25.01.25 NEWS ... Tartu's year as European Capital of Culture officially ended in November. But is that the end of it? ERR News' Michael Cole spoke to Teresa Vieira and Radu Sticlea, organizers of Porto's BEAST International Film Festival about how Estonian movies resonate with their audiences, what Portuguese men can learn from Estonia's sauna culture, and how what Tartu 2024's artistic concept "arts of survival" means to them.

08.01.25 NEWS ... Tartu 2024 officially ended in November, but the Capital of Culture Foundation is set to continue with some of its activities until the end of this year. All parties involved are hoping the cooperation between the municipalities of South Estonia, which began as a result of the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) project, will be able to continue beyond 2025 in one form or another.

02.01.25 NEWS ... Citizens of Tartu have voted the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) Tartu 2024 as the city's most important act of last year. The annual vote to determine Tartu's "Act of the Year" was held for the 27th time in 2024 and organized by Tartu City Government and local newspaper Tartu Postimees.

30.11.24 NEWS ... Tartu celebrated the end of its year as the European Capital of Culture on Saturday (November 30) with a light show, concert, and events across the city.

28.11.24 NEWS ... On Saturday, November 30, the famous bells of Tartu's Town Hall Square (Raekoja Plats) will play the tune of "Young Blood City" by NOËP, the official anthem of Tartu 2024 European Capital of Culture.

27.11.24 NEWS ... Acclaimed artist and composer Ryoji Ikeda caused a stir when he opened a new solo exhibition at the Estonian National Museum this November. The artist, who usually never gives interviews, agreed to make an exception for ERR. The interview can be seen as part of the show "Ikeda's Universe" on ERR's Jupiter service or by following the link in this article.

27.11.24 NEWS ... At a ceremony in the Austrian mountains, this year's European Capitals of Culture, Bodø in northern Norway, Bad Ischl in Austria and Tartu in Estonia, officially handed over the title for 2025 to the German city of Chemnitz and Nova Gorica in Slovenia.

26.11.24 NEWS ... Tartu 2024's grand finale is set to take place this Saturday, November 30, in Pirogov Park. There will also be numerous after parties around the city on Saturday night to celebrate the end of the city's year as European Capital of Culture.

21.11.24 NEWS ... Almost 2,000 passengers traveled on Tartu's culture bus during a four-month pilot project this summer exploring future technology, the public space, and mobility.

16.11.24 NEWS ... This November, Tartu – Estonia's "City of Good Thoughts" – and Lviv – Ukraine's "Cultural Fortress" – signed a historic agreement to officially become sister cities. ERR News' Michael Cole spoke to Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi ahead of Tartu 2024's "Ukrainian Days" to find out more about what this new relationship means.

08.11.24 NEWS ... A new exhibition of Estonian toys is now open at the Tartu Toy Museum. "Estonia Plays" includes a series of contemporary Estonian toys made by 25 different small-scale manufacturers.

31.10.24 NEWS ... This year marks 800 years since the beginning of Tartu as a city. To mark the occasion, "Invisible City. 800 Years of the City of Tartu," a new exhibition at the University of Tartu Museum takes visitors back to see what it was like in Tartu in medieval times.

29.10.24 NEWS ... In case you hadn't heard, 2024 is a big deal in Tartu. This year, Estonia's "City of Good Thoughts" is one of three European Capitals of Culture. But in challenging times like these, what does "arts of survival," the artistic concept underpinning this celebration of all things South Estonia really mean? In the seventh feature of this series, Michael Cole headed to the periphery to see how people from seemingly distant cultures have found ways to connect in a very different kind of Estonia.

26.10.24 NEWS ... Tartu 2024's Final Celebration is set to take place on Saturday, November 30 in Pirogov Park. The grand finale includes a light show and open air rave, with D&B legend Goldie and Estonian Minister of Culture Heidy Purga among those DJing at the event.

22.10.24 NEWS ... The first ever Viljandi Heritage Festival was held earlier this month, the central theme of which was "Heritage heals." Viljandi, Estonia was designated by UNESCO as a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art in 2019.

20.10.24 NEWS ... This summer, Tartu accommodated 7 percent more tourists than last summer – including as many as 15 percent more foreign tourists, Statistics Estonia said. Tartu is one of three European Capitals of Culture in 2024.

17.10.24 NEWS ... In case you hadn't heard, 2024 is a big deal in Tartu. This year, Estonia's "City of Good Thoughts" is one of three European Capitals of Culture. But in challenging times like these, what does "arts of survival," the artistic concept underpinning this celebration of all things South Estonia really mean? In the sixth feature of this series, Michael Cole headed to Tartu's Annelinn district with director Jaanika Tammaru and actor Jordi Ripley to find out how a touch of theatrical magic can help reveal important local stories that too often go untold.

