Recognition

• Ülo Pikkov’s short film “Õmblusmasin” (Sewing Machine) won the Neitsi Maali Award.
• Viesturs Kairišs’ short film “Cohabitants” was selected for the competition programme at IDFA 2024.
• Three short films produced as part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 – “Sewing Machine”, “Hilda Ha. Off the Grid”, and “The House” – were included in the competition programme of the prestigious FIPADOC International Documentary Festival.
• “The House” was selected for the competition programme of the Göteborg Film Festival.
• Ülo Pikkov’s short film “Sewing Machine” won the Best Short Film Award at the 2024 Estonian Film and Television Awards (EFTA).

Winner of the Estonian Landscape Architects Union Annual Award – “Act of the Year” category

Eesti Kultuurkapital Performing Arts Endowment 2024 Awards:

• Best Actor in a Leading Role: Tõnis Niinemets – Artur in the production “Business as Usual” (Eesti Draamateater).
• Best Supporting Actor Award: Taavi Teplenkov – among others, for his role in “Business as Usual”
• Award for Original Dramaturgy: Mehis Pihla – play “Business as Usual”.
• Award for Original Music in a Production: Maria Faust – music for “Business as Usual”
• Viive Ernesaks Award for Musical and/or Sound Design: Lauri Kaldoja – musical and sound design for the productions “Business as Usual”, “Aja oma atra läbi koolnute kontide”, “Erakõnelused”, “Kollane tapeet”, and “Solaris”.

Winner of the Light Middle East Awards in the “Project of the Year – International” category.

Letter of Appreciation from Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets: “For outstanding civic engagement – Citizen’s Day Medal of Honour.”

The exhibition “The Secrets of the Leaning Building” at the Tartu Art Museum was awarded Exhibition of the Year and won the Grand Museum Rat at the Estonian Museum Annual Awards.

Nominee for the Estonian Museum Annual Award in the category “Marketing Act of the Year” –
The Estonian Road Museum, Tartu City Museum, and Estonian Agricultural Museum for the marketing and communication of the collaborative exhibition “Washing Machine Made of Beetroot”.

Sound Art Endowment Annual Awards 2024:
Composer Mihkel Kerem – for an outstanding creative year, marked by the release of a composer’s album and the premieres of a piano concerto and a horn concerto.

At Hungary’s largest animation festival, Anilogue, the Grand Prix was awarded to Martinus Klemet’s Yummy.
Ardo Ran Varres composed the music for Yummy as part of the Kullaaugu Creative Residency.

Nominee for Viljandi City’s 2024 Cultural Award:
Ave Matsin and the project managers (2) of the Viljandi Culture Academy’s Heritage Festival.

Viljandi Heritage Festival, which took place at the initiative of Ave Matsin and was part of the main programme of Tartu 2024, becoming the highlight event of the autumn for the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy, the City of Viljandi, and Tartu 2024. In addition to Estonian heritage highlights, Ave succeeded in bringing heritage representatives from Nigeria, Namibia, Thailand, Scotland, England, and beyond to the festival.

Nominee for Viljandi City’s 2024 Theatre Award:
Silvia Soro, Herta Soro, and Marta Soro (1) – Three women from the same family created and performed the production “Perfection”, based on their personal stories. The play addresses eating disorders and explores the impact of beliefs passed down through generations and the constant pursuit of perfection on people’s lives, health, and mindsets.

• Estonian Folk Dance and Folk Music Society “Loku Laua” Award Winner: Organizer of the Year: Night Folk Dance Festival team: Project Manager Kristi Vals and Artistic Director and Idea Author Maire Udras.
• Estonian Rural Community Centers Association, Kaheksakand 2024 Nominee – Act of the Year
• Võru County’s cultural, library, and museum workers, craft masters, and cultural collective leaders’ gratitude evening: Estonian Folk Culture Centre Certificates of Appreciation:
  • Maire Udras – for her heartfelt work and the successful execution of the grand folk evening “Night Folk Dance Festival”.
  • Kristi Vals – for her passionate contributions to enriching Võru County’s cultural life, leading the opening event of the Culture Richness Year in Võru County, serving as a member of the organizing committee for the Estonian Local Government Day, as a member of the regional expert commission for European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024, and as the project manager of Night Folk Dance Festival.

Aasta vabakondlane – Ingrid Matteus
Tartumaa Local Government Union, Kodukant Tartumaa

At the Ministry of Culture’s Cultural Friend 2024 Gala, the title of “Cultural Organizer of the Year” was awarded to Maajaam team leaders Mari-Liis Rebast and Timo Toots, whose exhibition “Wild Bits” was part of the Tartu 2024 main programme.

Nominee for Viljandi City’s 2024 Cultural Award:
Visual Arts Festival Viljandi Tuled – a festival with an excellent international programme, which was part of the Tartu 2024 cultural programme.