Events

On 29 September, as part of the Design Night festival, the exhibition “UPMADE® in Kenya: DiMa + EKA Circular Design” will open in the Krulli quarter, showcasing creative works made from the textile offcuts of a Kenyan factory.

The exhibition is free to attend, with the opening on Monday 29.09 at 18:30 at The Machine Shop I, Krulli quarter. Regular opening hours Tuesday–Saturday 11:00–20:00 and Sunday 11:00–18:00 (29.09-05.10.2025).  

The textile industry is one of the world’s most environmentally impactful sectors – it consumes vast amounts of raw materials and energy and generates large volumes of waste. In Kenya, where the industry is rapidly growing, sustainability principles have not yet been systematically implemented.

At the Rivatex textile factory in Eldoret, Kenya, the Estonian science- and design-based UPMADE® model—built on value-adding recycling, or upcycling—was taught and applied in collaboration with students from the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA). The goal was to reduce the environmental footprint of production, develop skills, and help bring the local industry in line with circular-economy principles and climate targets.

From the factory’s textile remnants, the students designed clothing, accessories, lamps, sunshades and a variety of other objects. The exhibition presents the creative work of EKA circular-design master’s students who participated in the initiative during 2024–2025: Doreen Mägi, Eva Liis Lidenburg, Kaisa Ilves, Lisandra Türkson, Maria Rojiko Nisu, Mariann Hendrikson, Marit Saare, Mart Maide, Marta Konovalov, Merily Mikiver and Eva Reiska. The students were supervised by Reet Aus, Maria Pukk and Lisandra Türkson.

The EKA x T4EU podcast episode “Rethinking Fashion Waste” is available HERE. Designer and researcher Reet Aus shares insights on rethinking fashion waste in a discussion led by Anna Lohmatova, exploring the UPMADE® model in Kenya and the impact of EU sustainability regulations on the textile sector.

The exhibition is part of the project “Transferring UPMADE Expertise to Kenya,” led by EKA’s Sustainable Design and Materials Laboratory (DiMa). The project was carried out in cooperation with the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre (SEI Tallinn) and Moi University, funded by the Estonian Ministry of Climate’s international climate-cooperation programme, with student mobility supported by the EU Erasmus+ programme.

Running from 29 September to 5 October, Design Night features many other EKA initiatives. The satellite programme includes EKA Design Week and a fashion artists’ exhibition, and EKA students will also take part in the joint display of Estonian design schools. The festival’s opening performance, “Inclusion Is Action,” is organised by EKA lecturer Reet Aus.

The full Design Night programme can be found here.

Fashion designers Ron-Jonas Verlin (Ron Verlin), Maria Roosiaas, Jaagup Kaiv, Kristiina Tali and Hanna Tiina Pekk from the Estonian Academy of Arts’ Fashion Department will present the best works from their successfully defended graduation collections in the spring of 2025 at the Solaris Centre.

The works selected by the designers will be on display on the Solaris Centre’s Design Street from 29.09-12.10.2025.

Public program at the exhibition “30×30” at EKA Gallery
Participation in the events is free!

Thursday, September 11 at 4–6 pm
Event “And this is not all…”
Drawing lesson with Malle Jürgenson, head of the Interior Architecture Department (on the second floor of EKA Gallery, in Estonian)
NB! The number of participants is limited, register here.

Sunday, September 14
At 1 pm, guided tour led by curators Madli Kaljuste and Paco Ulman (in Estonian)
At 2 pm, curatorial tour (in English)

Sunday, September 21 at 3–5 pm
A discussion, where topics that arose during the planning of the exhibition and during the exhibition will be discussed.

Read more about the exhibition here.

The opening of the joint work “Weather As a Conversation Topic” by Liisa Kruusmägi and Lukas Weidinger will take place on Thursday, September 11 at 6 pm in front of the EKA Billboard Gallery. During the event an artist talk will also take place. The event will be held in English and will be moderated by David Schilter. In case of bad weather, the conversation will take place indoors. The artwork is visible round the clock until October 26.