16.10.24 NEWS ... On Saturday, October 19, home saunas across Rõuge Municipality in South Estonia will be open for guests to come along and share the experience with local families.

15.10.24 NEWS ... This Friday (October 18) sees the opening of the major exhibition "Superorganism" at Tartu's Aparaaditehas, with the most exciting artworks created during the third MagiC Carpets art residencies set to be showcased. "Superorganism" will also host an interdisciplinary symposium for artists and curators from all over Europe.

11.10.24 NEWS ... This Saturday and Sunday (October 12 and 13) the light festival Alatskivi Valgus is set to take place at Alatskivi Castle (Tartu County). During the festival, local history will be brought to life via a series of video, light and sound, as well as craft and taste experiences.

07.10.24 NEWS ... On November 2, a solo exhibition by the acclaimed Japanese artist and composer Ryoji Ikeda, for which the artist will create two new works, is set to open at the Estonian National Museum (ERM). The opening will be followed by a unique concert, featuring the world premiere of a joint composition by Ryoji Ikeda and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste.

20.09.24 NEWS ... On October 19, British rapper Bru-C is set to perform at Tartu's Kammivabrik. As a bonus, Bru-C will be supported by local acts Cartoon, MHKL, Xane and Majestim.

20.09.24 NEWS ... 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?"

19.09.24 NEWS ... In case you hadn't heard, 2024 is a big deal in Tartu. This year, Estonia's "City of Good Thoughts" is one of three European Capitals of Culture. But in challenging times like these, what does "arts of survival," the artistic concept underpinning this celebration of all things South Estonia really mean? In the fIfth feature of this series, Michael Cole spoke to artist Sasha Milyakina (Sashami) to find out how she's using her art to capture parts of Tartu that sometimes seem to be slowly slipping away.

30.08.24 NEWS ... Last Friday, August 30, saw the opening of the new solo exhibition "Succumbing to Temptation" by Latvian artist Aleksandrs Breže at Tartu's Kogo Gallery. "Succumbing to Temptation" is Breže's first solo show in Estonia and has been organized in collaboration with LOOK! Gallery in Riga.

30.08.24 NEWS ... This Friday and Saturday, August 30-31, Tartu's Aparaaditehas is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a host of events including workshops, tours, live music and a street market. The festival also includes the 13th Gallery Night on Friday, when a number of galleries open their doors for the evening.

26.08.24 NEWS ... The 2024 Baltic Film Days are set to take place this weekend (August 29 to 31) at Tartu's Elektriteater. The festival program showcases some of the best Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian cinema from recent years.

22.08.24 NEWS ... This week, Simple Session, one of the world's largest BMX and skateboarding competitions, returns to its hometown of Tartu. From August 22 to 25, hundreds of top BMX riders and skateboarders will be competing on a specially designed course in the city's Comb Factory (kammivabrik) and the surrounding area.

19.08.24 NEWS ... Last weekend (August 17-18), Estonian conductor and composer Kristjan Järvi brought thousands of music lovers to the Elva Song Festival Grounds for the unique "Twilight of the Senses" show.

16.08.24 NEWS ... Between August 8 and 11, the "Curated Vitality" project, along with the School of Architecture ran a special camp for youngsters aged 11-26 in Tartu, during which they created their own unique huts. The huts were built near the playground in Tartu's Central Park (Kesk Park) using natural materials such as reeds, wood and recycled plywood.

16.08.24 NEWS ... From August 12-18, Tartu has been celebrating Pride with a week full of music, art, films, discussion groups, walks and workshops. The week culminates with a Pride March and an open-air concert in the city's Town Hall Square (Raekoja Plats) this Saturday.

01.08.24 NEWS ... On Saturday (August 3), ETV broadcast Tartu 2024's Summer Celebration concert which can be watched again on Jupiter.

27.07.24 NEWS ... In case you hadn't heard, 2024 is a big deal in Tartu. This year, Estonia's "City of Good Thoughts" is one of three European Capitals of Culture. But in challenging times like these, what does "arts of survival," the artistic concept underpinning this celebration of all things South Estonia really mean? In the fourth feature of this series, Michael Cole found out more about ways Tartu's Ukrainian community is coping with what often feels like two parallel realities at the same time.

