By Benedetta Zimone and Miquel Sánchez
The European Union is a strong supporter of art and culture. Since 1985, the European Commission has been behind the European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) initiative, a project which aims to promote a sense of belonging among all European citizens and to highlight the cultural diversity within the European Union.
All the European Capitals of Culture have already been selected until 2028. In 2024, the three European Capitals of Culture will be Bad Ischl (Austria), Tartu (Estonia), and Bodø (Norway). Special focus will be placed on the small Estonian town of Tartu, which will host more than three hundred and fifty projects and a thousand events from 26 January, 2024.
Overseeing the event is Kati Torp, Artistic Director at the Tartu 2024 Foundation. During a presentation of the project, which took place at the European Parliament in Brussels on the 15th of November, she explained the special motto carefully chosen for this event: “‘The art of survival’ is the set of values that will help us for a good life,” she stated.
Tartu Program
Torp said that this motto would represent four distinct elements, namely Earth, Humanity, Europe and Universe. Events will also revolve around the topics of sustainability, volunteering, and youth.
Credits: Tartu 2024 artistic director Kati Torp presenting Tartu’s title year programme in the European Parliament © Maanus Kullamaa
Why Tartu?
According to Torp, Tartu was elected due to its cooperation with other regions. “It’s very important to bear in mind that we organize it together with South Estonia. So it’s not only the city but it’s the region as well. Together we are one-fourth of the whole country, and it’s a huge regional cooperation,” she said.
Tartu enjoys a variety of green spaces and infrastructure. “It is much easier to organise events in Tartu, there are simply more venues and accommodations” she argued.
Torp says that Tartu impressed with its artistic concept. In 2019, the “arts of survival” concept was launched and “it responded very well to different environmental issues which were present in Tartu,” Torp explained.
Historically and culturally speaking, the University of Tartu plays an important role in the region. Founded in 1632, it is the biggest and most important university in the whole country. Consequently, as Torp said, “It was natural to consider Tartu the capital of culture.”
Future prospects in Tartu
The choice of Tartu as one of the three European cultural capitals is set to bring benefits to the whole region. “I hope that the culture keeps on flourishing after 2024 as well. Maybe there are some tools or practices that the scene lacked before, but hopefully now throughout the study or thanks to this experience, we can fill these gaps and also provide the local artistic community with what they feel is most important to them,” she stated.
This European event is set to bring increased international visibility, cultural exchanges, economic growth, and artistic development to the city. The organisers hope that it will boost Tartu’s reputation as a vibrant cultural hub and attract tourists, artists, and scholars from across Europe and beyond. Additionally, they aim to foster a sense of community pride and engagement, encouraging local residents to actively participate in cultural events and initiatives.
Click on the following link to access the 2024 Tartu programme: https://tartu2024.ee/en/