Tartu, together with Southern Estonia, is the European Capital of Culture in 2024 

European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 is the main event in Estonia in 2024 and the largest joint endeavour of Tartu and Southern Estonia. The title year is the culmination of five years of activity.

Objectives of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 title year

Value-based and audience-rich European Capital of Culture:

• opening the creative concept Arts of Survival and its values ​​to the public;
• reaching a total of 1 000 000 visits to the programme.

Well-organised European Capital of Culture:

• Tartu 2024 is one of the most famous brands in Estonia by 2024;
• carrying out communication, marketing and the programme in cooperation with the public and private sectors.

The impact and legacy of the European Capital of Culture

The title of European Capital of Culture (ECoC) is an immense opportunity and a great challenge for Tartu and Southern Estonia:

• The project is designed to be carried out by our today’s and tomorrow’s cultural operators: artists, organisers, institutions and creative entrepreneurs. 
  
• More broadly, everyone is involved in the European Capital of Culture: as an audience, volunteers or supporters, as service providers or in other roles.
  
• A well-organised ECoC will greatly benefit region’s economy. Direct benefit will come from the increased number of daily and overnight visitors but also from increased investments from national and international stakeholders.
  
• During and after ECoC preparation period and title year it is possible to evaluate the impacts of the ECoC process: the increase in the wellbeing of the residents who are engaged as audiences and creators, the attractiveness of the city in the eyes of talents, investors, entrepreneurs and the improvement of connections to and from Europe.
• Successful implementation of the ECoC supports addressing the major challenges identified in Tartu's and Southern Estonia's cultural strategies. Achieving long-term effects also contributes to achieving the objectives of the region’s significant institutions - educational and memory institutions, companies, associations, etc.

On 28 August 2019, the International European Capital of Culture Expert Commission appointed Tartu as the European Capital of Culture in 2024. The decision was made based on the bid book submitted by Tartu and the 19 Southern Estonian municipalities.

Tartu 2024 foundation's main planned actions in 2022 are as follows: 

• In 2022, 75% of the title year programme will be formed.  On 16 February, the core projects of the European Capital of Culture programme will be presented to the public.
  
• In the spring, the additional application rounds will end (regional project application round and the call for proposals for international projects in Tartu), which will supplement the official Tartu 2024 cultural programme. The received projects will be evaluated and the final selections will be made in April-June 2022, contract negotiations will start in the autumn.
  
• Preparing and carrying out of the first pilot events and activities of the Tartu 2024 programme.
  
• Launching the youth programme Tartu 2024 Extended.
• Developing the fourth programme line.
• The organisation and development of Kultuurikompass capacity building forums will continue in collaboration with Tartu City Government and Southern Estonian county development centres. The aim is to improve the knowledge of cultural operators and exchange experiences in the field of cultural management. More information: https://tartu2024.ee/kultuurikompass-en.
• Cooperation with national and international partners, whose contribution and participation for the success of the European Capital of Culture is important, will be developed. Common interests and goals will be defined, and action plans drafted. The Tartu 2024 Foundation will build and foster cooperation relations with private and public media partners.
• European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 programme will be steadily introduced in Estonia and neighbouring countries. The Arts of Survival concept will be introduced in Tartu and Southern Estonia through different campaigns and target group-based activities. The strategic goal for communication in 2022 is to lay the foundation for a network of cooperation partners consisting of different stakeholders; create tools for them; and provide them with information on a regular basis, so that they can tell the story of Tartu 2024.
• Preparatory activities for the European Capital of Culture events agreed with the local governments of Southern Estonia will continue.