Vilnius Prison Transformed into Cultural Hub Lukiškės 2.0

The former Lukiškės Prison in Vilnius, operational from 1904 to 2019, has reopened as Lukiškės Prison 2.0, a cultural center open daily from noon to midnight. The project, partnered with music agency 8 Days a Week, aims to create new emotional ties with the site beyond its macabre past. According to Martynas Butkevičius of 8 Days a Week, the space will serve as an incubator for music, art, design, and culture, which suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic. Artist Jolita Vaitkutė, whose studio is in the former refectory, notes that creative activity among many artists is special despite the building's dark history. The conversion preserved the historical architecture. Highlights include the annual 8 festival featuring indie acts like Moderat and Viagra Boys, temporary exhibitions such as 2022's Women Warriors supported by the National Museum of Lithuania, and use as a set for Netflix's Stranger Things. The prison once held political prisoners including Jonas Vileišis, Žemaitė, Vincas Kudirka, and Menachem Begin.