INSPIRE Project Estonia Study Visit: An In-Depth Look at Creative Economy Ecosystems in Tallinn and Tartu
The Estonia Study Visit, held between 23–27 November 2025 as part of the INSPIRE Project, provided an opportunity to explore Europe’s innovative creative economy and digital transformation practices on site in Tallinn and Tartu. The programme offered valuable insight for policymakers and creative industry representatives from Türkiye, enabling direct engagement with leading institutions and exemplary international models.
Tallinn: National Creative Industries and Digital Transformation
The first part of the programme brought the delegation together with institutions shaping Estonia’s national creative industries ecosystem.
Meetings with Creative Estonia, Creativity Lab, Music Estonia, and the Estonian Design Centre focused on data-driven policy development, design-led innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and creative entrepreneurship support mechanisms.
The delegation also visited two key creative hubs located in repurposed industrial spaces in Tallinn:
•Telliskivi Creative City, the country’s largest hub for creative enterprises and communities
•Kultuuri Katel, a former power plant transformed into a unique culture and event centre
These visits offered important insights into the spatial transformation power of creativity and the role of community-oriented cultural production.
Digital Government and Creative Education
On the second day, the delegation met with the team behind Estonia’s globally recognised digital identity programme, E-Residency, gaining an understanding of digital entrepreneurship and remote company formation models.
This was followed by a visit to the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), where discussions focused on creative sector education, design thinking, and international partnerships.
Tartu: Regional Creative Economy and Cultural Policy
In the Tartu section of the programme, the delegation met with the Tartu Creative Industries Centre and the Tartu City Culture Department to explore regional creative economy strategies, entrepreneurship support mechanisms, and initiatives carried out within the framework of European Capital of Culture 2024.
The day concluded with a visit to Aparaaditehas, a renovated industrial complex that has become one of the city’s most vibrant hubs for creative communities.
The Estonia Study Visit provided significant comparative learning opportunities for the development of Türkiye’s creative economy.
The delegation gained a comprehensive perspective on national and regional cultural policies, digitalisation, design-driven innovation, data-informed governance, and creative entrepreneurship models contributing to strengthened cooperation between Türkiye and Europe in the field of culture and creativity.
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