The ELECTRONIC ESTONIA IN CANADA / EL-ESTO project was
originally established as a joint undertaking between the Estonian Arts Centre --
a registered cultural organization of Toronto, Canada and Estonian Institute
(of Tallinn, Estonia); as well, it was intended to work in close liaison with
the Consul General of the Republic of Estonia in Canada, and with the Tourism
Board of Estonia. The project, as originally visualized, had a three-prong
purpose:
Furthermore,
it was expected that the three-prong facility would serve as base for an eventual
affiliate of Estonian Institute in Canada.
Background:
As
a background of the project, the following might be of interest to the reader.
Basically, EL-ESTO is the brainchild of John and Stella Pahapill (of Estonian
Arts Centre (see Links, below). The idea was born in 1995 during visits to
Estonia, their beloved country of birth. After some in-depth (and time-taking!)
discussions regarding the idea with various government officials and others in
Estonia and Canada, a Working Agreement was signed in July 1997 between
Estonian Arts Centre and Estonian Institute. The agreement sets out a framework
for joint projects in furthering common goals of the two cultural
organizations; as well, it outlines a basis for the two organizations to
represent each other in their respective countries. Later in the same year a
similar agreement was signed with "Eesti Kontsert" – the
state-operated concert management organization in Estonia; as well, in
September 2001 a verbal agreement was reached with the Director of Estonian
Tourism Board, for the EL-ESTO Centre
to represent the Board in Canada. In early planning phases of the project,
Estonian Arts Centre held consultation meetings with the Estonian ministries of
Culture, Economic Affairs and External Affairs, to obtain their support of and
future participation in the project. To date, most of the help from Estonia has
been in the form of moral support, with one exception – a monetary contribution
was received from Estonian Institute in 1999, for digitization of some of the
Estonian Arts Centre artwork.
Project Status:
Due to lack of
funding at the time, physical start of the EL-ESTO project was delayed for some
years (except for a trial digitization of a few pieces artwork, as is noted
above). During the November 21, 2000 meeting of the Board of Directors of Estonian
Arts Centre, it was decided to sell its "Esto Valley" property – a
piece of (approximately 100 acres (45 hectares) prime recreational land in
Hockley Valley, near Toronto, which had been purchased in the early 1980-s with
the intention of establishing an Estonian Heritage Arts Museum there at some
future date. As the political situation in Estonia began changing significantly
shortly thereafter, and the country soon regained its independence (in August,
1991), it was decided not to proceed with the heritage museum project, and
suitable alternative use of the land had been under consideration for some
time. In parallel with the decision to sell the land, it was decided to fund
the EL-ESTO project from proceeds of the sale of the Esto Valley property.
The Esto Valley
land was sold -- its sale closed in February 2001. Proceeds from the sale
became available in mid-2001, and planning for implementation of the EL-ESTO
project began shortly thereafter. It was felt that the funds available from the
Esto Valley sale are sufficient to develop -- and operate for some years – the
electronic- or virtual museum. Additional funding for long-term operation would
be sought after the new “e-museum” is in operation. It is expected that the
Estonian-Canadian community at large and various departments or agencies of the
government of Estonia will play a significant role in supporting its operations
in future.
At the May
28, 2001 Annual Meeting of Estonian Arts Centre, membership reconfirmed the
Board’s plan to proceed with the electronic museum project; and set August 31,
2002 – the end of its next fiscal year – as tentative date for completing the
project. However, soon new and
serious obstacles were encountered. For example, the choice floor space at the
Estonian House, where the e-museum base was to be established (which had been
promised by the management of the Estonian House to be available for the
project) suddenly became unavailable. An alternative, less desirable floor
space had to be constructed at the Estonian House by Estonian Arts Centre, and
its project team encountered other unexpected situations, which all had to be
dealt with. These problems aside, an in-house Video-studio was set up - with some of its
early productions listed on website http://estarts.ca/Videolist.htm - and a large selection - some
200 pieces of artwork - were digitized in the late 2002 / early 2003. In the
autumn of 2004, technical aspects of the e-museum website were developed and the
basic framework of the Estonian Arts Centre virtual- or
electronic museum was placed on the Internet, where it can be found at http://www.estarts.ca
Changes in the project’s scope / Ongoing activities on
its published Website:
As is noted above, the EL-ESTO project actual start was
delayed for quite some time; and in the process – due to various reasons, too
numerous to list here – the scope of the project changed from the originally
visualized multi-purpose Estonian Cultural Info-Centre to the present Virtual-
or Electronic
museum. Its purpose is to:
·
Exhibit, online, selected works of the Estonian Arts Centre art collection
and of artwork by Estonian artists owned by others, who are interested in
exhibiting selected pieces of their collections on the arts centre’s site;
·
Provide
an on-line “home” for the Estonian Arts Centre history - to open the section, just “click” on: ajalugu
(in Estonian); as well, to provide a “calender” of upcoming
events: events / sündmused; for
notes and comments on selected past events: past
events / toimunud üritused
As is noted, the Estonian Arts Centre
e-museum Website was placed on the Internet in the autumn of 2004. Recently
(winter 2005/2006), the site received background information – in English and
in Estonian - on the various artists and re: their works included in the
e-museum. The coming and past activities of Estonian Arts Centre are updated on
an ongoing basis on the site. Additional works of art will be exhibited from
both the Estonian Arts Centre’s own art collection and from private collections
of interested families / individuals, as such works become available.
Estonian Arts
Centre can be reached by electronic mail via: info@estarts.ca
Links:
Prepared by: John
Pahapill, Project Director
Last updated:
August 28, 2006