlier this year, the Kaunas municipality, awarding the most talented creators, actors, and directors, also awarded B. Letukaitė-Komskienė with the “Fortūna” statuette and a 3000 euro prize. The head of the Kaunas Dance Theatre “Aura” was awarded for conceptual directing and the original idea of the performance “Sea”.
As the municipality announces, the “Fortūna” awards are a 30-year tradition showing how Kaunas values its creators and their work. It is not only recognition for achievements but also a clear invitation to continue creating, to nurture Kaunas’s cultural identity, and to strengthen its reputation as a creative and vibrant city.
