Culture Ministry Announces Annual Grants for Expat Organizations
The Ministry of Culture allocated 31,500 euros in funds to support and strengthen ties with the cultural organizations of Estonian communities abroad.
The largest single grant - 10,000 euros - was given to the organizers of the West Coast Estonian Days and ESTO 2012. Another festival, Sweden's Estival 2013, was given 3,000 euros.
Of course music is an integral part of the Estonian national identity - 4,000 euros was put aside for the European Choir of Estonians and 1,542 euros for a choir based in Luxembourg. Choirs in Belgium and the UK also received support.
The Varius Theatre received 2,000 euros for putting on a performance in Gothenburg and the theatre nonprofit, Oma Lava, received 1,500 euros for performing at the Estonian Houses in New York and Baltimore.
Two Estonian schools, in Germany and Netherlands, were also sponsored.
Smaller sums were given to support Kaido Janke's master classes in Belgium, a film festival in Australia, a St. Petersburg folk dancing troupe, a literature event in Hamburg, writer Mart Kivastik's visit to Washington DC and Baltimore, and an Estonian periodical, Peterburi Teataja, in St. Petersburg.
Ott Tammik