Tallinn European Capital of Culture
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Tallinn European Capital of Culture Stories of the Seashore Tallinn Capital of The Republic of Estonia Area: 159.2 km² Coordinates: 59°26’ N 24°45’ E However, there is still a paradox Average temperature: Tallinn welcomes that Tallinn has to struggle with to from -4°C (in Feb) to +16,7°C (in Jul) you! this day. Tallinn is a seaside city, Tallinn is the capital of Estonia and but it is still not fully open to the Population (as of 01.09.2009): 405 562 in 2011, it will also be the European sea. It seems that the people of Tallinn live with their backs turned (overall population of Estonia: 1,340,415) Capital of Culture alongside Turku in Finland. It is the biggest cultural towards the sea. They do have event in the history of Estonia. their reasons – in recent history, Nationalities: Estonian 52.3%, Russian 38.5%, access to the beautiful beaches Ukrainian 3.9%, other 5.3%. The brochure you have in your surrounding the centre of Tallinn hands right now gives information was difficult for both political and about roughly a quarter of the economic reasons. But whatever entire Tallinn 2011 programme. It the reasons, the Capital of Culture tells you about new initiatives and wants to look into the future and recent activities without which solve this paradox: improve the city the cultural life of Estonia cannot environment and bring the city and be imagined and which deserve to the sea together again. We want be placed under the spotlight of Tallinn to proudly tell its seaside international attention. stories as part of the Capital of Cul- Tallinn lies on a historically unique ture programme and also beyond crossroad by the sea. It is the 2011. place where Eastern and Western Many events of the Capital of Cultu- cultures meet, a place of encounter re will take place by the sea, but the between Northern and Central interpretation of its main theme Europe, a city that has interesting will not just be literal. The sea will stories to tell. Its Old Town is part figure in the entire programme and of the UNESCO World Heritage. It its presence will be felt at all events has grand Song Festivals that show and venues. the lasting love for music and the desire for freedom Estonians have. Tallinn as the European Capital of Global statistics show that people Culture will tell stories by the sea, here go to the theatre more often open itself up to the sea and to and read more books than anywhe- what lies beyond. In 2011 Europe’s re else. Culture in Tallinn is interwo- best stories will be told in Tallinn. ven with the present day and rapid development – Tallinn is the cradle Jaanus Mutli, Member of the Board of Skype, and wireless Internet access is as taken for granted as Mikko Fritze, Member of the Board the air that we breathe. And you do Jaanus Rohumaa, Director of not have to go far to find yourself in Programme Department the midst of a beautiful landscape. Tallinn has managed to always maintain its image of being both tolerant and obstinate. Green Marketing Volunteers Young Audience Our desire is for the European The ideal volunteers for the Capital Programme Capital of Culture to leave the lar- of Culture are helpful, good-natu- How do you educate young audi- gest possible cultural footprint, and red and reliable. And, of course, ences? How do you support and the smallest possible from an eco- conscientious and flexible. They develop the generations that will logical point of view. Culture cannot put their heart in their work and do create culture in the future? This remain healthy if the nature around everything they can to make this is the focus of the Young Audience it is unhealthy. We are trying to event a success. We are happy to Programme of the Capital of Culture find the most environment-friendly say that we are very close to achie- aimed at giving schoolchildren the methods for producing and carrying ving our goal when we look at the chance to take part in different out what needs to be done. We use many volunteers we have already cultural events. They will visit per- natural paint, local and recycled found. They are the people that will formances, concerts, meet artists, materials. We give preference to make it all happen. Volunteers – we take part in discussions, write local designers and labour. We want are finding more and more of them essays and fill in questionnaires. to make things that will be used for and they are always welcome – are We will set up permanent relation- a long time rather than increase a natural part of Tallinn, as the ships with Estonian schools and the already huge pile of useless pride and joy they take in their different youth organisations. The souvenirs burdening the world. We activities is what makes the city a study programme created in the