24.07.24 NEWS ... Documentary "Queendom" (2023) will be shown in Tartu on Thursday (July 25) and is Aparaaditehas' only open-air cinema screening of the summer.

20.07.24 NEWS ... The third MagiC Carpets art residency continues to explore theme of "bodiliness," with the artists involved invited to make use of the City of Tartu's archives in order to engage with the oral and written histories of Southern Estonia.

20.07.24 NEWS ... On Thursday, July 18, British singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer Jacob Collier performed at the Tartu Song Festival Grounds (Lauluväljak) with Take 6. In an interview with ETV show "Aktuaalne kaamera", Collier said that for him, music is one of the best languages in the world for translating life into emotion.

19.07.24 NEWS ... This Sunday (July 21), "Kaleidoscope of Emotions," a collective work of art created by Ukrainian refugees who have started a new life in Tartu, is set to be unveiled on the city's Car-free Avenue (Autovabaduse puiestee).

16.07.24 NEWS ... This Thursday (July 18), Finnish bands Sagastrophe and Pulkka will both perform live on Tartu's Car-free Avenue (Autovabaduse puiestee).

16.07.24 NEWS ... This week (July 15-21), the "Aigu Om!" festival in Võru County, South Estonia will explore traditional ways of slowing down from different cultures. This year's event has a special focus on Estonia and Japan – two seemingly distant cultural spaces with plenty in common, including the shared importance of preserving ancient connections to nature.

11.07.24 NEWS ... A large industrial hemp maze featuring a huge cannabis leaf shaped center has re-opened on a three-hectare field along the Tartu-Võru road in Saverna, Põlva County. The maze, which will open to the public during this weekend's Kanepi Festival aims to promote the municipality and the various uses of industrial hemp.

11.07.24 NEWS ... On July 11-13, a celebration of Latvian culture in all its beauty and diversity is set to take place on Tartu's Car-free Avenue (Autovabaduse puiestee). Among the expected highlights is a free live performance from Latvian pop-rock band Sudden Lights on Friday evening.

10.07.24 NEWS ... Estonian Academy of Arts first-year architecture students will build their starting project in Tartu's Annelinn district this year. A wooden staircase will be built on Kaunase puiestee to help residents better use the public space.

10.07.24 NEWS ... On Thursday, July 18, multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier and vocal ensemble Take 6 are set to perform at the Tartu Song Festival Grounds (Lauluväljak). The specially-formed Tartu 2024 Symphony Orchestra will join Collier and Take 6 for the show.

09.07.24 NEWS ... Dozens of new art works have appeared on the streets of Tartu thanks to the street art festival Stencibility. This year's Stencibility Festival featured artists from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Italy, Ukraine and of course, Estonia.

06.07.24 NEWS ... This week, top artists from across Europe are in Tartu creating new works on the city's streets as the Stencibility festival celebrates its fifteenth anniversary. The festival also includes a new street art exhibition at an abandoned yeast factory.

05.07.24 NEWS ... On Thursday, the opening concert of the six-day Glasperlenspiel (Klaaspärlimäng) Festival took place in Tartu's St. John's Church (Jaani kirik), featuring conductor Neeme Järvi, violinist Hans Christian Aavik and the Klaaspärlimäng Sinfonietta. The program included works by Mozart, Haydn and Albinoni.

03.07.24 NEWS ... Last Friday (June 28), the international technology-driven art exhibition "Enter Woodland Spirits" opened in Tartu. The exhibition aims to revive ancient folk wisdom and make nature more tangible.

01.07.24 NEWS ... On Saturday, August 3, Tartu 2024's "Summer Celebration" will take place on the city's Car-Free Avenue with a concert titled "Arts of Survival at the Crossroads." The show, which includes several renowned Estonian artists will tell the story of Tartu's survival. The evening ends with a concert by the Estonian metal and punk band Winny Puhh.

28.06.24 NEWS ... Starting this Saturday (June 29), a series of art tours exploring life on the peripheries and presenting Southern Estonia as a culturally rich and diverse region are set to begin. "Route Diverse" takes in three distinct exhibition venues with the tour bus itself also providing a unique artistic experience.

27.06.24 NEWS ... In case you hadn't heard, 2024 is a big deal in Tartu. This year, Estonia's "City of Good Thoughts" is one of three European Capitals of Culture. But in challenging times like these, what does "arts of survival," the artistic concept underpinning this celebration of all things South Estonia really mean? In the third feature of this series, Michael Cole went back to the archives with folklorists Ave Goršič and Taive Särg, artist Henri Hütt and curator Evelyn Raudsepp to find out more.