April 2026
Newsletter no 9
April arrives auspiciously, bringing a variety of Estonian music, art and literature to the UK. Join us to explore the creative landscapes of Estonia.
👇 Scroll down to see what’s on.
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Konrad Mägi takes London by storm at Dulwich Picture Gallery
A hidden gem of European modernism has arrived in London. For the first time in the UK, a major exhibition brings together over 60 works by Konrad Mägi—an artist whose bold colours and restless experimentation redefine what Estonian art can be.
From glowing, almost otherworldly landscapes to deeply introspective portraits, Mägi’s work captures both the beauty and unease of a rapidly changing world—shaped by travel, personal struggle, and a relentless creative drive.
In dialogue with Mägi, contemporary artist Kristina Õllek presents a new site-inspired installation. Created during her Saaremaa residency, the work combines sea salt, limestone, and cyanobacteria to explore the fragile, ever-changing nature of landscape.
A rare meeting of past and present—this exhibition offers a fresh perspective on Estonian art you won’t want to miss.
📌 Exhibition is open from 24 March until 12 July at Dulwich Picture Gallery, London
🔗 More info and tickets HERE
Estonian entry Vanilla Ninja live at London Eurovision pre-party
Vanilla Ninja is heading to London to perform Estonian Eurovision entry Too Epic to be True at the Eurovision pre-party.
Taking place at the state-of-the-art Here at Outernet, the event brings together the stars of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest along with some very special guests. Get ready for an unforgettable Eurovision night!
📌 The pre-party takes place on 19 April from 6pm at Here at Outernet, London
🔗 More info and tickets HERE
European Writers’ Festival brings Carolina Pihelgas to London
The European Writers’ Festival returns for its third edition at the British Library, gathering leading and emerging voices from 26 countries for a weekend dedicated to contemporary European literature. The event offers audiences a chance to discover new writing and engage with authors, translators and publishers from across the continent.
Among this year’s participants is Estonian writer, poet, translator and editor Carolina Pihelgas. Her acclaimed prose poetry collection The Light within the Stone (2019) was awarded the Estonian Cultural Endowment Prize for Best Poetry Book. In 2020, she served as a Tartu’s City Writer Laureate.
Her latest work, the novella The Cut Line (2024), is her second work of prose. It received the Women’s Prize for Fiction in Estonia and marks her debut in English translation. Pihelgas’s writing is known for its exploration of violence, intergenerational trauma and the relationship between humans and nature.
Alongside her creative work, Pihelgas is editor-in-chief for the Estonian literary magazine Looming.
📌 European Writers’ Festival 3 takes place between from 16 May until 17 May at the British Library, London
🔗 More information and tickets HERE
Monika-Evelin Liiv stars in Suor Angelica
An international ensemble of musicians from The Royal Opera, English National Opera and the London City Orchestra presents a concert performance of Puccini’s deeply moving Suor Angelica.
Telling the tragic story of a woman separated from her child and confined to a convent by her family, the opera unfolds a haunting exploration of grief, love and hope.
Under the baton of Thomas Payne, the cast includes Hannah O’Brien, Monika-Evelin Liiv, Beren Kader Fidan and Rozanna Madylus.
📌 The concert takes place on 25 April at 7.30pm at St Gabriel's Church, London
🔗 More information and tickets HERE
Curse Upon Iron takes the stage with the National Youth Choir
On 11 April, the National Youth Choir performs Curse Upon Iron (Raua needmine) in Bristol. It is one of the most powerful and evocative works by Estonian composer Veljo Tormis.
Rooted in ancient Finno-Ugric runic traditions, the piece explores the mythological origins of iron and delivers a dramatic warning about its destructive use in warfare. Through intense rhythms, incantatory text and raw vocal expression, Tormis transforms folklore into a modern musical statement that feels both ritualistic and urgent. The work stands as a striking example of how traditional heritage can be reimagined to address timeless human concerns.
📌 The concert takes place on 11 April at Victoria Rooms, Bristol
🔗 More information and tickets HERE
For All At Last Return with Katja Novitskova and Kristina Õllek at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art presents a major group exhibition focusing on marine ecosystems. For All At Last Return explores different ocean habitats, from near-shore and intertidal zones to coral reefs, the open ocean and the deep sea, considering our relationships with these fragile environments and their dependent communities. The exhibition presents works by Katja Novitskova and Kristina Õllek.
📌 The artist talk with Kristina Õllek and Dr Jenny Gales on 30 May at 6pm at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
🔗 More info about the exhibition HERE and about the artist talk HERE
Other Top Picks
📌 The Façade Ensemble performs Arvo Pärt’s Passio at the Ely Cathedral. The concert takes place on 1 April. Free tickets can be reserved in advance HERE
📌 Lay Clerks and Organists of Canterbury Cathedral, together with distinguished guest instrumentalists perform Arvo Pärt’s Passio by candlelight in the beautiful surroundings of Canterbury Cathedral’s Quire. The concert takes place on Good Friday, 3 April and tickets can be bought HERE
📌 Estonian-born musician Hanakiv has released her second album Interlude — a deeply personal journey of overcoming the past, expressed through a seductively unconventional sound filled with hope and healing. Listen to the album HERE
📌 ESTuudio Girls’ Choir together with Estonian Ladies’ Choir of Great Britain performs music by Arvo Pärt, Tõnu Kõrvits and Rasmus Puur on 18 April at 7pm at St George’s German Lutheran Church, London
📌 Exhibition Come With Us! - Democratic Transformations in Central and Eastern Europe after 1989 is open at 12 Stars Gallery, Europe House London