The Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia (ECFA) is pleased to announce the following funding for projects enhancing Estonian culture, language and heritage across Australia. The total of $50,125 is the largest amount handed out to applicants to date and reflects the diverse range of quality projects and activities that are being undertaken by the Estonian community.
TOTAL AMOUNTS AWARDED $50,125
Funds were allocated this year to:
- XXIX Eesti Päevad 2024 (27-31 Dec 2024) – $10,000
- ‘Sõrve’ Estonian Children’s Summer Camp (5-12 Jan 2025) – $10,000 (combined)
- Estonian Sõrve Children’s Camp – $8,000
- Hans Ots Grant for Financial Support – $2,000
- Estonian Playgroups Teachers Training Workshop – $5,200
- EstWest ‘Perth Estonian Family & Music Festival’ (Jan 2025) – $5000
- Kooskõlas Segakoor (National Mixed Choir) Laulupidu Registration – $4,300
- Melbourne Estonian Society (Melbourne Estonian Children’s Camp) – $4,000
- Australian Estonian Media Project (eesti.org.au) – $3,000
- Estonian Cultural Association in Western Australia (EstWest) – up to $3,000
- Sydney Mudilasring (Sydney Estonian Children’s Playgroup) – $2,000
- Austraalia Virmalised Dance Concert (9 Nov 2024) – $1,500
- Eestlased Newcastle’is (Estonians in Newcastle) – $1,125
- S.E.S. Kunsti~ Käsitöö ja Etnograafia Ring – $1,000
XXIX Eesti PÄEVAD ADELAIDE (27-31 Dec 2024)
$10,000 to assist with the organisation and production of the 29th Eesti Päevad (Estonian Festival) to be held in Adelaide over the 27-31 December 2024. We see this as one of the most important events for the Estonian diaspora in Australia and are showing our commitment to the event with this funding. More information can be found here: https://festival.eesti.org.au
‘Sõrve’ Estonian Children’s Summer Camp (5-12 JAN 2025)
$8,000 to support the annual Estonian Children’s Summer Camp, a key cultural and social community event, that has been running for over 62 years. The camp provides a rich experience for children and all adults, sharing customs, heritage, language, dancing and singing. As in previous years, the camp is to be held at Point Wolstoncroft on the shores of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales over the 5-12 January 2025. More information can be found here: https://www.sorve.org.au. This grant is administered by the ‘Sõrve Sõbrad / Sydney Estonian Parents’ and Friends’ Association’.
HANS Ots GRANT (SÕRVE SUMMER CAMP)
$2,000 to provide financial assistance to interstate/regional families with Australian children of Estonian heritage between the ages of 8-18 who, because of the excessive cost of travel, financial or other hardship reasons would otherwise not be able to attend the annual Sõrve Estonian Children’s Summer Camp. In agreement, this year’s grant was reduced due to a surplus from previous years. This grant is administered by the ‘Sõrve Sõbrad / Sydney Estonian Parents’ and Friends’ Association’. More information can be found here: https://www.sorve.org.au/scholarship.html
Estonian Playgroups Teachers’ Training Workshop
$5,200 to bring teachers and key coordinators together from the various ‘Mudilasringid’ (Children’s Playgroups). Across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, and Perth. Playgroups teach children the Estonian language, customs, songs and other activities that highlight elements of Estonian culture. This project brings teachers and key coordinators together for a three-day intensive workshop in Queensland to:
- develop enhanced teaching skills and strategies
- strengthen collaboration and peer support networks amongst educators
- disseminate teaching materials and resources tailored to Estonian playgroup settings
- consider strategies to prevent burnout within community-based work among educators
- increasing family engagement in sustaining playgroups
- promote cultural connections and language proficiency among young Estonian learners
- ensure a robust foundation for future community engagement
Perth Estonian Family & Music Festival (EstWest)
$5,000 to support the Estonian Cultural Association in Western Australia (EstWest) in hosting a one-day Perth Family-and-Music Festival in January 2025. The event will be a vibrant celebration of Estonian culture, music, and community spirit, featuring a diverse lineup of artists who will also perform at Adelaide Eesti Päevad. This festival brings together the Estonian community in Western Australia, their friends, and anyone interested in experiencing the rich cultural heritage of Estonia. More information can be found here on EstWest: https://www.facebook.com/estwestassociation
Kooskõlas Segakoor (National Mixed Choir) LAULUPIDU REGISTRATION
$4,300 to support the National Mixed Choir’s efforts in applying for and auditioning for the XXVIII Laulupidu (Song Festival) to be held between 3-6 July 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia.
