Legal Vandalism in the Heart of Tallinn – a Vibrant Graffiti Festival

A legal graffiti event that took place near Tallinn’s ferry terminal last Saturday sent a clear message: the city is youthful, energetic, and graffiti is to be seen as an art form, not vandalism. The colorful murals on the fence surrounding Estmak Capital’s developing hotel are part of a collaboration between real estate companies, the Department of Education, and young artists.

The event, which celebrated Tallinn’s street culture, took place on the large canvas provided by the construction company NOBE – the fence around the Novotel Living apartment hotel. According to Tatjana Arhipova, CEO of Estmak Capital, the goal is to enhance the urban environment both culturally and visually, making the city a more attractive place for locals and visitors.

“Tallinn needs more vibrant street culture, and that’s why we’re offering young graffiti artists a legal way to express themselves. We want graffiti to be not only accepted but appreciated as a real art form,” said Arhipova. As Tallinn becomes a more modern European city, street art fits naturally with its rapidly changing image, she emphasized.

A festival to energize the city

The festival, celebrating the end of the graffiti season, was filled with more than just international artists and art. With DJ sets, and workshops, the atmosphere buzzed with creativity. For example, attendees could try their hand at graffiti by adding colorful designs to their own shirts or hats. 

Aleksei Jefimov, Head of Tallinn’s Youth Work Department, and a partner of the event, was pleased with the vibrant festival atmosphere and the artwork that emerged on the walls.

“It felt like we were in a modern Central European city. Now, when tourists walk from the port into town, Novotel Living’s graffiti-covered fence will be one of the first things they see. It immediately signals that Tallinn is youthful, vibrant, and supportive of the arts,” Jefimov said.

An art-loving real estate company

Street art has gained acceptance and popularity in Tallinn in recent years. The graffiti season began this spring with the opening of a public graffiti wall in Mustamäe. Saturday’s event marked the first time the season finale was part of a five-year program to promote graffiti in the city.

Estmak Capital’s collaboration with artists in supporting a more vibrant urban space is not their first. Last year, the company helped create a 100-meter stretch of graffiti in the same place on Poordi Street. They’ve also hosted art exhibitions on the giant LED screens of the nearby Explorer building, in the commercial spaces at Poordi 3, and at the Lasnamäe Health Center.

The graffiti exhibition on the fence around the soon-to-be-completed Novotel Living hotel will remain open indefinitely. The project was supported by several partners: online travel agency Travely, construction company NOBE, Tallinn’s Mobile Youth Work team, Central City Youth Center, and local graffiti supply store Spekter.

Media coverage: Delfi RUS