Events & Festivals

Tallinn with its stunning medieval centre, dating from 1248, and its thriving galleries, restaurants and bars is a must for the traveller. However for one week it is transformed into one of Europe’s most eclectic contemporary music festivals – the Tallinn Music Week, part of the Baltic nation’s festival season.

Last year, the festival went ahead in August, despite the COVID19 pandemic. In 20121 it has been delayed until September to October.

“One of the most important objectives of TMW is to support the Estonian music and cultural sector in developing international relations,” says Head of Festival Pärtel Soosalu. “We decided to move the festival from June to early autumn, when we can expect the travel restrictions to be eased. This will also mean that more music industry professionals and exciting artists from all over Europe will be able to participate.”

The focus of the 2021 Tallinn Music Week will be sustainable and environmentally-conscious thinking in Estonian society. Organisers are working closely with partner Telia Estonia in promoting the application of new technology to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Tallinn Music Week offers much more than just good music,” says Telia’s Head of Communications Katrin Isotamm. “It’s also a platform for meetings and collaborations between different sectors in raising various important issues,” she says.

“The role of companies in contributing to society is growing and has become a natural part of business,” adds Isotamm. “In current complicated times, mutual support and competences are needed more than ever: “Together with TMW, we can spread messages that unite the society, and make us notice and solve its issues. With help from the music sector and musicians, this year we will talk about our environment, the well-being of young people, cybersecurity and mental health.”

The UN General Assembly declared the year 2021 to be the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Telia and TMW’s joint pursuit of a sustainable agenda focuses primarily on issues related to environmental protection and mental health. Together, Telia and TMW will relaunch the #hoolin (“I Care”) smart consumption campaign, focusing on eco-friendly tech consumption and digital cleanup activities, as well as the mental health issues associated with social distancing that have come to the fore in the COVID-19 era.

Over recent years the concept behind The Tallinn Music Week has broadened out. Always seen as combining Eastern, Western and Central European contemporary music, it now also encompasses art, design and ideas, with the aim of stimulating the understanding of modern culture. Parallel to the music festival is a conference where speakers will debate all elements of the music industry, including its role in shaping our future society.

On average 35,000 music and art lovers attend over the week with an additional 1,000 executives from the music industry looking for fresh talent. There is a plethora of events to cater for differing musical tastes ranging from punk to pop, dance to metal and folk to contemporary classical music.

Tallinn Music Week

The centre-piece of the Week is the three-day music festival. This is a trully international event, in 2019 there were 21 performances at 10 different venues, with 170 artists from 28 countries including Estonia, Russia, Finland, the UK, Canada, Belarus and Sweden. There will also be some free events throughout the city, together with food and craft beer. A new location for TMW 2020 is the Nobel Hall in the historic Noblessner Foundry.

The aim of the festival is not only to share and promote cultural interests but to also make the event user friendly for its many visitors. To this effect all venues used will be within a short walking distance of the three main hubs: the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Telliskivi Creative Hub and the Port Noblessner.

For ideas on some quirky activities to get up to in Estonia, click here.

When is the Tallinn Music Week 2021

The 13^th edition will be held from 29 September to 3 October. The central hubs will be at the Telliskivi Creative City and Port Noblessner. The TMW Conference will be held at the Talinn Teachers’ House in the Old Town. It will have a day focused on Estonian music.

Tallinn Music Week 2021 Programme

Details of performing artists will appear here, with the schedule announced in stages from May.

Tallinn Music Week Tickets

Tallinn Music Week 2021 Festival Pass costs €55, and the PRO Pass, which includes online and on site access) at €150. Additional passes are available ranging from €50 to €225. You can purchase them via shop.tmw.ee. Additional information can be found here: tmw.ee/passes-tickets.

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Photo Gallery

For more information on Tallinn Music Week

For everything else you need to know about the Week, click here. Photos provided by the Tallinn Music Festival. Cover image: Argo Vals Band. Photographer Aron Urb.

Updated 14 April, 2021.