Tartu Music Quiz no. 568: literature special
Thursday, May 14th
20:00
Culture Club Salong, Tartu Literature House
Tartu Music Quiz no. 568: literature special at the Culture Club Salong, Tartu Literature House.
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Blade Runner” (1982, director Ridley Scott)
Thursday, May 14th
20:30
Cinema Theatre Elektriteater
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Blade Runner” (1982, director Ridley Scott).
Ticket: €7, see elektriteater.ee for details.
Meeting with Polish illustrator and author Marianna Oklejak
Friday, May 15th
11:00
Tartu Public Library
The conversation will be moderated by Liisi Laineste. Marianna will present the making of the book “Cuda niewidy” and invite participants to put their own creativity to the test.
Living Library for schoolchildren at Tammelinn Library
Friday, May 15th
10:15–11:15
Tammelinn library of Tartu Public Library
10:15–11:15 and 11:40–12:40 Living Library for schoolchildren at Tammelinna Library
In the Living Library, participants can meet so-called living books—people with fascinating life stories or unique backgrounds. The “living books” share their personal experiences, professions, or hobbies in small groups over multiple rounds. These interactions broaden perspectives and can also help with future career planning. The Living Library concept was first introduced in Estonia in 2006 as part of the Council of Europe’s All Different – All Equal campaign. The format was originally developed and piloted for the Roskilde Music Festival in Denmark in 2000 and has since spread and gained popularity worldwide.
In Estonian
Living Library for schoolchildren at Tammelinn Library
Friday, May 15th
11:40–12:40
Tammelinn library of Tartu Public Library
10:15–11:15 and 11:40–12:40 Living Library for schoolchildren at Tammelinna Library
In the Living Library, participants can meet so-called living books—people with fascinating life stories or unique backgrounds. The “living books” share their personal experiences, professions, or hobbies in small groups over multiple rounds. These interactions broaden perspectives and can also help with future career planning. The Living Library concept was first introduced in Estonia in 2006 as part of the Council of Europe’s All Different – All Equal campaign. The format was originally developed and piloted for the Roskilde Music Festival in Denmark in 2000 and has since spread and gained popularity worldwide.
In Estonian
Living Library for schoolchildren at Ilmatsalu Library
Friday, May 15th
10:20–11:20
Ilmatsalu library of Tartu Public Library
In the Living Library, participants can meet so-called living books—people with fascinating life stories or unique backgrounds. The “living books” share their personal experiences, professions, or hobbies in small groups over multiple rounds. These interactions broaden perspectives and can also help with future career planning. The Living Library concept was first introduced in Estonia in 2006 as part of the Council of Europe’s All Different – All Equal campaign. The format was originally developed and piloted for the Roskilde Music Festival in Denmark in 2000 and has since spread and gained popularity worldwide.
In Estonian
Meeting with Berit Sootak
Friday, May 15th
11:30–12:30
Ilmatsalu Basic School
Berit Sootak’s debut novel „Viimane hingelind” (The Last Soul Bird) was published in 2019. Her work draws on nature and ancient beliefs.
In Estonian.
Marianna Oklejak illustration workshop
Friday, May 15th
14:00
Luts Room of Tartu Public Library
The workshop welcomes art enthusiasts with some prior experience in drawing.
The workshop will be held in English.
Prior registration required at liina.raju@luts.ee
Opening the Black Box: Prima Vista, Ümberlülitus and Värske Rõhk present: performing arts x text
Friday, May 15th
17:00
Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Armastuse saal)
Three experiments with the reading-aloud format will be presented, exploring the possibilities of co-creation between two people. What happens to a word when it is shared with another? What might emerge from the space between two fields, two mediums? Performing: Elo Valner, Astra Irene Susi, Elle Viies, Teele Pärn, Maria Helena Seppik, and Emel-Elizabeth Tuulik.
In Estonian.
See the full Opening the Black Box programme
An evening dedicated to the work of Lithuanian writer Jurgis Kunčinas (1947–2002), hosted by translator Tiina Kattel
Friday, May 15th
18:00
Tartu Public Library
The life and work of Jurgis Kunčinas, his novel “Tūla” (Loomingu Raamatukogu, no. 35–38/2025), and the documentary Almost Happy (“Beveik laimingas”, 2004, 59 min, in Lithuanian with Estonian subtitles) will be discussed by the film’s director Agnė Marcinkevičiūtė and Aistė Kučinskienė, associate professor of Lithuanian literature and translation theory at Vilnius University. The Lithuanian-language conversation will be moderated and interpreted into Estonian by the novel’s translator Tiina Kattel. After the conversation, there will be an opportunity to watch the film, in which the writer himself, as well as his closest family members, friends and companions, all have their say.