want every one of our souvenirs to true European Capital of Culture. course of the developments will not have its story and reason and, most And joy is the main thing! focus on 2011 alone – inclusion of of all, an inventive solution. young people in cultural events will We stick to these principles and fol- continue in the future as well. low them in our everyday activities: we recycle our rubbish, use paper sparingly and prefer to get around on bicycles, public transport or our own two feet. We have decided to give a good example and we want Tallinn to be the Capital of green Culture in Europe. Opening ceremony The European Capital of Culture in Tallinn will be opened with a grand show by the sea and celebrations in different city districts on New Year’s Eve. Festivals Estonians have many Shrove Tuesday traditions. But people of other Maslenitsa nationalities living in Estonia also have their own traditions on that folk culture / days of feast day. What food do Russians eat on Shrove Tuesday? What games Venue: The Tallinn Song Festival Grounds do they play and what dances do they dance? What is the secret in and city districts baking giant blinis? Why are scarecrows, stuffed with hay, set on fire Distance from the sea: 500 m at the end of the celebrations? Maslenitsa is the best way to learn Organiser: NGO Minu Liin about Russian Shrove Tuesday traditions. It is a great festival for everyone. Time: 28 February - 6 March 2011 Naissaar or Nargen is an island a couple of nautical miles away from Nargen Festival Tallinn. Hardly anyone lives there. However, world-famous conductor classical music / contemporary classical Tõnu Kaljuste has made the impossible happen – one of the most music / folk music exotic concert halls in Europe, Omari Barn, is situtated in Lõunaküla Venue: Naissaar Island, Noblessner on the island. Nargen Festival, which was created by Kaljuste, began foundry and other seaside venues on Naissaar and spread all over Estonia to become the main event in Distance from the sea: up to 200 m our musical culture and is now becoming one of the most important Organiser: Foundation Lootsi Koda festivals of its kind in the Baltic Sea region. The principle of the festival is that all venues must be accessible by sea. And just like the post-industrial Noblessner foundry, they are indeed. In 2011 the Time: June to September 2011 festival will offer its audiences a water carnival and excellent music www.nargenfestival.ee from all over the world. Pirita Convent, a pearl of northern Gothic architecture, has been Birgitta Festival overlooking Tallinn Bay for more than half a millennium. Imposing classical music / opera / staged oratorio ruins were all that was left of the convent after the wars and fires of / ballet / big scale event the 16th century. They were brought back to life in 2005. The histo- Venue: Birgitta Convent rical ruins near the sea are now the venue of one of the most unique Organiser: Tallinn Philharmonic Society music festivals in the Nordic countries – Birgitta Festival. The main Distance from the sea: 700 m concept of the festival is to present the latest and the best pieces in the world of music theatre: ballet and opera, staged oratorios and Time: August 2011 other extended musical compositions. www.birgitta.ee Tallinn Maritime Days Tallinn is a city by the sea, but that we live in a seaside city and renovated by the talented archi- its people seem to be living with find out how the sea influences tects of KOKO Arhitektid. These their backs turned towards it. our identity. A big step forward highlights will be accompanied Paradox. One likely reason is will be taken in 2011. The seasi- by various other events. that the seaside was a restricted de with a new beach promenade zone during the Soviet era and will be open for visitors, the new was hard to access. The capital of grand exposition of the Estonian culture and the Tallinn Maritime Maritime Museum will open in cityscape / days of feast Days want to solve this paradox the hangar of the post-industrial Venue: Seaside in Tallinn and invite the people of Tallinn to Seaplane Port (regarded as an turn their faces towards the sea international architectural mirac- Distance from the sea: up to 300 m again. We want to acknowledge le in the 1920s) which will be Organisers: Foundation Tallinn 2011, Tallinn City Government, Port of Tallinn, Estonian Maritime Museum, Estonian Historic Ships Society www.tallinnamerepaevad.ee Time: 15–17 July 2011 Welcome address by the Director of the Maritime Museum Urmas Dresen: Tallinn is close to the sea and However, as Tallinn is still a also far from it – the sea is right seaside city, the mission it gives here, but one doesn’t feel its us for the next few years is to presence unless one travels bring together the two elements along Pirita Road every day.