How does cultural globalisation provide opportunities for future survival while also highlighting local uniqueness?
Thousands of creative people around the world want to live and work somewhere else. There are numerous reasons why they cannot do so in the twenty-first century. Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is still raging in the heart of Europe. Culture should ideally be a level playing field for everyone. Are we in Europe alone with our ideals? What is the future of the world?
The fourth international Kultuurikompass focuses on creatives' Arts of Survival. Europe's top players visit Tartu in search of solutions to the major challenges of cultural mobility. Professional mobility is critical for creators and organisers. We map the state of mobility in the cultural sector and focus on its various aspects.
European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 and the Estonian Creative Residencies Network invite you to the Kultuurikompass forum "How Borderless Is Culture?". On May 18 and 19, we welcome cultural sector promoters, policymakers, creative people, residency organisers, members of the European Capital of Culture network, and other interested parties to Tartu.
Presentations
Expo area speeches
Kultuurikompass presentations - "Mobility as a driver of creativity"
Kultuurikompass presentations - "European networks as a compass in times of global turmoil"
Kultuurikompassi presentations - "Possibilities for creatives in international networks"
Kultuurikompass esitlused - "Creative residencies as creators of cross-disciplinary connections"
May 18 | Estonian National Museum, Tartu
I: Introduction
We will learn briefly about the history, current status, and future prospects of creative residencies in Europe. Practitioners from European Capitals of Culture will share concrete examples of creative residencies.
Irmeli Kokko is a curator, educator and a residency expert, who has worked as the initiator, director and curator of many residency programmes (e.g. HIAP, FRAME and the Nordic Council of Ministers' support program for residencies).
While working as a teacher and lecturer at the University of the Arts Academy of Fine Arts (2006–2018), Kokko was responsible for the Academy of Fine Arts' Resident Fellow and Alumni residence programmes.
Side programme: Creative residencies EXPO area
Mari-Liis Rebane
Maajaam ↗︎
Anna-Liisa Ingver
Tartu 2024 Ellujäämise Kunstide
Dokprogramm ↗︎
Mary-Ann Talvistu
Kuko kuubis ↗︎
Paulina Maloy
MagiC Carpets ↗︎
Marcel Eschborn
Makers United, Chemnitz 2025 ↗︎
Kerry Chase
Alice Boulton-BreezeEast Street Arts ↗︎
| Side programme: Creative residencies EXPO area | ||
Mari-Liis Rebane Maajaam ↗︎ | Anna-Liisa Ingver Tartu 2024 Ellujäämise Kunstide Dokprogramm ↗︎ | Mary-Ann Talvistu Kuko kuubis ↗︎ |
| Paulina Maloy MagiC Carpets ↗︎ | Marcel Eschborn Makers United, Chemnitz 2025 ↗︎ | Kerry Chase Alice Boulton-BreezeEast Street Arts ↗︎ |
II: Mobility as a driver of creativity
We look at how the mobility of creative people and cultural workers affects the cultural landscape. We discuss mobility's various forms, opportunities, and challenges. How can we encourage the exchange of ideas so that culture leads to new experiences, new jobs, and stronger cultural ties between countries?| Dr. Terje Toomistu is an anthropologist, documentary filmmaker, researcher at the University of Tartu's Department of Ethnology, and the project director of "Young Estonians Abroad," which is funded by the Postimees Foundation Noor-Eesti grant. Her documentary work (Põlvkond piiri taga" (2022), "Amazonase veenid" (2021), "Nõukogude hipid" (2017), and "Wariazone" (2011) has garnered international attention, including coverage in The Guardian and The Economist. | Bojana Panevska is a researcher and writer, who works as an advisor for international cooperation and artist-in-residencies in TransArtists | DutchCulture. Bojana is a board member of On-the-move, cultural mobility information network with 50+ members in over 20 countries across the world. She is part of the Advisory Board of TransCultural Exchange. | Kendal Henry is an artist and curator, who specialises in the field of public art. He illustrates that public art can be used as a tool for social engagement, civic pride and economic development through the projects and programs he’s initiated in the US and internationally. He’s currently the Assistant Commissioner of Public Art at the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and an adjunct professor at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. | Katre Väli is the Director of the Arts Department at the Estonian Ministry of Culture. She previously worked as a theatre advisor at the Ministry of Culture, as the coordinator of the semiotics master's programme in English at the University of Tartu, and as the organiser of the dramamaa.weekend festival introducing Estonian performing arts at the Estonian Theatre Agency. |
III: European networks as a compass in times of global turmoil
