Culture is often described as a “soft” force, yet in times of crisis it reveals a remarkable strength. As Professor Marju Lauristin has noted, “culture helps us cope even with the hardships of war”. In moments of profound societal strain – such as the ongoing war in Ukraine – culture becomes a space where values are clarified, resilience is built, and collective meaning is sustained.
This understanding framed BECID’s recent webinar, which brought together 172 participants from across the Baltic region: over 30 participants from Estonia, more than 60 from Latvia, and over 60 from Lithuania. The strong turnout reflected a shared interest in how culture, art, and media can help societies respond to disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI).
Why Culture Matters
Culture can be understood in two complementary ways. On a broader level, it is a dynamic, learned, and shared system through which societies create meaning, express identity, and coordinate social life. On a more focused level, culture encompasses collective creative and symbolic practices, such as art, music, theatre, and performance, through which values, identities, and worldviews are questioned and communicated.
It is precisely this meaning-making power that makes culture both vulnerable to manipulation and powerful as a tool of resistance.
How Disinformation Exploits Culture
Disinformation and FIMI actors strategically target cultural identity markers such as national history, language, religion, traditions, and heritage. By manipulating these markers, they seek to fragment societies, disrupt collective identities, and erode trust. Common tactics include spreading false historical narratives, amplifying cultural grievances, and hijacking shared symbols and “cultural codes” to provoke emotional reactions.
Humour and familiarity make these narratives especially effective, embedding harmful messages in formats that feel safe and recognisable.
Rather than relying solely on false facts, disinformation often blends emotional and factual elements to rewrite reality. Revisionist myths, conspiracy-laden histories, fabricated cultural threats, and distorted portrayals of heroes or traditions are deployed across cultural products, from memes and music to films and social media trends. Humour and familiarity make these narratives especially effective, embedding harmful messages in formats that feel safe and recognisable.
Culture as a Source of Resilience
At the same time, culture offers powerful tools to counter disinformation. Resilient societies draw on cultural cohesion, shared values, and trusted narratives to withstand hostile information environments. Through shared stories, rituals, and symbols, communities can repair trust and reinforce social bonds.
The arts and the GLAM sector (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) play a crucial role as trusted storytellers. Disinformation thrives where people feel isolated or disconnected from credible local information sources. In contrast, local cultural networks – community centres, libraries, grassroots initiatives, and local media – can act as vital channels for reliable information and critical engagement. Familiar cultural voices increase credibility and help counter manipulative external narratives.
Baltic Perspectives from the Breakout Sessions
On the Lithuanian side LRT journalist Tomas Valkauskas demonstrated how artistic forms of expression can be integrated into journalistic work against disinformation. He highlighted documentary storytelling in radio and television as particularly effective, and introduced two projects: the radio programme “Voice of Protest”, which explores music as a form of protest, and the podcast “Šaltibarščiai”, which uses informal conversations with artists from minority communities to unpack dominant societal narratives.
The Estonian session focused on the role of theatre in addressing information manipulation. Vaba Lava director Krista Tramberg and an actor shared insights from the production “Spy Girls”, which explores infomanipulation, the darker practices of social media, data use, and media literacy. They reflected on the uncertainties of creating a performance that operates at the intersection of theatre, experimentation, and activism, including an unscripted element involving real-time contact with Russian soldiers at the front lines in Ukraine. The discussion raised ethical questions about artistic responsibility, disclosure, and trust, while highlighting the importance of strong community ties and institutional trust, which are lessons highly relevant for the wider GLAM sector.
In the Latvian breakroom Joren Dobkiewicz from the New East Culture Institute presented how artistic and participatory practices can strengthen critical thinking and community resilience in information-disordered environments. Drawing on examples such as performances, exhibitions, and participatory art, he showed how culture can encourage audiences to question narratives and recognise manipulation. The mono-performance “Man and the Tyrant” served as a case study in how theatre can challenge authoritarian storytelling and foster narrative awareness.
Culture Beyond Entertainment
Culture is not merely entertainment. It is a space for collective education, ethical reflection, and resistance. When technical solutions alone are insufficient, cultural practices can reach people emotionally, strengthen social trust, and help societies remain resilient in the face of disinformation.
We would like to thank all participants for their active engagement and thoughtful contributions. We look forward to continuing the conversation in the upcoming sessions!
The next webinar will take place in the beginning of April 2026, on the topic of fraud.