Presentation of Mariann Rückenberg’s book “The Witch Daughter’s Legend: The Tale of Sookrat and Hendrick von Tisenhusen” (Ferielum OÜ)
Saturday, 10th May
13.00
Apollo bookstore at Tartu Kaubamaja
This historical novel takes place in 1625 in Estonia and Livonia, following a journey from near Paide to Põltsamaa and along the Emajõgi River to Tartu. It is likely one of the first books in world literature to tell a story from the perspective of an Estonian woman in the early 17th century. One of the novel’s climactic moments is the historical event of Tartu’s siege and capture by the forces of Gustav II Adolf, marking the beginning of Swedish rule in Estonia.
“Eellülitus”: Literature x Performing Arts
Saturday, 10th May
14.00
Tartu New Theatre
A collaboration between Kanuti Gildi SAAL and the young literature magazine Värske Rõhk, this performance art literary program highlights creators who work both on stage and in writing, giving them the opportunity to present their literary work to an audience.
What happens when written words come to life on stage? How far can they go?
Performers: Sveta Grigorjeva, Liisbeth Horn, Kärt Koppel, Getriin Kotsar, Heneliis Notton, Jarmo Reha, Astra Irene Susi, and Kristel Zimmer.
The event is part of the pre-program for the Ümberlülitus festival.
Project managers: Saara Liis Jõerand, Kerly Ritval.
Awarding of the best in the school youth information search game “Find the place where you can get it”
Saturday, 10th May
15:30
Fahrenheit 451° bookstore
Awarding of the best in the school youth information search game “Find the place where you can get it” in the Fahrenheit 451° bookstore
See also: https://kirjandusfestival.tartu.ee/en/find-a-place-where-you-can-get-it/
Tartu Literature House History Tour led by Ants Siim
Saturday, 10th May
15:00
Tartu Literature House
We head off on a history tour of Tartu Literature House. Under the guidance of Ants Siim, you will hear the exciting stories that have taken place between the walls of Vanemuise 19. We’ll find out how Theodor Luts’s 19th-century aristocratic palace became Tartu’s “Hollywood” and how the building known as the House of Literature in the 1930s became the infamous KGB “light blue house”. We also look at how the literary community reclaimed its house in the 1990s and developed it into the vibrant literary-cultural centre it is today.
N.B.: Those interested are invited to register HERE. The number of places is limited.
“Life as a River” ‒ writing mythical, allegorical and symbolist poetry with Andy Willoughby
Saturday, 10th May
16.00
Club Salong, Tartu Literature House
Life as a River
Writing realist, mythological, allegorical, and symbolist poetry out of the river map of your life in a very active creative workshop with Andy Willoughby, which is full of sketching, writing, and spontaneous performance games. Suitable for new writers, experienced writers, stage poets, page poets and just-this-one-time poets. The work produced can later be taken over into any form or genre you like, flowing like the eternal creative river Andy conjures up with you. Andy has previously taken a version of this workshop to Bucharest and Helsinki and is very excited to be bringing it to Tartu where he first thought of it whilst on his Tartu UNESCO City of Literature residency in 2019. Please note that you can write in any language you choose in this workshop, but the instructions will be in English.
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Luulur” (Estonia, 2025; director: Raivo Kelomees)
Saturday, 10th May
16.00
Cinema Theatre Elektriteater
Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Luulur” (Estonia, 2025; director: Raivo Kelomees)
Ticket: €7, see elektriteater.ee for details.
University of Tartu classical philology students theatre group presents: “ΨΑΠΦΩ”
Saturday, 10th May
17:00
Attic hall of the Tartu Literature House
Who was the favourite poet of great ancient authors like Plato, Ovid, and Catullus? If you guessed a short, dark-haired woman from the island of Lesbos, you guessed correctly. But who is this great “Sappho”, and why has nothing great of hers survived? A deceitful amateur production, inspired by fragments of historical truth, attempts to answer these questions.
Latgalian-Võro-Seto-Kadrina poetry evening
Saturday, 10th May
18:00
Cultue Club Salong, Tartu Literature House
Poets Ligija Purinaša, Anita Mileika, and Raibīs from Latvia, and Kauksi Ülle, Maryliis Teinfeldt-Grins, and Andreas Kalkun from Estonia will perform.
Greetings will be given by the Latvian Ambassador to Estonia, Kristīne Našeniece.
The event will be held in Latgalian (translated into Võro), Võro, and Seto languages, as well as Kadrina dialect.
ŪGA x “juos īluos līluos”
Saturday, 10th May
20:30
Cultue Club Salong, Tartu Literature House
A performance by a rap group from Latgale: the Latgalian rap princess ŪGA together with the girls’ group “juos īluos līluos”.
