This year, the Estonian Academy of Arts celebrates its jubilee. Tallinn’s oldest institution of higher education turned 100 years old on the 30th October. During the 100th year of establishment of the Estonian Academy of Arts, many special events will be held, addressing the topics of art education through a variety of perspectives and outputs: open lectures, exhibitions, opening of the new gallery and many more. The most essential for the Estonian Academy of Arts will nevertheless remain its daily activities – fine arts and teaching arts.
The rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts, Signe Kivi: “One century might seem long or short time, but important is that 100 years ago Estonian entrepreneurs founded continuous fine arts education in Estonia. Our mission is to ensure that the Estonian Academy of Arts will continue providing internationally competitive art education also in the future, without loosing its halo of freedom and openness that has been surrounding our university at different times.”
The director of art museum Kumu Sirje Helme aligns in her words with those of the rector: “When the fine art school was established in Estonia, the First World War was already underway. Despite of this fact, the existence of the school was considered self-evident because without cultural development there would be no nation either. Since that time, the school has seen more or less complicated, but also successful times. It is impossible to even imagine what would have become of our culture, if this school would not have been created 100 years ago. This school has flung into our society so many brilliant talents, crazy ideas, madness and joy – and let it continue!”
The jubilee programme of the Estonian Academy of Arts:
*On the 30th October at 17.00, the Estonian Academy of Arts and the gallery HAUS organized an art auction where all interested parties had the possibility to acquire the works of artists who have graduated the Estonian Academy of Arts.
*On the 31st October at 16:00, we opened the joint exhibition of the Estonian Academy of Arts and Adamson-Eric Museum “100 years of art education in Tallinn. The works of professors emeritus of the EEA”. The exhibition is open until 22 March 2015.
*On the 3rd of November, a major jubilee event was held in Kumu Art Museum, which culminated with the presentation of the collection “From Tallinn Applied Art School into the Academy of Arts: 100 Years of Art Education in Tallinn” and the opening of the exhibition of the same name. The exhibition is open until 22 February 2015.
*On the 8th November, a new gallery will be opened on Tallinn’s Freedom Square in Tallinn, where the works of the students of EAA will be presented.
*On the 27th of November, a conference ” From Tallinn Applied Art School into the Academy of Arts: 100 Years of Art Education in Tallinn”, where a discussion about art education will be held, chaired by the academician professor Mart Kalm.
The Estonian Academy of Arts is the only Estonian public university providing higher education in architecture, design, fine arts and art culture, being active without interruption since 1914. Currently, in the EAA there are approximately 1,300 students enrolled and 450 professors. The EAA also belongs to several associations and cooperation networks such as Cumulus, EAAE, KUNO and CIRRUS. In total , the EAA cooperates with over 150 partner universities from around the world.