Annela Laaneots elected as head of the Tartu 2024

“Within the framework of the Tartu 2024 European Capital of Culture project, Tartu, together with Southern Estonia, was able to unite 20 municipalities and thousands of people for the first time into a joint internationally influential cultural project. In order to keep this energy and cooperation alive in the future and to give further impetus to the cultural life of the region, work has begun to develop a regional cooperation model that would help maintain and grow the impact of the Capital of Culture in the long term,” said Laaneots.

According to Laaneots, the follow-up activities also have a pan-European dimension. “Since last year, our foundation has been leading the international European Capitals of Culture legacy project “ECoC Echo”, which unites the European Capitals of Culture of nine countries and aims to develop post-title year cooperation models to promote regional development, cooperation and joint cultural management throughout Europe. This promises to be of great benefit to Estonian cultural organizers, who will gain opportunities for cooperation with other countries and will allow them to bring the best cultural management practices to Tartu and Southern Estonia.”

The focus of Tartu 2024 has been and will continue to be on young people. The development program for young cultural organizers “Tartu 2024 Extended” has become international, and within its framework, the fifth batch of 14-19 year olds is acquiring the skills to organize events and implement their ideas.

According to Urmas Klaas, the Chairman of the Board of the Tartu 2024 Foundation and Mayor of Tartu, it is very important that the foundation has achieved the opportunity to be the leader of the pan-European cooperation in developing cooperation models for the European Capitals of Culture after the title year, because this will also benefit Tartu and Southern Estonia.

“The cornerstone of the successful implementation of the European Capital of Culture was good cooperation between partners, and Annela was the leader of the Southern Estonian cooperation. After the title year, it is important to maintain what has been achieved with both Estonian and European partners and to amplify the results of the Capital of Culture,” said Urmas Klaas.

Annela Laaneots has worked for the European Capital of Culture for seven years. She joined the team six months before the title win and, as regional coordinator, led the Southern Estonian cooperation until the title win, during the preparations for the Capital of Culture, during the title year and afterwards.

She has previously worked in both the public and private sectors, including as the leader of the European Year of Cultural Heritage, head of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Baltics communications department, head of communications at the Estonian Academy of Security and Defence, and editor-in-chief of several publications. She has also been a lecturer at Tallinn University for nearly twenty years.

Her contribution has been recognized with several awards, including a letter of appreciation from the Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture for leading the cooperation between Southern Estonia and the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024.

Annela Laaneots was elected a member of the board of the foundation by a decision of the Tartu 2024 council. Until now, the duties of the board member were fulfilled by CFO Toomas Peterson, who took up this position after Kuldar Leis became the Minister of Infrastructure