Estonian venue closure prompts trade body launch

A coalition of nightclubs and concert venues have formed the Estonian Nightlife Association in response to the myriad of challenges facing the circuit, amid the impending closure of Tallinn venue Sveta Bar.

Sveta Bar, which will shut down on 1 January, launched in the Telliskivi district in 2017 and developed into one of the best known nightspots in the city. The award-winning space became part of the Liveurope venue network and has been a staple of showcase festival Tallinn Music Week.

Noting that tourism in Estonia is at its lowest level since 2010, Sveta co-founder Luke Teetsov-Faulkner explains the bar’s closure was mainly due to a combination of economic factors, including “the Covid-19 crisis, energy and economic crises, restrictions and laws, war, gentrification and higher prices for absolutely everything”.

Sveta’s plight is said to be a sad reflection of the predicament faced by many promoters and nightspots in the country at present.

“Having interacted with various venues, I can confidently say that Sveta is not the only one in this situation,” said Sveta Bar partner Roman Demtšenk, speaking on Estonian TV programme Terevisioon. “Maybe there will be more news coming of other clubs also having to close their doors.”

“Our first priority is to make ourselves known and to make our voice heard”

In a bid to improve the state of affairs, the newly formed Estonian Nightlife Association (Eesti Ööelu Liit) will serve as the representative organisation for businesses in the sector.

“For years we’ve been working mostly independently, but with the situation being as it is and a new tax hike on the way, the only appropriate response is to truly collectivise and come together, to fight for ourselves so live music and club culture can exist and thrive in Estonia,” says Elena Natale, the founder of Tallinn’s HALL club.

“Our first priority is to make ourselves known and to make our voice heard. When it comes to policy, our goal is to achieve a tax differentiation for live music venues and nightclubs. The upcoming VAT tax hike that takes it up to 22% is one of, if not the highest in Europe for cultural endeavours.”

Over the last six years, Sveta has presented a diverse programme of club and live acts, including Boy Harsher, Molchat Doma, SHXCXCHCXSH, UNIIQU3, Umru, Lebanon Hanover, A Place To Bury Strangers, Shortparis, Author & Punisher, Xiu Xiu, HEALTH, She Past Away, Die Selektion, Pablo Bozzi, Bored Lord and Boris.

“It is hard to imagine TMW 2024 without Sveta. It is hard to think of Tallinn without Sveta”

“Music venues like Sveta, are the cornerstone of contemporary music life, by providing regular work to artists and the sector,” says Shiftworks founder and Tallinn Music Week organiser Helen Sildna.

“To grant a diverse music life, we need to identify key players, who nurture careers in music from week-to-week. No question that art will reach its audience through galleries and museums, orchestras and theatre at concert and theatre halls. Music clubs will need a similar status of their own – to be recognised as irreplaceable spaces for musicians and audiences to grow together.”

Sildna continues: “It is hard to imagine TMW 2024 without Sveta. It is hard to think of Tallinn without Sveta. Building a brand, finding an audience, developing a scene and taking care of music culture, as they did, is a deeply unique work of risk-taking, commitment and curatorial smarts.

“I welcome the initiative of Estonian Nightlife Association, as only by joining forces and making our case heard and understood, can we be better in future at safeguarding these beacons that hold together the unique fabric of our diverse music culture.”

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