Tartu is kissing for culture hosting the world’s biggest SnogFest in May
Estonia might not be the first place you think of as a particularly avant-garde or liberated country; however, since forsaking the shekels of Soviet Rule in 1991, historical Tallinn and the smaller outlying towns have been taking big bites of the culture cake. Venture beyond the capital and head to the unflashy university town of Tartu and you will find a year of intriguing events to celebrate its accolade of European Capital of Culture.
Tartu 2024 Programme Launch
This small city in the south of the country has been chosen to host a year-long calendar of Estonia’s finest, ranging from technological and AI innovations to an intriguing show titled ‘Washing Machine Made of Beetroot’; whilst August brings Estonia’s biggest Pride carnival to date, celebrating a year since the country legalised same-sex marriage.
Aerial spaceman at the programme launch
No visitor to the city will be able to miss the Instagrammable, Marti Karmin designed, ‘Kissing Students’ sculpture which is the focus of the Town Hall Square; especially if you’re in town when there is a wedding celebration at the Hall, as it’s tradition to rub the statue for good luck. With this in mind, the creative heads behind the Festival are producing a landmark event to create a record-breaking, public love in! On 18th May, locals and visitors are invited to enjoy a music concert featuring past Eurovision Song Contest entrants who will encourage the crowd to have a snog! This mass kiss-in is expected to draw over 10,000 visitors and will be broadcast on TV, reaching people all over Europe.
Movie night in the main Sqaure
Elsewhere, the ‘Arts of Survival’ programme will be popping up in all corners of the city with over 1000 events ranging from art exhibitions, theatre shows and architectural design projects to live music, digital film and gastronomy. You can even get involved in folk medicine workshops and guided forest bathing.
When you’re not enjoying the culture, you can take in the pretty streets on foot or on a city Smart Bike. The National Museum is an institution which deserves a few hours of your time, as the building itself is an impressive landmark. Built on an airstrip, it was destroyed during the Second World War when it became a secret Soviet bomber base. The current iteration is the largest in the Baltic States and was proudly reopened in 2016 and features a modern, interactive and educational history of Estonia from the Soviet times to the modern day. In keeping with the city’s commitment to sustainability, each exhibit can be scanned with a handy barcode to reduce paper wastage and you can work your way around at your own pace. Along with the permanent show, it will also host a major exhibition, ‘Surrealism 100’ as part of the Festival from 15 March – 8 September focussing on Eastern European Surrealist Art.
You’ll find more modern art in the hipster hub, ‘Aparaaditehas Creative City’ which has been converted from a former factory. Like a scaled-down version of ‘Telivisiki’ in Tallinn, this repurposed industrial area boasts a central courtyard with communal seating, galleries, bookshops and bars, whilst small businesses rent rooms and you can get your Instagram fix with the street art. The most well-known Estonian muralist is Edward von Lõngus who creates large-scale murals that feature political and social commentary. His most famous piece, ‘The Dreamers’, depicts a group of Estonians who were exiled to Siberia during the Soviet era and has become a landmark in the city.
However, the best place to enjoy Tartu’s street art is in the Supilinn district. Although graffiti is prohibited by law, the large murals created in cooperation with the city government during the annual ‘Stencibility‘ festival are welcomed and celebrated. To commemorate Tartu24, a beautiful Bengal cat named Iku, has been immortalised on the wall of Narva 25 dormitory. Cats are true bearers of the Tartu 2024 artistic concept ‘Arts of Survival’ message with their ability to always fall on their paws.
You can’t ignore Estonia’s sauna culture, and whether you take part in the ‘Naked Truth’ spectacle on 10 – 11 May, featuring events held in pop-up saunas, you should at least immerse yourself in the rejuvenating pastime at your leisure. The nearby nature is also utilised during the warmer months, and the ‘ArCo3’ and ‘Out of Town Art Festival’ promise site-specific artworks and open-air installations.
Despite its relatively small size, Estonia has always been a cultural powerhouse, with a thriving arts scene which has mushroomed over recent years, and this progressive country is well worth a visit.
For more info visit
https://tartu2024.ee/en/programme/
Words by Sara Darling
