Unda Festival brings electronic music and culture to ERM in Tartu
This Thursday (September 19), Unda, a new electronic music festival, began at the Estonian National Museum (ERM) in Tartu. As well as dancing, festivalgoers also have the chance to listen to discussions about nightlife and visit the ERM's exhibition "Who Claims the Night?"
While electronic music festivals are usually held underground or in old factory buildings, this weekend's Unda festival takes place in the Estonian National Museum (ERM).
For the ERM, doing so seems only natural, as the researchers at the museum have been studying topics related to nightlife for the past four years.
"During my extensive research into nightlife, I've seen that Estonians actually started regularly staying up until the early hours of the morning in their inns as early as the end of the 19th century," said Karin Leivategija, who curated the museum's current exhibition "Who Claims the Night?"
"After all, inns were very important cultural institutions, so you could say that we are reviving this tradition," Leivategija added.
Unda is not just a music festival. The program also includes a series of debates and discussions.
"In the beginning, we were party people but then at some point, this partying became a profession. Now I'm at the age where I'm starting to share my knowledge and I don't dance so much myself at night anymore," said the event's lead organizer Elena Natale.
The festival also includes a stage curated by the Berlin club Tresor, which brings together a number of different international artists.
"In a way, this is like a clear indication that what we are doing is right. That the oldest and most famous club in Europe is coming and supporting what we're doing, and curating a stage," Natale said.
During the festival, attendees will also be able to walk through the ERM's permanent exhibition and the installations that are part of the "Who Claims the Night?" exhibition.
The Unda Festival continues until Sunday.
More information is available here.
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Editor: Karmen Rebane, Michael Cole