Ptarmigan operated in Tallinn from 2011-2014. We no longer maintain any presence in Tallinn, but this website will continue to serve as an archive of the activities produced at Ptarmigan during these years.
Our good friend Derek Holzer stopped by on Wednesday and ran a one-day workshop in building SoundBoxes. These instruments used basic electronics embedded into everyday household objects to create uniquely personal and domestic objects. In the evening, a small crowd gathered to see the instruments in action. The audience was encouraged to play the SoundBoxes as well, turning the Ptarmigan performance room into an open free-for-all.
Derek finished the evening with a performance of his own music, working with synthesisers and other electronic creations of his. Thanks to everyone who participated and attended; it was a lovely evening.
William “Bilwa” Costa's | resonance | performance workshop was so intense and involving that there was no way to think about documentation. It captivated us fully making totally pointless any try to capture it by the use of photo camera. Nevertheless we have at least couple of pictures from Bilwa's and Jasmin Schaitl's collaboration which happened at Ptarmigan couple days later. In 3 hours they performed various actions with the use of white ribbon, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of the metronome letting the time be distorted.
We're happy to have Cabaret Rhizome host the third and final Done Kino screening on 14 August at 23.00. Follow the right rabbit!
On Wednesday, 17 July, Derek Holzer returns to Ptarmigan to lead a one-day workshop in building SoundBoxes. This workshop will allow the creation of an electronic musical instrument using common objects, reinvestigating the sonic world of the everyday. The workshop is currently full, but you can register to join the waiting list and maybe someone will cancel and you'll be lucky.
But, everyone is invited to Ptarmigan that evening, beginning at 20:00, for the public performance of the workshop. This is a free peformance that will also include DJ Kaarel Künnap and possibly some other surprises.
Derek has worked with Ptarmigan since we began and we're always thrilled to have him share his ideas through workshops, performances, and other forms.
Stay tuned for more sound/electronics projects soon, including the Pulsar Kites project by our current artist-in-residency, Juan Carlos Duarte Regino.
Report from this month's Fake It Till You Make It workshop: On 4 June 2013, a group of individuals came together without prior knowledge of what they would do. The group foraged in the urban environment for nettles, collecting several kilograms, which they then experimented with to make several edible concoctions such as tea, beer, smoothies, and sweet-nettle-sushi. The experiments were followed by clean up and discussion time.
Thanks to Justin for another great session and thanks to Rehab, Ingrid, Taavi and Crystal for participating.
If you have video recordings still waiting for their final cut, or you've lost all your hope that this is even possible, then this is a call for you.
Done Lab is looking for raw film or video footage to be screened in the frame of UNFINISHED SCREENINGS 4 on 9 August 18.00 at Ptarmigan. The screening is simultaneously a worm-up event of Done Kino which will be happening also at Ptarmigan between 10 and 16 August.
If you have material which was planned to be a part of a bigger project, and you wish to show it to a wider audience and even let it to be used by Done Kino participants, please let us know by sending an email with the following info:
Deadline for submissions: 29 July 2013.
Ptarmigan seeks creative projects from the Nordic and Baltic regions for two-month residencies in Tallinn, Estonia. These residencies are supported by the Kulturkontakt Nord Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme.
Ptarmigan is a multi-disciplinary cultural platform operating in both Tallinn, Estonia and Helsinki, Finland. For five years, Ptarmigan has organised events, residencies, workshops, performances and other projects that span across various spheres of art, music, performance, humanities, and other more nebulous fields. Our focus is on participatory and event-driven cultural production that’s simultaneously inclusive and unusual.
Who is eligible
Any legal resident of the Nordic or Baltic countries, excluding Estonia. This means: Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, the Åland Islands, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.
What we are looking for
Your residency is a project; your proposal should clearly describe what you hope to do with two months in Tallinn. We look to produce projects that excite us and occupy unique cultural space. We like to see things that are active and lively, and fit in well with what we do. At Ptarmigan, the joy is in collaboration, being together, and expanding perspectives. We’re inclined towards ideas that offer some sort of educational component, and a chance for the public to be involved, while being experimental in nature.
What you get
If chosen, your travel to and from Tallinn will be paid for (up to €400). You will be provided with accommodation and studio space. In addition to this you will receive a stipend of 1400€ for your two months stay, pending requirements (see below). All of your costs (food, materials, etc.) will come from this stipend (or your own funds).. There is an option that you may visit Helsinki at least once to present, perform, or otherwise engage with our Finnish network - ferry travel and accommodation will be covered for this trip.
Ptarmigan is an artist-run space that is all volunteer based. We're pleased to help you with your project and treat you as an inherent but temporary part of our fluctuating team.
Description of the residency facilities
Other requirements
If you are not a legal resident of one of the aforementioned countries, then you are not eligible for this residency, which is funded by KK Nord only for mobility between Nordic and Baltic countries. If you have a good idea for Ptarmigan but are not a resident of these countries, please don’t hesitate to propose it anyway -- but understand that we do not have any financial support beyond the Nordic/Baltic residency programme.
The residency, as required by KK Nord, is for a minimum of two months. We are generally budgeted for exactly that time, though a few extra days over is okay. If you have an idea for a longer project then please describe it in your proposal.
The stipend is broken into two monthly payments of 700€ each. This is intended to cover all living costs and materials. To receive this stipend, you must spend 85% of your stay in Tallinn (though your visit to Helsinki will not count against this).
How to apply
To apply for Ptarmigan’s Nordic/Baltic residency programme, please use our general-purpose proposal form, and choose “Tallinn residencies” as the “existing project”. We prefer that you apply in English.
We will be selecting 2 residencies in 2013 on ongoing basis, with a minimum duration of two-months each with our first residency beginning at the start of June. Please specify clearly on the proposal form when you would be most interested in coming, ex. “June-July”, “November-December”, etc.
