One of the goals of this year’s week of culture is to contribute to the autumn cultural life of Ida-Viru County. “Nordic Culture Week is almost big enough to be called a festival, and our aim with it is to enrich the cultural life in Ida-Viru County and to showcase the culture of our northern neighbours,” explained Christer Haglund, the director of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia. “It’s a particularly appropriate time to be doing so, since our office is celebrating its 25th anniversary. We also want to recreate a shared northern dimension between Estonia and the people who live here and the Nordic countries. Culture’s everywhere – we all share it – and we want the experience of Nordic cultural events to be shared, to bring people together and to inspire them.”
Throughout history there have been close ties between Ida-Viru County (Narva especially) and the Nordic countries. But how do Northern European artists think and create what they create in this day and age? What inspires young Sami musicians, and what kind of musical landscape do they work within? How do the imaginations of circus artists from across the gulf differ from those of others? “In putting the programme together we thought about everyone, young and old alike,” said Nordic Culture Week project manager Jevgeni Timoštšuk. “A whole raft of events will be taking place in Narva, Sillamäe, Jõhvi and Kohtla-Järve, but people from all over the county are welcome to come and savour the rich imagination and depth of meaning of Nordic creativity. There’ll be something for everyone.”
Examples include concerts in Jõhvi and Narva by Niillas Holmberg (one of the most important contemporary Sami musicians) and Roope Mäenpää; the free film screenings being held in both cities which will showcase new Nordic cinema; the unique experience that school children in the county will be treated to in the form of the L’Avventura circus from Finland; the pop-up performances by Icelandic jewellery artist Katrín Ólína Pétursdóttir in Narva, Jõhvi and Kohtla-Nõmme, which will also feature guest performers; and entertaining and educational exhibitions on life and art in the Nordic countries in the biggest towns and cities in the county.
Nordic Culture Week 2016 is the follow-up to last year’s Nordic Film Week. “Last year’s film festival was a real success, so we decided to take a broader look at Nordic culture,” Timoštšuk explained. “We really hope Culture Week becomes an eagerly awaited annual tradition in the autumn calendar of events in Ida-Viru County.”