Read more about the exhibition here.

EKA Back-to-School Sale will take place on 1–2 September in the EKA lobby. You can find EKA merch, including sustainably produced sweatshirts, T-shirts, socks, erasers, pens and pencils, but also professional art supplies, such as paints, pens, sketching paper etc. from Gallery-G and Skizze Vunder shops.

The EKA Back-to-School Sale is open on Monday and Tuesday from 12pm to 4pm.

EKA invites you from September 29 to October 5 on a journey through different layers of young design.

The exhibition and event program bring together the heritage of EKA’s design past, the diversity of the present, and future directions, opening doors to fresh ideas and creative courage.

During EKA Design Week, a variety of events will take place:

Public lectures and discussion evenings – inspiring meetings where designers, faculty, and students discuss the role and meaning of design in today’s world.

Design workshops – our students and faculty offer the opportunity to experience the design creation process firsthand and explore new knowledge and skills in various fields. Workshops are open to all interested in contemporary design thinking and practical experimentation.

Pop-up shop – The pop-up shop offers visitors a rare chance to purchase unique products, support the journey of young designers, and take home a piece of EKA’s creative energy. Get young and fresh design directly from the creators.

Come and experience the vibrant and ever-changing landscape of young design – look back, be present, and peek into the future.

The EKA Design Week schedule:

September 29 – October 5 – Exhibition “Lines of the Past, Directions for the Future”
Open Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–15:00 at EKA White House, Kotzebue 10.
Exhibition opening: September 29 at 16:00.

September 29 – October 5 – Design & Innovation Program 10th Anniversary Exhibition
Open Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–15:00 at EKA White House, Kotzebue 10.

September 30 – October 1 – Two-day social design workshop “Designing Our Future for All”
Day 1: 09:45–13:00, Day 2: 14:00–17:15 + independent work between the two days.
Location: EKA White House, Kotzebue 10.

Workshop will be held in English.
Detailed description and schedule of the workshop.
REGISTER HERE.

September 30 at 17:30 – ERKI Fashion Show Discussion Evening
The discussion evening brings together the organizers, designers, and alumni of the ERKI Fashion Show to discuss the significance of the runway, behind-the-scenes stories of the creative process, and ERKI’s role in the Estonian design landscape. This is an opportunity to hear inspiring experiences, ask questions, and see how young fashion designers bring their ideas to life.
Location: EKA Main Building Foyer, Põhja pst 10.

The event will be in Estonian.

September 30, 14:00–16:00 – Open Workshop “Gardenly Slowness”
Instructors: Marta Põldma and Jane Remm (places are full).
Location: EKA White House Monumental Studio, Kotzebue 10.
(Join the waiting list, the event will be in Estonian.)

October 1 at 17:30 – Open Lecture “Creative Design Research: Body-Inclusive Play for Children and Their Grandparents Living Far Away”
Lecturer: Kristi Kuusk.
Location: EKA Foyer, Põhja pst 7
The lecture will be held in English.

October 2 at 18:00 – LEIDA Article Collection Presentation
Introduction of a new edition gathering reflections and analyses in the field of design.
Location: EKA Foyer, Põhja pst 7
(Please RSVP)

October 7 at 19:00 – Design and Innovation Program 10th Anniversary Celebration
Location: EKA White House Monumental Studio (invitation only)

EKA Design Week Facebook event here.

The Estonian Academy of Arts has been training architects for 75 years!

We will celebrate this at the Faculty of Architecture throughout the upcoming academic year.

You are invited to the opening of the anniversary year on August 28, 2025 in the EKA auditorium:

at 6:00 PM, with opening remarks and speeches, we will open the new newspaper of the Faculty of Architecture “c400”. Editors-in-chief Diana Drobot and Linda Li Arro.

at 6:30 PM, we will take a look at the longest-established architectural subject “30 x 30”, of which the curators of the exhibition, doctoral student Paco Ernest Ulman and Madli Kaljuste, will provide a historical overview.

at 7:00 PM, we will open the exhibition “30 x 30. Exhibition from the graphic arts archive of the EKA Department of Architecture” in the EKA Gallery.