The event is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania.
In Lithuanian and Estonian.
Launch of the Estonian translation of Klaske Havik’s poetry collection “Tee edasine”
Friday, May 15th
18:00
Bookshop Biblioteek
Launch of the Estonian translation of Klaske Havik’s poetry collection “Tee edasine” (The Way Forward, translated into Estonian by Urmo Mets) at Biblioteek bookshop.
Opening the Black Box: The Close! Literary readings and performances
Friday, May 15th
20:00
Aaraaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love
Literary performance evening featuring contributions from five UK poets and writers: Charlotte Geater, Amy Cutler, Llew Watkins, Francis Gene-Rowe and Erica Masserano. As the night deepens and the week draws to a close, we will share two hours of wondrous and strange performances with you.
In English.
See the full Opening the Black Box programme
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Her” (2013, director Spike Jonze)
Friday, May 15th
20:30
Cinema theatre Elektriteater
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Her” (2013, director Spike Jonze).
Ticket: €7, see elektriteater.ee for details.
Conference Hot Springs of Estonian Sci-Fi
Saturday, May 16th
10:00
Raekoja Hall of the Cinema theatre Elektriteater
A special programme dedicated to the history of Estonian science fiction, featuring talks, a panel discussion, an exhibition tour and a film screening.
In Estonian.
Gutenberg Story Meter (Gutenbergi jutumeeter) at the bookshop Biblioteek with writer Andrus Kivirähk
Saturday, May 16th
11:30
Bookshop Biblioteek
Gutenberg Story Meter (Gutenbergi jutumeeter) at the bookshop Biblioteek with writer Andrus Kivirähk.
Festival Ümberlülitus (Switchover) presents: a workshop led by Kristina Norman and Heneliis Notton
Saturday, May 16th
13:00
at the small hall of Tartu New Theatre (Tartu Uus Teater)
Kristina Norman and Heneliis Notton lead a workshop exploring storytelling through collage. By combining different texts, ideas, personal memories and photographs, collage becomes a resourceful tool for finding where stories intersect. In the course of this playful workshop, both facilitators draw on their own artistic practice – Kristina shares how to weave documentary stories together around a central image, while Heneliis brings along ideas and exercises from collective writing workshops. The workshop is open to anyone interested in working with text; extensive writing experience is not required.
NB! Pre-registration required. More information: saal.ee
The Department of Classical Philology of the University of Tartu presents: Fragments of Ancient Greek Poetry
Saturday, May 16th
16:00
Student corporation Ugala
Time and again, it is said that the literature of the ancient world was oral and intended primarily for performance before an audience. With this in mind, ancient Greek poetry is performative in its very nature and, in addition to the pleasure of reading, also offers a physical, bodily experience. Students of classical philology at the University of Tartu seek to bring the language of ancient Greek poetry back to life in its lived, physical expression – together with rhythm and movement. The programme will feature excerpts in both Greek and Estonian from the works of Sappho, something more epic in the form of a Homeric hymn, and a touch of tragedy with the opening of the chorus from Aeschylus’ The Suppliants. The students may also have a few surprises in store.
Discussion The Incredible World of Barbara Cartland
Saturday, May 16th
18.00
Culture Club Salong, Tartu Literature House
Barbara Cartland (1901–2000) wrote hundreds of texts throughout her life and published them in enormous print runs. Her works have been translated into over a billion copies, including dozens of titles into Estonian. New translations continue to appear, and she still commands a loyal readership. During her lifetime, Cartland was one of London society’s most celebrated figures, appearing at public events, on television and beyond. On top of all this, she found time to take up glider flying.
The Cartland phenomenon will be discussed by philologists Kaspar Jassa, Maia Tammjärv and Berk Vaher.
The conversation will last approximately one hour.
In Estonian.
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Island of Lost Souls” (1932, director Erle C. Kenton)
Saturday, May 16th
18:00
Cinema theatre Elektriteater
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Island of Lost Souls”, 1932, director Erle C. Kenton).
Ticket: €7, see elektriteater.ee for details.
Festival Ümberlülitus (Switchover) presents: SAAL3 vol4
Saturday, May 16th
20:00
Tartu New Theatre (Tartu Uus Teater)
SAAL3 is a short performance format created to allow artists to experiment, try things out, make mistakes and successful attempts. SAAL3 takes place on only one evening – making the event both a premiere and a finissage at the same time. The artists of SAAL3 vol 4 are Viktoria Martjanova, Mihkel Maripuu, and Norman Orro.
Additional information and tickets: https://saal.ee/en/festivals/