Good Practice - Project
The South Estonia Community Programme
Estonian rural heritage project uses LEADER support to help residents and businesses benefit from the Tartu European Capital of Culture programme.
General information
RDP Priority
- P6. Social inclusion and local development
RDP Focus Area
- 6B: Local development
RDP Measure
- M19: LEADER/CLLD
Beneficiary type
- Non-governmental organisation
Summary
The South Estonian Community Programme project was part of the official European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 initiative. Developed by four Local Action Groups (LAGs), the aim of this LEADER practice was to give visibility to South Estonia’s communities, stories, and core values – as seen and shaped by the people who live there.
An open call invited community groups to propose local event ideas that could receive development funding, such as training, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Twenty community projects were carried out, leading to over 100 events. These featured river trips, food festivals, performances, hiking tours, workshops and participatory theatre. All events reflected South Estonia’s values: including pristine nature, rich heritage, local food and crafts, sustainable practices, healthy lifestyles and active communities.
The project created strong cooperation between LAGs, municipalities, local organisers and volunteers. A shared communication and visual identity strengthened South Estonia’s image as a vibrant and welcoming rural region.
Results
- 71 632 participants attended 239 cultural events introducing South Estonia’s heritage and nature during 2023–2024.
- 1 320 volunteers contributed 17 963 hours (equivalent to 2 245 working days), with nearly 30% of volunteers being young people.
- Twenth community projects were implemented and eight projects had international partnerships.
- All events followed individual green action plans, using reusable dishes, offering tap water, highlighting local and plant-based food, and sorting waste.
- Each event involved cooperation between at least two different community groups.
- Dozens of new cultural formats and event series were created – around 75% of the events were new.
- A six-module support programme, opening event, inspiration days and webinars were carried out for organisers.
- Social media content: 1 841 posts, 2.25 million impressions.
- Total reach across media (TV, radio, print, online, social): 35.3 million.
Promoter
Tartu County Development Association
Funding
Total budget: 857 510 (EUR)
EAFRD: 136 000 (EUR)
National/Regional: 34 000 (EUR)
Private/own: 487 510 (EUR)
Other: 200 000 (EUR)
Context
The South Estonian Community Programme grew out of a successful grassroots LEADER initiative known as the Yellow Windows of South Estonia. These striking environmental art installations were inspired by National Geographic’s iconic yellow frame and placed in meaningful locations chosen by local communities. National Geographic yellow windows can be found across the towns and rural areas of six South Estonian counties. They invite visitors to discover the region’s rich cultural heritage, pristine nature and innovative rural businesses – offering a unique glimpse into south Estonia’s soul.
Building on this idea, the South Estonian Community Programme expanded its mission to showcase places while empowering communities to create and host meaningful events that reflect their identity and values. The idea became part of the official main programme of European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. This is a prestigious cultural initiative in Europe. In 2024, Tartu shared the title with Bad Ischl (Austria) and Bodø (Norway), drawing international attention to southern Estonia.
The European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 was not just about one city – it was a collaborative cultural and regional development project involving the wider south Estonian region. Through cooperation with a number of rural municipalities and LAGs, the programme provided a platform for community voices to be heard, local heritage to be celebrated and authentic experiences to be shared with visitors from across Europe.
Objectives
LEADER project goals sought to:
- Promote South Estonia’s cultural heritage and natural environment through community-led events.
- Attract at least 25 000 visitors from Estonia and abroad to the region.
- Strengthen regional identity and community pride.
- Support the creation of new, high-quality cultural events and services aligned with slow tourism.
- Increase local entrepreneurial activity, including among young people.
- Foster cooperation between southern Estonian communities and cross-border partners.
- Enhance the skills and capacity of community organisers through a dedicated support programme.
- Encourage environmentally responsible event planning and delivery through green action plans.
- Promote collaboration between multiple local communities in organising each event.
- Contribute to long-term cultural development as part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 legacy.
Target groups were local communities in South Estonia, rural residents and small municipalities, visitors from Estonia and abroad, young people in rural areas, local entrepreneurs and service providers, and cultural and tourism professionals.
Activities
The South Estonian Community Programme was carried out as part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024, with many preparatory activities already starting in 2018. Below is a chronological overview of the key activities:
Preparatory phase, before preparing the project and receiving support:
- 2018-2020 – First preparatory steps. Local LAGs contributed to the concept of the European Capital of Culture by highlighting South Estonia’s cultural and natural uniqueness in the candidacy book.
- Coordination between LAGs and the Tartu 2024 Foundation intensified. The concept for the community programme was further developed.
Official project-related activities:
- Initial planning phase, including meetings with LAGs and other key partners to shape the concept and develop the activity plan.
- Deadline for the open call for value-based community event ideas across South Estonia.
- Evaluation and selection of events to be included in the official programme.
- Development phase for selected events, including:
- CAP-funded training seminars and mentoring sessions to support event organisers.
- Focus areas covering programme design, budgeting, marketing, risk management, youth engagement, and sustainable planning.
Training sessions included
- Programme design & budgeting.
- Cooperation with Tartu 2024 & green principles.
- Marketing & communication.
- Team building, roles & risks.
- Youth involvement & cooperation with local service providers.
- Final training session.
- Launch of the official programme website and social media channels.
- Opening event introducing the selected regional activities and marking the start of the programme season.
- Implementation of more than 120 community-led events across South Estonia including festivals, river trips, workshops, performances, exhibitions, and more.
- Dissemination activities, including articles in National Geographic Estonia and National Geographic Travel, and the creation of various promotional materials.
- Final closing event for participating organisers and cooperation partners to reflect on results and celebrate achievements.
Main results
- 71 632 participants attended 239 cultural events introducing South Estonia’s heritage and nature from 2023 to 2024.
- The initial visitor target of 25 000 was exceeded nearly threefold.
- Tickets sold totalled 11 358.
- 1320 volunteers contributed 17 963 hours (equivalent to 2 245 working days), with nearly 30% of volunteers being young people.
- 20 community projects were implemented, each with multiple value-based activities such as festivals, performances, food events, exhibitions and workshops – covering the entire South Estonian territory.
- Eight projects had international partnerships.
- All events followed individual green action plans – using reusable dishes, offering tap water, highlighting local and plant-based food, and sorting waste.
- Each event involved cooperation between at least two different community groups.
- Dozens of new cultural formats and event series were created – around 75% of the events were new.
- A six-module support programme, opening event, inspiration days, and webinars were carried out for organisers.
- Articles in National Geographic Estonia and global National Geographic Travel platform reached 23.2 million people.
- Social media content: 1 841 posts, 2.25 million impressions.
- Total reach across media (TV, radio, print, online, social): 35.3 million.
- The programme’s unified visual identity and marketing helped create strong visibility across Estonia and Europe.
Key lessons
- The South Estonia Community Programme showcases how rural communities can become cultural innovators, creating over 100 unique, locally-led events that drew more than 70 000 participants and strengthened regional identity.
- The project empowered citizens across four South Estonia counties to co-create meaningful cultural experiences, blending tradition with innovation and giving voice to often underrepresented rural areas.
- It stands as an inspirational model of how community-led cooperation, supported by CAP and European Capital of Culture, can drive visibility, creativity and long-term vitality in rural Europe.
The community events supported by LEADER groups and the Tartu 2024 Foundation were a great success. The number of events and participants tripled our initial goals. In 2024 alone, 55 022 people took part, in addition to 16 610 in 2023. But even more important than the numbers were the enthusiasm and creativity that local communities brought to shaping the European Capital of Culture programme, guided by their own values. Equally valuable was the experience of cooperation – both within communities and between them.