In turbulent times, we require guideposts to keep the cultural sector on track. Networks have a significant impact on the mobility of creative people and cultural workers, both in terms of leading changes and coping with changes. What is the current state of European cooperation and interaction between nations and creative people? We discuss support systems for creative people's mobility and share success stories.| Marie Le Sourd has been the Secretary General of On the Move, the cultural mobility information network active in Europe and worldwide
since 2012. Prior to this position, Marie worked in Singapore for the Asia-Europe Foundation (Cultural Department) from 1999 till 2006 and directed the French Cultural Centre in Yogyakarta-Indonesia from 2006 till 2011. | Marita Muukkonen on is a co-founder and co-director of Artists at Risk (AR) / Ecologists at Risk (ER) / Perpetuum Mobile (PM). Perpetuum Mobile ry (PM), which runs ARTISTS at RISK (AR), is a non-profit organisation active at the intersection of human rights and the arts. Since 2013, PM has developed AR to become a network to assist, relocate and fund artists who are at risk of persecution or oppression, or are fleeing war or terror. | Karmen Otu is a cultural organiser who has spent the last five years working as the programme manager at Aparaaditehas creative hub. Aparaaditehas is the largest cultural and creative industries hub in Southern Estonia. It is also a part of Trans Europe Halles, one of Europe's largest and oldest cultural collaboration networks. This network brings together independent cultural organisations that operate in repurposed buildings all across Europe. | Kadri Laas-Lepasepp is an art curator and the leader of several international contemporary art projects. Kadri has been the director of the new multifunctional international Kai art centre since 2019 and a member of the Estonian Creative Residencies Network's board of directors since 2022. The Estonian Creative Residencies Network (LOORE) was founded by 11 creative residencies with the goal of promoting mutual cooperation, developing units that support the mobility of creative people and creative work, representing creative residencies' interests, and increasing their international visibility. |
IV: Kultuurikompass Talks
Creative residencies vary in nature, goals, field, target group, and a variety of other characteristics, but their common denominator is that they contribute to the mobility of creative individuals by allowing them to engage in their work in a different environment than usual or in a virtual space. In three discussion groups, we will explore the diversity of the residency world:1. Possibilities for creatives in international networks
Irmeli Kokko | World Film hall
2. Creative residencies as creators of cross-disciplinary connections
Piret Pungas-Kohv, Kendal Henry,
Miina Kaartinen, Mary-Ann Talvistu | Jakob Hurt hall
3. There's no place like here. Residencies as catalysts, strategies and challenges
Signe Pucena, Sanna Ritvanen,
Johanna Rannula, John Grzinich | EXPO area
| Marie Fol is an independent advisor, cultural manager, and researcher. Marie is the President of On the Move, the international network dedicated to cultural mobility as well as Companu Director of Res Artis, worldwide network of art residencies. She leads Keychange, the global movement for gender equality in the music industry. In this role, Marie coordinates activities in Europe and Canada, as well as develops new partnerships on global scale. | Piret Pungas-Kohv has spent the last seven years at the Estonian Fund for Nature as an expert on environmental awareness of wetlands, looking for ways to highlight the role of wetlands and their restoration in society. Piret is currently assisting with the international project WaterLANDS, in which life will be breathed into the wetlands of six countries, thereby slowing climate change, supporting biodiversity, and human activity. | Miina Kaartinen is a cultural studies researcher and social worker interested in ecological and community-based thinking, doing and developing. Currently Miina is working as the executive director of Mustarinda association. Mustarinda Association is a group of artists and researchers whose goal is to promote ecological reconstructions within society, a diversity of naturecultures, and connections between art and science. | Mary-Ann Talvistu has worked in partnership with different arts, cultural and educational organisations to develop critical and creative approaches for encounters and interactions with art. Together with Maarin Ektermann she is one of the project managers of "Kuko cubed - artists in collections, collectives, communities", a project that is part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 programme in Southern Estonia. |
