The Folk Ensemble “Viešia” was founded in 1998 at the Neveronys Culture Centre in Kaunas District. The ensemble is named after the river that flows through Neveronys. It is a gathering of families who cherish ancient traditions and folk creativity. Parents, children, and grandparents celebrate calendar holidays together, sing folk songs, and perform traditional dances. The oldest member is 80 years old, and the youngest is 6. Since 1999, the ensemble has been led by the creative and energetic Jolanta Balnytė.
The repertoire of “Viešia” consists of expedition and archival material from Kaunas District and the Neveronys area. Since participants come from different parts of Lithuania, the ensemble performs folk songs, sutartinės, traditional dances, and instrumental music from various Lithuanian regions.
“Viešia” is regularly invited to participate in the Folklore Day programs of the Lithuanian Song Festivals and in international festivals such as “Baltica”, “Atataria lamzdžiai”, “Parbėg laivelis”, “Saulės žiedas”, “Skamba skamba kankliai”, “Tek saulužė ant maračių”, “Ant vandens”, and others.
Ensemble members perform dressed in the national costumes of their respective regions. In 2017, they became the national winners of the Lithuanian National Costume Competition “Išausta tapatybė” in the folk group category.
In 2018, the folklore ensemble “Viešia” was recognized as the Best Regional Folklore Ensemble and Artistic Director, receiving the highest award for amateur arts — the “Aukso Paukštė”.
In 2024, the Folklore Ensemble “Viešia” of the Neveronys Leisure Hall, Ramučiai Culture Centre, Kaunas District, participated in the following festivals, events, and projects: “Skambantys raštai” in Prienai and Kaišiadorys, “Jurginės” in Palanga, Midsummer (Joninės) in Luxembourg, “Subatos vakarėly” in Dzūkija National Park, the Dainava Region Folklore Festival in Druskininkai, “Pūsk, vėjuži” in Juodkrantė, and in the Folklore Day “Rasi rasoj rasi” of the centennial Lithuanian Song Festival “Kad giria žaliuotų.” The ensemble also performed numerous concerts, presented new programs and national costumes, and led the educational program “Supinsma kaselas.”
This is a youthful, modern, innovative, and community-oriented folklore ensemble that represents Neveronys, Kaunas District, and Lithuania.
Artistic Director: Jolanta Balnytė