Presentation of Indrek Hargla’s book “Trimmerdaja surm”
Tuesday, 7th May
18:00
Culture Club Promenaadiviis
The book is part of the series “Kriminaalne raamatukogu” (“Criminal Library”), and it contains two criminal plays. At the presentation, an interactive nerve-racking episode from the play “Testamenditäitjad” will be showcased.
Screening of the program “Stalking Eastern Europe” film “Delta Space Mission”
Sunday, 12th May
16:00
Cinema theatre Elektriteater
Tartu Elektriteater presents: screening of the program “Stalking Eastern Europe” film “Delta Space Mission” (Romania, 1984; directors Calin Cazan, Mircea Toia)
The film is in Romanian with subtitles in Estonian and English. Followed by a discussion on psychedelics with Ahto Külvet, Raul Viitung, Ave Taavet and Andreas Trossek.
Ticket €7, elektriteater.ee
The screening is supported by the Embassy of Romania in Estonia.
Screening of the program “Stalking Eastern Europe” overview “Estonian Psychedelic Animation”
Sunday, 12th May
14:00
Cinema theatre Elektriteater
Tartu Elektriteater presents: screening of the program “Stalking Eastern Europe” overview “Estonian Psychedelic Animation” (Estonia, 1973–1981)
Films are subtitled in English. Ticket price 7€, see elektriteater.ee
A Roadside Picnic: opening of artist Karel Koplimets’s installation and a reading by the Writer of the Day Urmas Vadi
Sunday, 12th May
14:00–18:30
Tõravere Observatory
On the final day of the festival, everybody is invited to an outing to the Tõravere Observatory, where Karel Koplimets’s installation, created as part of the project “ArCo3 – Artists in Collections, Communities and Collectives”, will be opened, and Urmas Vadi will be reading his works. There will also be a tour of the observatory park and a visit to the Space Mission Simulation Center, led by Aditya Savio Paul.
NB! An Art Bus will depart at 14:00 from the parking lot in front of theatre Vanemuine to Tõravere, returning to the starting point at 19:00. A round-trip fare of 5 euros is payable in cash on-site (children under 10 travel for free). Registration is required by May 3rd via email: marytalvistu@gmail.com.
Screening of the program “Stalking Eastern Europe” film “On the Silver Globe”
Saturday, 11th May
17:00
Cinema theatre Elektriteater
Tartu Elektriteater presents: screening of the program “Stalking Eastern Europe” film “On the Silver Globe” (Poland, 1988, directed by Andrzej Zulawski)
The film will be introduced by Polish science fiction researcher Paweł Frelik. After the film, there will be a discussion with Frelik led by film critic Tristan Priimägi. Hopefully, we’ll figure out what the hell it is we just watched. The film is in Polish with subtitles in Estonian and English; the introduction and discussion are in English. The screening is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tallinn. Ticket: €7, see elektriteater.ee
“Bring Your Own Utopia”: performance “The Forest of Ink and Skin” by David Hartley (UK) and Henri Hütt
Saturday, 11th May
15:00–19:00
Tartu New Theatre
Folktales foraged from painted bark; stories salvaged from inky roots. Welcome to the Forest of Ink and Skin; a place of ancient futures, and pasts that are yet to come. Stroll between the trees and seek the tales written on flesh. Find the symbols of protection and the creatures of transformation, seek the moth, the wolf, and the fox. Go deeper. Watch your step. Keep moving, and do not stop. The Forest of Ink and Skin will take care of you. The Forest of Ink and Skin will take you. Do not be afraid. A unique storytelling experience from Henri Hütt, David Hartley, and a legion of living, breathing trees. If you go down to the woods today…
The performance was sponsored by A. Le Coq.
Read more about “Bring Your Own Utopia” HERE.
David Hartley reminisces about “The Forest of Ink & Skin” in his blog:
“The Forest of Ink & Skin was scheduled to be a major part of the final day of the 2024 Prima Vista Literature Festival and, just as that bottle toppled, the first audience members were making their way inside. Across the two hours, we would perform those eight stories to over 100 torch-bearing people as they wandered through our living forest of tattooed Estonians.”
Read more on David Hartley’s blog.
Award ceremony for the best participants of the school youth information retrieval game
Saturday, 11th May
14:00
Fahrenheit 451° bookstore
Award ceremony for the best participants of the school youth information retrieval game
Presentation of the special issue of Värske Rõhk “How to Write Kindness” – community day with readings and soup kitchen
Saturday, 11th May
12:00
Courtyard of Tähtvere Day Centre
Performers include Helena Aadli, Oliver Issak, Saara Liis Jõerand, Anastassia Kuznetsova, Andreas Kübar, Emma Lotta Lõhmus, Karin Orgulas, Johanna Rannik, and Hildegard Reimann.
