Since the culture scene as we know it is being withheld for a while The Estonian Institute has gathered a variety of possibilities for enjoying Estonian culture in English from the comfort of home – a context that might be novel for many.
1. Take the time to experience Estonian art from the new angle. There’s a variety of Estonian galleries and exhibition spaces that offer virtual tours in English. Start your journey with a visit to KUMU. Move on to a 360 degree view of the Estonian Pavilion at the 57th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia,visit Temnikova & Kasela gallery exhibition archive, take a look at Konstanet online gallery, NOAR, Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art database and Tallinn art hall digital guide.
2. Dive into articles about the Estonian literary (Estonian Literary Magazine) and art (Estonian Art) scene. Borrow books digitally from the National Library Estonia by ordering them to the Book Dispenser which is located outside of the library. The National Library also has digital channels digar.ee (digitised materials), dea.digar.ee (newspapers and magazines) and portaal.nlib.ee (our Search Portal) to discover during the stay-at-home period.
3. Gain knowledge about Estonian film industry on Estonian Film Institute website and enjoy loved Estonian movies with English subtitles on Netikino.
4.Take the much needed free time to learn the Estonian language. There are several online platforms such as Keeleklikk and Speakly that spark up the learning experience!
5. Eesti Kontsert has created several music playlists inspired by the planned concerts that have been cancelled due to the emergency situation. You can access the playlist easily via Spotify here, here and here. Also, tune in for the well-known Estonian folk band Duo Ruut contactless concert-live on the 20th of March at 7pm and folk metal band Metsatöll live-stream on the 21st of March at 1am. Since public gatherings are not allowed, many artists are starting to discover the possibilities of online performances and a lot more will most likely start popping up.
6. Many Estonian museums have made it possible to pay them a visit online. Take this opportunity to discover virtual museums from the Museums Public Portal, take a virtual tour in Open Air Museum, visit the History Museums exhibition “The Baltic way 25”, or University of Tartu Museum virtual exhibitions. Take a look at Estonian War Museum online exhibitions, Virtual Kuressaare Castle, Virtual University of Tartu and Tallinn City Museum virtual exhibition.
7. Even sports organizers have now gathered online. With advanced digital solution and GPS tracking you are able to participate in competitions such as 38th Tartu Forest Marathon even if you’re located in Tallinn.
What’s mentioned here is only a fraction of Estonian culture that is already available online and with times like these there are more and more initiatives from the local artists and activists to bring valuable experiences to our homes. So keep your eyes open and let’s make the most of our time at home.