| Sanna Ritvanen is an interdisciplinary cultural worker and producer currently working both in the fields of visual and performative arts. Their practices are deeply rooted in different communities and group work(s). Ritvanen is an active member and a board chair of Mustarinda association. | Signe Pucena is researcher of traditional culture, artist and the culture projects manager. She is co-founder and programme curator at SERDE residencies centre (2002) Aizpute, Latvia. She has gained her higher education at the Latvian Academy of Culture in Folklore and Traditional Culture, as well as a MA in Cultural Management. Currently she is a PhD student in the New Media art department at Liepaja University. The Interdisciplinary Art Group SERDE is a non-governmental organization, which seeks to develop regional and international collaboration between different cultural fields, organisations and professionals. | Johanna Rannula, formerly the Tallinn City Museum's manager of exhibitions and events, has been managing the Narva Art Residency for the past year and a half, with a focus on community and inclusion. Narva Art Residency (NART) is a cultural platform that organises residencies, exhibitions, lectures, and educational workshops. It was founded in 2015. NART is housed in the historic Kreenholm settlement in Narva, Estonia, near the Estonian-Russian border. | John Grzinich is a freelance artist, educator and cultural coordinator who has been based in south Estonia since 2003. He has been composing, performing and exhibiting his artistic work since the mid 1990's, which has focused on the the connections between space, place and the living environment. Apart from his personal artistic practice, he has coordinated residency and project activities for the artist-run organization MoKS. Operating continuously until 2019, MoKS maintained a unique position in the Baltic region with its strong emphasis on trans-local, socially engaged programming as a force for positive change. |
May 19 | TYPA, Tartu
The forum's second day provides an opportunity to meet creative individuals, creative residencies, and members of the European Capital of Culture network. We are interested in exchanging experiences in the field of international cooperation, how to navigate creatively among the many opportunities available, and how to travel and work more sustainably.Workshops, discussions, and tours of residencies will take place during the day, and best practises and international success stories will be shared.
Roundtables | TYPA Paper hall
10.00 Is Mobility in the DNA of ECOC? (60 min) Tallinn 2011
Mikko Fritze is the head of the Finnish Institute in Germany. He has previously worked as the director of the Goethe Institute in Estonia, Uruguay, Finland, and the Netherlands. From 2007-2010, he was the CEO of the European Capital of Culture Tallinn 2011 Foundation. He is a member of the Chemnitz 2025 board.
Liepaja 2027
Baiba Bartkeviča is the Artistic Director of Liepaja - European Capital of Culture 2027. She is a professional singer/performer and festival director. From 2016 to 2023, she has been the Artistic Director of the Great Amber concert hall in Liepaja and of contemporary art festival Liepaja Art Forum.
Tartu 2024
Kaarel Kuurmaa is film critic, curator, founder and producer of many film events. Has been working as a festival programmer at Tallinn Black Nights FF and Docpoint Helsinki Documentary FF. Has been head of Tartuff and curated a weekly documentary programme at Kumu Art Museum. From 2013 to 2018 served as a Film Commissioner at Estonian Film Institute. Currently Head of Estonian Audiovisual Art Endowment committee. Artistic Director of DocPoint Tallinn, Arvo Pärt Centre film evenings and Arts of Survival Documentaries.
11.30 How to make your open call successful ECOC experiences?
(90 min) Kaunas 2022
Gediminas Banaitis-Skrandis
is a cultural producer specialising in contemporary arts, music, and the creative industries. He has created a number of projects, including Lithuania's first multimedia art festival, "Centras", dark art cycle "Welnuwos" and Landscape design festival "Magenta".
From 2018 he worked as the curator of Kaunas - European Capital of Culture 2022 programmes "Designing Happiness" and "Kaunas District Programme". His most successful projects were the Culture Ship "Nemuno7" and the opening concert "Nemuno Spetyni", "Contemporary Karmėlava Eldership", the route of the art objects in Kaunas district "Smaragdo kelias", etc. Tartu 2024
Kati Torp is the Artistic Director of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. She was previously a curator at the Kumu Art Museum. She has curated solo and group exhibitions and led projects in Estonia, the Netherlands, France, and Italy.
In addition to major artists, she has collaborated with rapper Tommy Cash and fashion designer Rick Owens. In 2018, she curated the international group exhibition "Beyond the Flowing Horizon" at Nantes, France's Le Lieu Unique Art Centre. Torp represented Estonia at the Venice Biennale in 2017, curating Katja Novitskova's personal exhibition, which was accompanied by a Sternberg Press catalogue.