Program:
- 12:00 PM: Welcome, opening remarks, and refreshments
- 12:30 PM: Panel discussion: ERR journalist Heleri All talks with the project’s authors and Peaasi clinical counsellor Mirjam Kase about the joys and sorrows of volunteering, social responsibility, and the power of art.
- 1:30 PM: Tidi
- 2:00 PM: Open stage!
See also: http://kirjandusfestival.tartu.ee/en/events/tartu-2024-events/how-to-write-kindness/
Insomniacathon Vol3
11th May 10:00–12th May 10:00
Tartu Literature House and Culture Club Salong
24-hour cultural marathon Insomniacathon takes place in Tartu for the third time! This event, imported to Tartu and Prima Vista by the American beat poet Ron Whitehead, has already become eagerly looked forward to by many and offers both surprises as well as the familiar, new performers, as well as old acquaintances, including Ron himself. The performers this year include Ron Whitehead, Jinn Bug, Alan Shapiro, Claudia Baniahmad, Christiane Vadnais, Halõna Kruk, Francis Gene-Rowe, Amy Cutler, Merca, fs, Kristel Mägedi, Aime Hansen, Two Pigs Flying Towards the Sun, Andres Roots, and others.
SCHEDULE
10.00 Opening of Insomniacathon on the front stairs of Tartu Literature House. Opening words: Ron Whitehead
10.30 A cultural historical tour at Tartu Literature House guided by Ants Siim
11.00 Coffee and fortune-telling in Utopia
At the Culture Club Salong
12.00–14.00 Poetry workshop with Joelle Taylor (UK)
14.00 Insomniakaton I and II in pictures – opening of a photo exhibition at the Salong (weather permitting, in the summer garden)
15.00 Estonian Theatre Agency and Theatre Vanemuine present: Reading of Paul Piik’s play “Kolimine” at the Salong; featuring Vanemuine actors Karol Kuntsel, Ken Rüütel, Reimo Sagor, along with guests Iris Viru and musician Karl-Martin Kirm
In the Attic Hall
15.30 Ivars Šteinbergs (Latvia) in the attic of the Literature House
16.00 Screening of the film “Einaratīvs” dedicated to Latvian conceptualist poet Einārs Pelšs in the attic of the Literature House, introduced by its director Betija Zvejniece
18.00 Performance “Catilina” by classical philology students of the University of Tartu
At the Culture Club Salong
16.30 Merca (Writer of the Day, Estonia)
17.00 Alan Shapiro (USA/Germany)
17.30 Claudia Baniahmad (USA/Germany)
18.00 A selection of Ukrainian poetry: poems by Olga Povoroznyk and Halyna Kruk read in Ukrainian as well as in Estonian and English translation
18.30 fs (Estonia)
19.00 Ron Whitehead (USA)
19.30 Jinn Bug (USA)
20.00 Christiane Vadnais (Canada)
20.30 Kristel Mägedi (Estonia)
21.00 Francis Gene-Rowe (UK) and Amy Cutler (UK) present: Osculate Orbits: A Conflux of Speculative Writing
21.40 Aime Hansen (Estonia)
22.10 Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir (Iceland)
22.40 Merca (Estonia)
23.00 Live: Two Pigs Fly Towards the Sun
00.00 Siim Lill (Estonia)
00.15 Open mic
01.30 Disco 3024
03.30 Wild visions of the future in Estonian literature
04.30 Soup and sunrise karaoke
06.00 Ten-line science fiction story writing competition (themes provided on-site)
07.00 “Hope for the Future”: video messages from children, introduced by Hilary Bird
08.30 Live: Andres Roots (Estonia)
09.00 Urmas Vadi (Writer of the Day of May 12th, Estonia) and Meelis Friedenthal (Writer of the Day of May 6th, Estonia)
09.30 Closing of Insomniacathon
Concert “Writers in Music”
Friday, 10th May
20:00
Culture Club Salong
It has been 20 years since the first concert of writers, formerly known as “Singing Writers”. At this celebratory concert, reminiscent of the early days, we will have on stage Jürgen Rooste along with Siim Aimla, Aapo Ilves, and Merca. They will be joined by representatives of the new generation, the Avemaria ensemble: Riste Sofie Käär (vocals, guitar), Kalli Talonpoika (drums), Alexander Kaseste (bass), and Jarko Skolin (guitar). The concert will be hosted by Toomas Leppik.
https://www.facebook.com/events/7969216906430217
A play „Tundmatute asjade mets” (“The Forest of Unknown Things”)
Friday, 10th May
19:00
Tartu New Theatre
Tartu New Theatre presents: „Tundmatute asjade mets” (“The Forest of Unknown Things”)
A play about entirely ordinary things and non-things. Introduction and ticket information: uusteater.ee