History

ASSITEJ Centre of Estonia was founded in 1992 on the initiative of VAT Theatre and its managing director Hiie Fluss. The founding members were Estonian Youth Theatre, Estonian State Puppet Theatre, VAT Theatre and Tartu Children’s Theatre. 

In February 1993 the Estonian Centre was fully accepted to the network during the 9^th ASSITEJ World Congress in Cuba. The chairwoman of the centre was until 2001Hiie Fluss, henceforth ASSITEJ Centre of Estonia was led by Katrin Nielsen. Since 2009 the chairman is Toomas Tross from Piip & Tuut Theatre.

ASSITEJ Centre of Estonia is located in Tallinn. It collaborates closely with the Nordic centres, as well as ASSITEJ Centres of Latvia and Lithuania. Since 1995 they organise international children’s theatre festivals.

First ASSITEJ Children’s Theatre Days in 1995 took place in Tallinn. All participants were from Estonia.

Second ASSITEJ Children’s Theatre Days in 1996 took place in Jõhvi. Participants: VAT Theatre, Tartu Children’s Theatre, Ilmarine, Tuuleveski, HBWL Musical Small Theatre Studio (REEL-Teater), Lepatriinu, Onpa Kerran Teatteri (Finland), Musiktheatre ’89 (Sweden), Theatre Den Bla Hest (Denmark), Musidra (Norway).

Third ASSITEJ Estonia Children’s Theatre Days in 1998 took place in Jõhvi. Participants: VAT Theatre, Tartu Children’s Theatre, Tuuleveski, Ilmarine, Marionett, REEL-Teater, Viljandi Puppet Theatre, Lepatriinu, Kehra Nukk, Teaterstudio Lederman (Sweden), Dockteatern Tittut (Sweden), Stella Polaris (Norway), Gruppe 38 (Denmark), Turun Uusi Teatteri (Finland).

Fourth ASSITEJ Estonia Children’s Theatre Days in 2000 took place in Narva. Participants: Tuuleveski, Ilmarine, Minerva, Tartu Children’s Theatre, VAT Theatre, Vihreä Omena (Finland), Teatre Tre (Sweden), Agder (Norway), Batida (Denmark).

Fifth festival in 2002 took place in Narva under a new name – NB Festival. This new Nordic-Baltic festival was created in collaboration with Latvian and Lithuanian ASSITEJ centres. The participants were: Ilmarine, VAT Theatre, Tuuleveski, Viljandi Puppet Theatre, Viljandi Theatre Ugala, Batida (Denmark), Rollo (Finland), Lithuanian Youth Theatre, Uppsala City Theatre, KiSaCo (Norway), Liepaja Theatre, Yekaterinburg Theatre.

NB Festival in Narva was honoured by the presence of ASSITEJ International executive committee. All together there were visitors present from ten countries. As a result of that festival VAT Theatre’s production “Flight over the Ocean” achieved international recognition and Tuuleveski company from Jõhvi visited the Nordic ASSITEJ Festival.

Sixth NB Festival in 2005 took place in Pärnu theatre Endla. There were over 100 participants from Estonia and abroad. 15 performances took place over five days. Theatres performing in the festival included Turteatern from Sweden, Kulta Production from Norway, Ciacconna Clox from Germany, Batida from Denmark and many more. The opening performance was Pärnu theatre Endla’s production “Robot Robi”. Notable productions from the festival included VAT Theatre’s “Pal-Street Boys” and “Kalevipoeg”.

Seventh NB Festival in 2008 took place in Pärnu. 25 performances by 20 companies from 10 countries over a five-day festival! In addition to the main programme, an off-programme “From Youth to Youth” took place. In the framework of this 11 performances were given in different counties: Viljandi, Pärnu and Läänemaa cultural centres and schools. The same year Pärnu city council awarded NB Festival the prize “Culture event of the year”.

ASSITEJ Centre of Estonia and Estonian Theatre Agency have organised numerous drama education trainings involving Estonian, Latvian, Danish and Swedish playwrights, dramaturgs and other theatre makers.

In 2004 and 2007 international conferences “NB – Theatre to the school, school to the theatre” took place.