Oulu 2026
Inka Hyvönen is one of the producers responsible for the programming and open calls of Oulu2026. She has previously worked with artist residencies and mobility programmes especially in the field of visual arts both in Northern Finland and abroad.
| 10.00 Is Mobility in the DNA of ECOC? (60 min) | ||
| Tallinn 2011 Mikko Fritze is the head of the Finnish Institute in Germany. He has previously worked as the director of the Goethe Institute in Estonia, Uruguay, Finland, and the Netherlands. From 2007-2010, he was the CEO of the European Capital of Culture Tallinn 2011 Foundation. He is a member of the Chemnitz 2025 board. | Liepaja 2027 Baiba Bartkeviča is the Artistic Director of Liepaja - European Capital of Culture 2027. She is a professional singer/performer and festival director. From 2016 to 2023, she has been the Artistic Director of the Great Amber concert hall in Liepaja and of contemporary art festival Liepaja Art Forum. | Tartu 2024 Kaarel Kuurmaa is film critic, curator, founder and producer of many film events. Has been working as a festival programmer at Tallinn Black Nights FF and Docpoint Helsinki Documentary FF. Has been head of Tartuff and curated a weekly documentary programme at Kumu Art Museum. From 2013 to 2018 served as a Film Commissioner at Estonian Film Institute. Currently Head of Estonian Audiovisual Art Endowment committee. Artistic Director of DocPoint Tallinn, Arvo Pärt Centre film evenings and Arts of Survival Documentaries. |
| 11.30 How to make your open call successful ECOC experiences? (90 min) | ||
| Kaunas 2022 Gediminas Banaitis-Skrandis is a cultural producer specialising in contemporary arts, music, and the creative industries. He has created a number of projects, including Lithuania's first multimedia art festival, "Centras", dark art cycle "Welnuwos" and Landscape design festival "Magenta". From 2018 he worked as the curator of Kaunas - European Capital of Culture 2022 programmes "Designing Happiness" and "Kaunas District Programme". His most successful projects were the Culture Ship "Nemuno7" and the opening concert "Nemuno Spetyni", "Contemporary Karmėlava Eldership", the route of the art objects in Kaunas district "Smaragdo kelias", etc. | Tartu 2024 Kati Torp is the Artistic Director of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. She was previously a curator at the Kumu Art Museum. She has curated solo and group exhibitions and led projects in Estonia, the Netherlands, France, and Italy. In addition to major artists, she has collaborated with rapper Tommy Cash and fashion designer Rick Owens. In 2018, she curated the international group exhibition "Beyond the Flowing Horizon" at Nantes, France's Le Lieu Unique Art Centre. Torp represented Estonia at the Venice Biennale in 2017, curating Katja Novitskova's personal exhibition, which was accompanied by a Sternberg Press catalogue. | Oulu 2026 Inka Hyvönen is one of the producers responsible for the programming and open calls of Oulu2026. She has previously worked with artist residencies and mobility programmes especially in the field of visual arts both in Northern Finland and abroad. |
Workshops | TYPA Gallery hall
10.00 Models of networking and collaborating (60 min) 11.30 Finding your international ways with On the Move network (90 min) 14.00 How to Survive Locally? (60 min)
Theresa Lekberg is a performance artist and co-founder of two artist residencies, Art See Ocean Gallery (2017) and Art See Temple (2021). She is also a board member of SWAN, the Swedish Artist Residency Network, and the initiator and coordinator of SWAN ER, Emergency Residencies 2022.
Lekberg will share how the SWAN Network was built from 2020 to 2022 and how it expanded as SWAN began Emergency residencies to host Ukrainian artists in 2022-2023 in collaboration with Artists at Risk.
Marita Muukkonen will discuss the collaboration, its outcomes, and challenges from the perspective of Artists at Risk.
Working internationally is now almost a regular part of one's job, and it was (almost) taken for granted before the pandemic. In these post-pandemic times, the emphasis is shifting to questions such as: How to choose from all the opportunities available. Is the adage "less is more" still applicable in this context? How can we travel and work in a more environmentally friendly manner?
During the workshop, Marie Le Sourd from On the Move and Bojana Panevska from DutchCulture | TransArtists will introduce recent shifts and trends through examples of residencies and mobility opportunities, before engaging with workshop participants' questions about Europe, environmental sustainability, and accessibility.
Sign up here
Jüri Siilivask and Kaur Kaljuma will introduce Travelguider at the Kultuurikompass forum.
