Ticket prices at the Estonian Drama Theater in Tallinn will become more expensive from January onwards. Although ticket prices also vary according to where the seats are in the theater, the average increase is expected to be between €5 and €10, said the Estonian Drama Theater's communications manager Tanel Tomson.

"It is true that the ticket price for productions with larger audiences will increase slightly more. But I would like to emphasize here that we will also increase the discount on ticket prices for students, teachers, pensioners, theater-goers with special needs and accompanying persons from 20 to 25 percent," Tomson said.

This means that, despite the higher ticket prices, concessionary ticket prices will remain more or less the same as they are now.

"As far as the budget is concerned, we haven't yet received the exact figures regarding the state subsidies for the coming year, so the budget is still being put together. At the moment, we're working on the basis of a four percent budget cut and a two percent increase in VAT," Tomson said.

The ticket prices for summer productions, which theaters usually stage off-site, are already significantly higher than regular tickets. Nevertheless. the Estonian Drama Theater plans to raise its summer production ticket prices even further in summer 2025.

"The tickets for summer productions are more expensive in general as they are more costly to put on than regular performances, particularly the production of 'Business as Usual' in Tartu," Tomson said.

The Estonia Theater, which is also in Tallinn is another venue that is set to increase its prices slightly from the new year, according to director Ott Maaten. "From the next season, which starts in the fall, we will raise the prices more, by between five and ten percent," Maaten said.

Tartu's Vanemuine Theater is not increasing its prices.

"A price increase would reduce the opportunity for less well-off audiences to enjoy the theater, including visitors with children. Our aim is to make theater accessible and enjoyable for all. The Vanemuine Theater's audience is diverse and we want to avoid a situation where only a few can enjoy this cultural experience," said director Aivar Mäe.

The Endla Theater in Pärnu also has no plans to raise ticket prices from the beginning of next year.

"We will try to find another way and review the ticket prices at the beginning of the new season," explained Endla Theater marketing manager Inger Lilles-Nestor.

Most theaters have not decided on a price increase

According to Mihkel Kübara, head of Tallinn City Theater (Tallinna Linnateate), the increase in theatre ticket prices is not a new issue, and has already happened several times in recent years. Whether and by how much the theater plans to raise prices, Kübar was not yet able to say, because accessibility is also an important consideration.

The Estonian Theater for Young Audiences (NUKU) is still in the process of discussing ticket prices. "It is possible that we will also have to adjust our own ticket prices, but it is too early to say by how much," said the theater's communications manager Helena Läks, adding that they are currently putting together next year's budget and will be able to give more precise answers in early November.

The VAT Theater in Tallinn began discussions this week on what to do regarding tickets, but has not yet made any decisions. "We are thinking about what to do and where to go, but the discussions have only just begun," said Rasmus Järvesaar, head of communications.

The Ugala Theater in Viljandi has not yet addressed this issue, and discussions about next year's budget as well as a possible increase in ticket prices due to begin next week.

Piret Rauk, director of the Kuressaare Theater in Saaremaaa said that they would not like to raise their ticket prices.

"We wouldn't want to do that because we are still in a remote area and we operate in a county with the lowest average salary in Estonia," Rauk said, adding that at the same time she could not say for sure at the moment whether the ticket prices would eventually have to be adjusted or not.

According to Rakvere Theater manager Velvo Väli, they have already discussed the issue of ticket prices, but no concrete decisions have yet been made. "Obviously, we will have to adjust our prices a little bit in the light of next year's budget," he said.

Chancellor: Price increases are down to theater managers' decisions

Commenting on the increase in ticket prices, Kristiina Alliksaar, Chancellor of the Ministry of Culture and former head of the Vanemuine Theater, said that it is up to the head of each theater, museum and production, whether they are part of a state-established foundation or a private company, to decide on the price increase.

"In each house, the degree of inevitability is up to them to define. In a market economy, every wise manager reacts according to supply and demand," said Alliksaar.

At the same time, Alliksaar said, state-owned theaters have a role to play regarding accessibility, which is the expectation of the founders. There is also a tacit agreement that the average price of theater tickets will not exceed one percent of the average national salary.

"This does not preclude that there will be differences in the prices and also in the discounts depending on demand," Alliksaar said.

The average gross monthly wage in Estonia is just over €2,100, one percent of which is around €21.

Alliksaar said that the extra money the theaters are earning is partly a result of the current economic situation, with a large proportion of services consistently rising in price.

Alliksaar does not believe more expensive tickets and therefore a slightly richer theaters will lead to better productions.

"I haven't experienced an overwhelmingly poor quality of productions, nor a direct correlation between cost and the quality of productions. Art must have both successes and failures, otherwise art is not free and there is no development," Alliksaar said.

Alliksaar: Salary costs cannot come from box office revenue

"For theaters, the biggest part of the budget goes on staff costs. Salaries are a fixed cost. The financial success of productions cannot be guaranteed in free arts institutions, and it is therefore difficult to tie a very high level of one's own income as a supplement to the salary fund. These funds will be used partly for salary differentiation, but more obviously for the variable salary component," the Chancellor explained.

Asked whether more expensive tickets could hinder theatre-goers' ability to access performances, the Alliksaar said that, as the Estonia's cultural policy-maker, the ministry considers it important that the Estonian language and culture are protected through the performing arts.

"This is why eight state-owned foundations have been set up with specific tasks to support this objective. That is why the budget cuts for these institutions are the smallest, at four percent. Discounted tickets for young people, children, pensioners and families are not going anywhere," said Alliksaar.

In a public appeal to Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) in mid-September, the Estonian Association of Performing Arts Institutions (EETEAL) wrote that cut in operating subsidies is a big blow to theaters and will also reduce the accessibility and quality of theatrical arts.

"The planned budget cuts will not ensure the continuation of the performing arts in a high quality, but will lead to irreversible negative consequences, such as an unreasonable wave of redundancies (in professions to which it will be difficult to return to later) and a significant reduction in jobs, the forced commercialization of the performing arts and a reduction in accessibility (due to the inevitable rise in ticket prices), especially among people with lower incomes," the authors of the appeal said.

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