You are welcome to join us!

Welcome to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Narva Art Residency!

September 5, 2025:

12.00 – Arrival at NART (Joala 18), welcome coffee and snacks. We will introduce the current activities and future plans of the house and the art residency.

13.00 – Lunch and bus tour of Narva city. On the tour, we will see, for example, the newly completed sculpture by Ihor Tkachevkõi (Ukr) in Stockholm Square and the dedication of the NART boat in the Venice of Narva.

15.00 – Official anniversary program at the director’s villa, or NART: we will present the video made for the anniversary, offer cake and sparkling wine, discuss the social dimension of art and create a direct connection with former residents from around the world.

17.00 – Art tour at the Kreenholm factory.

19.00 … – Free time. Those who wish to attend can take part in the Station Narva festival concerts at Narva Museum or join the evening gathering at NART.

The anniversary coincides with the Station Narva music festival taking place on the same weekend. On Friday, there is Future Day, the program of which partly coincides with the anniversary program. During the weekend, guests will also be able to attend several events organized by NART, such as the Narva Venice Annuale or the Day of the Single-Tree Pilot with boat rides, the ceremonial opening of a work by a Ukrainian sculptor to the city’s residents, the Kreenholm Community Garden Harvest Party and house tours. In other words, there is a reason to stay longer.

Please register by September 1st by filling out the form here: https://forms.gle/zidoyoBbvjXMz4vK6.

In the form, you can indicate whether you want to come from Tallinn to Narva and/or back by shared bus. We cannot offer overnight accommodation to everyone, but if you plan to stay, let us know and we will try to find a solution.

If you have already confirmed your participation, we still ask you to fill out the registration form so that we can take into account your food and program preferences. The anniversary event is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and the British Council.

On Friday, August 29th, starting at 12:00, the opening ceremony of the 2025/26 academic year will be held. The ceremony takes place in the main hall (A101) and lasts approximately 1.5 hours.

23.-24. August in Valga

Yet another residency is coming to an end and we invite everyone to participate in the closing event of “Material Purgatory” residency and together with us celebrate the last weekends of summer in VARES.

In the beginning of July, four architects and artists – Beate Zavadska, Aivar Tõnso, Mia Maripuu and Stephanie Cellier – gathered in VARES to rummage through the sheds, attics and garages of our house and Valga, searching for poetry, potential and creative application of materials that are spending their retirement in forgotten storage spaces. Materials piles, where there is not enough stuff for starting a new project, but enough to not be thrown out. The quartet, who spent six weeks in Valga, have dissected this topic from different perspectives, have been exploring the installations of local material collectors-self-builders, playing with the peculiar sounds of found materials and mapping the nature of material storage spaces.

Now we invite you to come and participate in the residency’s public event for the weekend, where the program will include presentations of the residents’ thoughts and installations, lectures by guest speakers, VARES tour of Valga on bikes and the cozy VARESE pop-up bar in the Supibasiilika.

PROGRAM:

SATURDAY 23.08:
15:00 Introduction of the residents works
17:00 Lecture / presentation by stuudio Kollektiir (Mari Uibo and Rait Lõhmus)
21:00 Concert and VARES bar (Riia 5, Kreisihoone courtyard)

SUNDAY 24.08
11:00 VARES bunch in the residency courtyard, Uus 35. Bring something for the table!
13:00 VARES bike tour of Valga (max 10 people due to limit of bikes, more can join with their own bicycles)

A more detailed program will be gradually published on our website and social media channels. Registration form for guests wishing to stay overnight HERE.

Residency partners and supporters: European Culture Capital Tartu 2024, Estonian Culture Ministry, Estonian Culture Endowment, Valga county.

See you on August 23-24 in Valga! All friends and family are welcome!