🎶 Odessa Classics in Tallinn: music that speaks to the world about Ukraine.

On 15 May in Tallinn, an event took place that brought together several dimensions of cultural reality - the Odessa Classics concert at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.

For many Ukrainians, this festival has become a symbol of musical excellence, talent, and resilience. Its mission is to tell the world about Ukraine through the language of music. Forced to leave its native Odesa after the start of the full-scale invasion, Odessa Classics continued its life in exile - yet remained unbroken. Over the past three years, more than 60 concerts have taken place in Greece, Germany, Switzerland, and Estonia. Each one - a powerful platform for freedom. Each one - a voice of Ukraine.

This time, thanks to the talent of Alexey Botvinov and Yevgeniy Kostrytskyy, and the support of our Estonian partners, Odessa Classics resonated in the heart of Tallinn. We extend our sincere gratitude to Rector Ivari Ilja and his team at the Academy for their partnership and trust.

📍This concert was special for another reason - it took place on Vyshyvanka Day, when Ukrainians around the world wear symbols of their culture and generational continuity. The hall was filled with embroidered shirts, emotions, and pride. Because the vyshyvanka is not just about the past — it is about the connection that shapes our future.

💙💛 Odessa Classics in Tallinn took place as part of UKUfest - the Ukrainian Art Festival, the largest Ukrainian art project in Estonia’s history. More than 40 Ukrainian artists, dozens of curators, five leading Tallinn galleries, and the support of the city, ministries, and cultural institutions came together to create a powerful platform for contemporary Ukrainian art.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Tallinn City Government team and personally to Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski, who were the first to support the idea of the concert and provided full organizational and financial backing. It is thanks to your support that this initiative became possible!

We extend special thanks to project manager Alice Järvet for her unwavering dedication, clear vision, and the daily inspiration she brought to this initiative.

🎨 The UKUfest exhibitions will run until the end of August 2025. We warmly invite you to visit - and to see Ukraine as it is today: modern, profound, and free.

UKUfest is the voice of contemporary Ukrainian culture in Estonia. We are proud to be part of this movement.

Grateful to Jelena Ivanova for the wonderful photos.