Archimedes Lacks Funding for Academy of Arts Building
Plans for the construction of a new Estonian Academy of the Arts building have been cast in doubt over the question of project funding.
In January 2011, the Archimedes Foundation, an independent body that coordinates Estonia's research and educational projects, announced plans for funding the design and construction of the new Academy of Arts building in Tallinn with 12 million euros. The project's total cost is estimated at 40 million euros.
"We carefully considered the prospect of constructing a building for the Academy of Arts, but also considered the risk that construction might not happen," said Eve Sild, an Archimedes board member.
Archimedes' project task force initially deemed the project viable. But, more recently, there has been doubt over whether the project would get required state funding, at least according to the project's cost and deadline.
Sild said one of the main reasons for pulling out is that the dispute over granting a building permit for the project is still continuing and there is sufficient cause to believe that the permit, when issued, will become subject to a court battle.
According to Katrin Kase, head of communication for Archimedes, the academy will have to return the 2.25 million euros already received from the foundation.
Andres Kahar