Estonian theatre’s launch pad to the world: the Estonian contemporary performing arts showcase festival begins

Today, on September 7th, 2026 the Estonian Contemporary Performing Arts Showcase begins, bringing nearly 50 international festival and theatre directors, curators, directors and critics to Estonia. The four-day festival hosted by the Estonian Theatre Agency will introduce international guests to nine productions in Tallinn and Tartu, showcasing the freshest trends in the local performing arts scene.

Taking place for the 13th time, Estonian Contemporary Performing Arts Showcase aims to strengthen ties between Estonian and international theatre professionals and to increase the chances of high-quality productions reaching audiences beyond Estonia’s borders. This year, the festival is expecting guests from Finland, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Greece, Belgium, Iceland, the Czech Republic, Armenia, the United States and Canada. In addition to visiting the performances, guests will have the opportunity to find contacts, partners, and artists to participate in their own festivals and projects and to invite to their theatres.

The programme for the 2026 festival includes Lauri Lagle’s “I Didn’t Even Notice You Leaving” (Ekspeditsioon), Renate Keerd’s “The Sun Does Not Burn at Night” (Tartu New Theatre), Mart Kangro’s solo production “MEDIUM” (Von Krahl Theatre, OÜ Olevik), Keithy Kuuspu’s and Liisa Saaremäel’s “What Are Little Girls Made Of” (co-production with Kanuti Gildi SAAL), Juhan Ulfsak’s “Feedback” (Von Krahl Theatre), Hendrik Toompere Jr.’s “500 Years of Friendship” (Estonian Drama Theatre), Maike Lond’s “Three Ballads, a Story and My Mother’s Estate” (co-production with Kanuti Gildi SAAL), choreographer Sofia Martila’s graduation piece “SЮDA” (Baltic Film, Media and Arts School of Tallinn University) and Nele Tiidelepp’s “10 ways to dance” (elektron.art). The performances will be followed by informal meetings between foreign guests and Estonian theatre makers.

In addition, on September 10th, a public discussion entitled “The grand staircases and backstages of European theatre” will take place in Tartu New Theatre, where three international guests of the festival will share their views on the international performing arts scene and Estonia’s position within it. The discussion will be moderated by Liisi Aibel, curator-coordinator of the showcase and director of the Estonian Theatre Agency.

“It is a very special experience to watch Estonian theatre alongside Europe’s leading theatre curators, and to perceive it through their eyes. To see, together, the beautiful in the ugly and the sublime in the beautiful, especially at this moment in time. I hope that the productions we’ll be watching over the course of these four days will, as a result, also reach stages abroad and audiences across Europe. Estonian theatre is world-class; our task is to make that visible,” says Aibel.

The Estonian Contemporary Performing Arts Showcase is organized by the Estonian Theatre Agency, and the Tartu program is created in collaboration with the Estonian Theatre Festival Draama. The festival is supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment.

More information can be found on the Estonian Theatre Agency website: https://teater.ee/festivals/estonian-performing-arts-showcase-draamamaa-weekend/?lang=en 

Photo from the performance “I Didn’t Even Notice You Leaving” by Ekspeditsioon. Photo by Herkko Labi