This grant assists with the costs of registration for the Song Festival and covers exepenses associated with the two required audition recordings. While Sydney-based, the choir draws members from across the country to seek to represent Australia at the Song Festivals, which commenced in 1869 and are typically held every five years. More information can be found here: https://2025.laulupidu.ee/en/
Melbourne Estonian Society (Melbourne Estonian Children’s Camp)
$4,000 to conduct an Estonian children’s language camp. The camp aims to promote connection with the Estonian heritage through language lessons, cultural activities and community building, ensuring that Estonian traditions and values are passed on and celebrated by future generations living abroad. The camp is to be held in regional Victoria.
Australian Estonian Media Project (eesti.org.au)
$3,000 to support the virtual national team running https://eesti.org.au and who are looking to commission specific original content from professional Australian-Estonian journalists/writers in the coming year. The Australian Estonian Media Project currently runs Eesti.org.au and is looking to re-launch this year with more relevant and timely content to meet the needs of the Estonians in Australia audience.
Estonian Cultural Association in Western Australia (EstWest)
up to $3,000 to help the newly formed EstWest Association, which has a strong membership among new arrivals on the West Coast of Australia, to connect with established Estonian community organisations in Australia at the forthcoming Estonian Festival to be held in Adelaide. EstWest has nominated two members to travel to Adelaide, to meet with other community representatives and festival organisers to familiarise themselves with the festival model and the formal structure of the community at a national level. More information can be found here on EstWest: https://www.facebook.com/estwestassociation
Sydney Mudilasring (Sydney Estonian Children’s Playgroup)
$2,000 to support the work of this group in fostering and developing Estonian culture for young children in Sydney. This Mudilasring meets weekly and promotes Estonian language, music and culture among Estonian families and their young children, and strengthens the Estonian community in Sydney. The playgroup continues to be a place for Estonian families and children to meet, speak Estonian, sing, dance, and celebrate holidays. You can contact Sydney Mudilasring here: mudilasring@eesti.org.au
AUSTRAALIA VIRMALISED DANCE CONCERT (9 NOV 2024)
$1,500, to conduct the Austraalia Virmalised Celebratory Dance Concert in 2024. The Sydney-based Virmalised folk dancing group is celebrating 90 years since the first recorded Estonian folk dance performance in Australia, 65 years of dancing under the name of ‘Virmalised’ and Helena-Mariana Reimann’s (Artistic Director of Tantsupidu 2025) visit to Sydney. The concert will be held at Sydney Latvian House (32 Parnell St, Strathfield NSW 2135) starting at 1:30 pm on Sat, 9th November and will invite other Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Eastern European dance groups to perform. The Sydney-based dance group is combining with dancers from other states in the hopes of performing at the XXI Tantsupidu (Dance Festival) in Estonia over the 3-4 July 2025. More information can be found here on Virmalised https://www.facebook.com/sydneyvirmalised/
Eestlased Newcastle’is (ESTONIANS IN NEWCASTLE)
$1,125 to provide ongoing opportunities for Newcastle and Hunter region children to get acquainted with other Estonian language and culture through songs, dances, stories, games, cultural activities and excursions.
S.E.S. Kunsti~ Käsitöö ja Etnograafia Ring RAHVARIIDED LIBRARY
$1,000 to assist the Sydney Arts, Crafts and Ethnographic Group with the continued development of an accessible ‘library’ of Estonian rahvariided (folk costumes) in Australia. They aim to collect pre-loved garments, be it on loan or donation, then repair, clean, maintain and lend out to people when needed for performances. They will also look to make new items from hand-made materials purchased in Estonia, especially children’s clothes.
For further information, please contact Dr Juho Looveer (ECFA President): juho.looveer@gmail.com
