Creative Ideas is a non-governmental organization from Latvia. We provide informal youth and adult education and specialize in culture, education, society integration and rural development. We provide training and mentoring, organise art exhibitions, competitions and creative workshops for various target groups: adults, youth, migrants, children etc. We work to help people discovering and reaching their full potential.

Creative Ideas was established on 12 October 2011 in Balvi, when its members came together to promote the development and international recognition of Balvi town and municipality, to diminish social exclusion and to solve important issues for the community by elaborating and implementing projects and by mobilizing local society. Balvi municipality is located in North East of Latvia nearby Russian Federation border - EU external border. Currently we work in Balvi and the capital city Riga.

Now we have 38 members, people employed in such fields as education, culture, art and social sphere, artists, craftsmen and teachers. 6 of our members are actively participating in the project development and implementation. Members’ education and experience provides professional administration and implementation of projects. We cooperate with state and municipal institutions (ministries, employment office, library, museum, art school, schools etc.), higher education institutions, NGOs and NGOs’ networks to exchange experience and bring best practices to the community.

During the 7 years of our operation, we have involved at least 800 unique persons in the project activities, introduced Latvians to other countries and cultures, helped to integrate more than 400 migrants, implemented 13 projects and attracted 520 930 EUR funding to implement our activities. We have: created jobs by employing more than 40 persons, and paid in taxes more than 100 000 EUR. Half of our projects have been implemented in cooperation with our partners abroad, in Sweden, Greece, Poland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Malta, the UK, the Netherlands etc.

We are a member of national umbrella organisations such as: Civic Alliance–Latvia, Latvian Adult Education Association and Latvian Rural Forum. We have joined the Cooperation Memorandum between NGOs and the Cabinet of Ministers in Latvia and the Cooperation Memorandum between NGOs and the Riga Municipality, as well as in 2013 initiated the establishment of NGOs coalition in Balvi municipality, which includes 11 local NGOs.