Inspiration from Tartu2024: significant impact on the region

Tartu, Estonia's second city, is located in north-eastern Europe. With a history dating back to 1030, it is the oldest city in the Baltic states and has a population of around 100,000. The city is known for being smart and creative, thanks in part to its prestigious university, founded in 1632. This university, one of the oldest in Northern Europe, attracts many students, giving Tartu a young and lively atmosphere. The city has also been recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature and aims to be one of the 100 climate-neutral cities in Europe by 2030. Tartu exudes a bohemian atmosphere with many parks, creative hubs and characteristic wooden neighbourhoods.

Crucial to the project was the cooperation with the surrounding region: South Estonia. Tartu was not only the Cultural Capital, but together with this vast area, which covers almost a quarter of Estonia. This region, with some 260,000 inhabitants spread over 20 municipalities and 4 counties, is a beautiful nature destination with hills, lakes, national parks and the enormous Lake Peipus on the border with Russia.

Diverse region

The diversity of South Estonia is remarkable; different languages are spoken and there is even an unofficial kingdom of the Seto people, with its own culture, language and annually democratically elected king or queen.

‘This collaboration between Tartu and South Estonia was the largest regional cultural collaboration ever in Estonia. It brought together 20 municipalities on a scale that was unprecedented, an initiative that we hope will continue after 2024 as an important legacy.’

In 2024, Tartu shared the title with Bad Ischl in Austria and Bodø in Norway. Despite the geographical distance, a close bond developed between these cities.

‘Our team of 50 people coordinated a programme with 350 projects and more than 1,600 events spread across the city and the entire South Estonia region. We aimed for 1 million visits, an ambitious goal for a country with 1.3 million inhabitants. More than 5,000 volunteers were involved, illustrating the broad support.’

The budget was mainly funded by the Ministry of Culture and the city of Tartu, supplemented by a significant contribution of €1.5 million from the participating regional municipalities (in proportion to their size), private sponsorship, EU projects and the Melina Mercouri Prize for good preparation.

Arts of Survival

The artistic concept, ‘Arts of Survival’, was the common thread. This concept encompassed all the knowledge, skills and competences needed for a good life in the future, reflecting on today's challenges. What does it mean to be a small culture on the periphery of Europe? How do you survive as an artist in a rural area? How do we deal with global crises such as climate change, globalisation and war? Each project, large and small, reflected in its own way on these ‘Arts of Survival’.

The programme had four strands: ‘Tartu with Earth’ (environment), ‘Tartu with Humanity’ (humanity), ‘Tartu with Universe’ (science & technology) and ‘Tartu with Europe’ (European identity & dimension). There were large-scale events such as the traditional Song and Dance Celebration, which originated in Tartu, and an impressive exhibition by Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda. But it was also smaller, more intimate projects that showed the soul of the region, such as the ‘Naked Truth’ Sauna Opinion Festival, where discussions took place in the equality of the sauna, and the romantic ‘Kissing Tartu’ event in the town square.

The European dimension was of great importance, especially given Estonia's location on the edge of Europe and its recent history. Tartu wanted to bring European identity closer to the people of South Estonia, but at the same time bring South Estonia and its unique stories closer to Europe. This was achieved through the programme, but also through strong international cooperation, using the ECOC network, cultural diplomacy (delegations also visited the region), facilitating partnerships for local cultural organisers and targeted marketing to European target markets.

Significant impact on the region

The impact on the region was significant. Cultural organisers in South Estonia discovered that it is possible to organise successful international events, even in remote locations, such as the tech art exhibition ‘Wild Bits’ in the middle of the forest. New international connections were established, such as the project ‘Creative Relaxation Time / Aeg akkas’ on slow living in collaboration with Japanese artists. Documentary films made by European directors offered a fresh perspective on South Estonia. Local actors gained access to networks, knowledge about funding and international audience outreach, and learned from other ECOC regions.

‘Perhaps the most important long-term contribution was the investment in people. Through learning by doing and targeted training, such as the International Culture Campus forum, we have strengthened the capacity of cultural professionals in the region, in the hope that South Estonia will remain a sustainable, international meeting place.’

Lessons from Tartu

• Shared ownership is crucial — By fully involving the region (South Estonia) from the outset as an equal partner, and not just as a location, broad support and commitment were generated. The financial contribution of municipalities in proportion to their size reinforced this sense of co-ownership.
• Exploiting economies of scale — A Cultural Capital offers a unique platform and resources that are normally beyond the reach of individual (smaller) municipalities or cultural organisations in the region. This includes access to international networks, expertise, marketing power and funding.
• Tailor-made for the region — The programme and support must take into account the specific context, challenges and strengths of the region (e.g. rural character, specific cultural traditions, demographic challenges, lack of international experience). Projects that respond to this (such as ‘Wild Bits’ or the sauna events) are often more authentic and successful.
• Strengthening city-region connections — The project bridged the gap between the urban centre (Tartu) and the surrounding countryside, both physically (events in the region) and mentally (cooperation, shared identity). It demonstrated that cities and regions can strengthen each other.
• Investing in people for sustainability — People are the most important capital for the future. By investing in the skills, experience and networks of local cultural organisers, volunteers and communities, you create a legacy that will last much longer than the title year itself. This builds capacity for future initiatives.
• Visibility for the entire region — A major event such as ECOC can increase the visibility of an entire region, not just the central city. However, this requires a conscious communication and marketing strategy to actively promote the region's stories and attractions.
• Long-term commitment — Building trust and effective cooperation between multiple municipalities and organisations takes time. The success of Tartu 2024 was the result of a long process that began during the bid phase. Continuity after the project is essential to continue reaping the benefits.