ESTONIAN ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION (EAA)
The first Estonian artists’ organisation was established in 1922.
The Estonian Artists’ Association (EAA) was established during the II World War in 1943 in the rear area of the Soviet Union by 14 Estonian artists belonging to the Jaroslavl art ensemble. During the Soviet time the Estonian Artists’ Association belonged to the Artists’ Association of the Soviet Union. At that time membership of the artists’ association automatically brought along the status of a free-lance artist and pension insurance. Apartments were distributed to the members of the EAA through the Art Fund studio. State art purchases were also guaranteed from annual survey exhibitions.
In November 1989 the General Meeting of the Estonian Artists’ Association declared the independence of the EAA. The regaining of independence of the Republic of Estonia in 1991 paralysed the EAA’s leading role as the centre of art life that it had played during the Soviet period. The tax privileges stopped, the state disputed the Associations’ property as a whole, necessity of the creative association as a structure from the Soviet time became questionable. The organisation, which started to reform itself, was left almost without any income.
During the last years there has however been a change for the better, because in connection with the liquidation of the industrial art combine "ARS" plenty of industrial and office rooms were relieved which the EAA could then rent to its members with preferential price and to small businesses with market price. This kind of business produced finances for supporting art life. E.g. in 1998 the association distributed ca 1 million EEK to exhibitory work.
Nevertheless the association is facing a dilemma – on one hand people expect economic support from it, on the other hand the association should more actively participate in the discussion about the idealistic/ideological level of art as well, because the Estonian society has taken a wait-and-see attitude towards contemporary art.
Fixed on 1. Nov. 1999, the Estonian Artists’ Association comprised of 961 professional artists and art critics and 19 sub-associations. There are 629 female and 332 male artists among the members; 120 of them under 35, 561 between 35-60 and 280 artists older than 60 years. The number of applied artists is 358.
The EAA’s responsibility is to mediate information and the news to the sub-associations and the sub-associations use the communications channels of the EAA. EAA is also a member in Nordic artists residency exchange program NIFCA and Res Artis.
The EAA owns a 7-storied building in the centre of Tallinn where the office of the EAA, two galleries, a shop selling art supplies and 22 studios are situated. In addition to that the EAA possesses an office and industrial building, a monumental studio and a holiday house where members of the EAA can spend their holidays.
The income of the EAA consists primarily of profit gained from renting property and membership fees.
The objectives of the EAA are:
1. Promoting art culture
2. Enhancing the prestige of art creation in the society
3. Protection of the creative rights and professional interests of artists and art critics
4. Evaluation and social protection of the social status of artists and art critics
5. Promoting the international relations of Estonian artists
6. Charity work
"10 years later": Estonian art´s and Estonian Artists´ Association´s financial and economic background in the development of the 90-is
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