Travelguider is all about connecting travellers with amazing experiences in the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. The easy-to-use platform makes it a breeze to book unique experiences and its goal is to make the process simple for both travellers and service providers.
| 10.00 Models of networking and collaborating (60 min) | 11.30 Finding your international ways with On the Move network (90 min) | 14.00 How to Survive Locally? (60 min) |
Theresa Lekberg is a performance artist and co-founder of two artist residencies, Art See Ocean Gallery (2017) and Art See Temple (2021). She is also a board member of SWAN, the Swedish Artist Residency Network, and the initiator and coordinator of SWAN ER, Emergency Residencies 2022. Lekberg will share how the SWAN Network was built from 2020 to 2022 and how it expanded as SWAN began Emergency residencies to host Ukrainian artists in 2022-2023 in collaboration with Artists at Risk. Marita Muukkonen will discuss the collaboration, its outcomes, and challenges from the perspective of Artists at Risk. | Working internationally is now almost a regular part of one's job, and it was (almost) taken for granted before the pandemic. In these post-pandemic times, the emphasis is shifting to questions such as: How to choose from all the opportunities available. Is the adage "less is more" still applicable in this context? How can we travel and work in a more environmentally friendly manner? During the workshop, Marie Le Sourd from On the Move and Bojana Panevska from DutchCulture | TransArtists will introduce recent shifts and trends through examples of residencies and mobility opportunities, before engaging with workshop participants' questions about Europe, environmental sustainability, and accessibility. Sign up here | Jüri Siilivask and Kaur Kaljuma will introduce Travelguider at the Kultuurikompass forum. Travelguider is all about connecting travellers with amazing experiences in the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. The easy-to-use platform makes it a breeze to book unique experiences and its goal is to make the process simple for both travellers and service providers. |
Tours
13.30 Tour in Southern Estonia (4 hours)
The fourth international Kultuurikompass takes you on a tour of Southern Estonia to learn about Estonian culture.Discover unique creative residency locations such as Maajaam in Neeruti, MoKS in Mooste, and Kullaaugu talu in Ahja with a local guide. Route: Tartu-Maajaam-MoKS-Kullaaugu-Tartu.
For a more personalised experience, this day trip is limited to 30 participants.
The cost is 12 EUR. It includes a guided tour, a bus ticket, and a snack and drink from Tillu Cafe.
Get your ticket at Piletilevi.
15.00 Tour in Tartu (2 hours)
Come on a walking tour in Tartu!Tour the most charming creative houses in Tartu with a tour guide. Learn about the city of good thoughts and its exciting legends.
The walking tour highlights Tartu city residency locations such as TYPA (the Printing and paper art centre), Tartu Art House and Literature residency apartment. Surprising stories can be found in Tartu's streets, buildings, and hidden corners. Tartu's uniqueness is demonstrated by the fourth international Kultuurikompass tour.
The tour is in English. Price 5 EUR.
Get your ticket at Piletilevi.
Kultuurikompass programme is created by Tartu 2024 and Evelyn Grzinich (on behalf of Estonian Creative Residencies Network). The Kultuurikompass forum is organised according to Tartu 2024, OÜ Acento and Tartu City Government guidelines for organising environmentally friendly events.
International Kultuurikompass: How Borderless Is Culture?
The fourth International Kultuurikompass provides an opportunity for creative people, cultural organisers, and descision-makers in Southern Estonia to exchange international experiences and discuss the meaning of mobility and creative residencies. The event will be held on the 18th and 19th of May and will include a forum, excursions to creative houses, and a lively side programme with additional activities. The International Kultuurikompass is held in Tartu and is in English.Project goals:
- The International Kultuurikompass Forum will bring 280 specialists interested in international cultural cooperation to Southern Estonia, at least 50 of whom will be from outside the country.
- The International Kultuurikompass provides an opportunity for creative people, cultural organisers, and decision-makers in Southern Estonia to exchange international experiences, introducing the region as a travel, event (including international conferences), or creative destination.
- The International Kultuurikompass programme is versatile, allowing for the creation of meaningful future collaboration spaces between creative houses, museums, and creators of large cultural events from across Europe.
Fund: 2014-2020.5.1 Ettevõtlikkuse kasvatamine, ettevõtluse kasvu soodustamine, ettevõtluskeskkonna arendamine. EL Struktuurfondi rahastus. 22 570.10 €
What is Kultuurikompass?
Kultuurikompass is a capacity building programme for culture managers, artists, creative and social entrepreneurs in Tartu and Southern Estonia. We invite everyone to learn from each other because knowledge and experience exchange help entrepreneurial and responsible cultural managers find new and more diverse audiences, and achieve their goals.
Kultuurikompass programme consists of forums and seminars, and it is developed by the Tartu 2024 Foundation and Tartu City Government in cooperation with partners from around the whole Southern Estonia. The first forum took place in January 2019 and by the end of 2020 there 2 international forums, 6 forums, and 2 side events have taken place.