Our Year 2013

In year 2013 we did quite many different things in Paide Community Centre. We participated in several projects helping to renovate Tallinna 11 house, trained and educated others and ourselves, and organized other events. We also thought thoroughly about our communication activities and as a result of this we now have a new conception for our house

A complete summary of the year can be found in Estonian language at Weissenstein blog post 2013. aasta. Below a short summary of the summary.

In January we hosted a meeting of Estonian Information Centres for Sustainable Renovation in Paide SRIK and started the FarmFoodClub (Talutoiduklubi in Estonian). In February and March we organized some workshops on paper plaster, sawdust plaster and egg tempera. 

In March we had second Freetown Congress (Wabalinna kongress in Estonian), finished with project Annetuskeskkond and started several new projects for organizing workshops and events, drafting our communication plan and a new conception for Tallinna 11 house, and renovating our house. 

In March we participated in project Terres à Terres transnational meeting in Italy and in May hosted one in Paide and Mooste (see agenda, presentations and photos). In April we hosted Year of Cultural Heritage event in Paide and had first ten-days workshop on sustainable renovation in the Centre of Volunteers in Järva county (Järvamaa Vabatahtlike Keskus in Estonian). 

In May we watched together TEDxTallinn 2013 livestream, organized the yearly "Let's do it" day of civil actions in the Community Centre (Kogukonnakeskus in Estonian), opened the wood workshop in Paide SRIK for communal use, got funding for renovating our kitchen for organizing food workshops with FarmFoodClub, hosted a reception of National Heritage Board information day and advised some nice people from Haapsalu to start there another Information Centre for Sustainable Renovation (shortly SRIK in Estonian).

In June we were busy with renovating the Tallinna 11 house and preparing for next events. In July we had another ten-days workshop on renovating old houses. In middle of July we opened a graphics exhibition and had a lecture/talk about "Soviet flower-power" in Walge Gallery, and participated in organizing the Kreisilinnapäev.

In August we were still renovating our house and also helped the organizers of Arvamusfestival.  In September we had a FarmFoodClub workshop about natural canning, organized another annual festival Kolmkõla, attended the EcoMess festival in Tallinn, and organized another annual Old Town Conference (Vanalinna konverents in Estonian). 

Before the local elections we had four Citizens' Clubs (Kodanike Klubi in Estonian) in September and October. Since September until December we had Mentoring Club in the Community Center. In the end of September we started another ten-days workshop on restoration of old doors and windows. In October we started teaching sustainable renovation in Koeru School and went to the first meeting of PLANT project in Ireland. 

In November we had an Indian music concert in Walge Gallery, meeting of the members of Estonian Society of EcoBuilding (Ökoehituse Ühing in Estonian) in Community Center, and another ten-days workshop in the Centre of Volunteers. In the end of November we started FreeCinema (Wabakino in Estonian) in cooperation with Cinema Bus, and organized Freetown House Day (Wabalinna maja päev in Estonian) to present the new "face" of the community center.

In December we had FarmFoodClub christmas sale and wax candle workshop. agreed on sustainable renovation curriculum starting in Türi School in 2014 and had our end of year party. 

Besides all this there were the permanent activities in SRIK through the year (counseling house owners, gathering old materials, sustainable renovation shop), permanent work with volunteers, publication of our newspaper KoosOlek, operation of Welopark, and launching the free cafe (wabakohvik in Estonian).

We thank all helpers and supporters (NFCS, OEF), including specially Paide Town Government that in our opinion could be a trendsetter for all Estonian local governments in supporting local activities and activists.

The era of the Community Center ended with year 2013. 
Welcome to the Freetown House in 2014!

Paper plaster and egg tempera

Among other things Paide SRIK organizes workshops of natural plastering and painting techniques, usually lime or clay plasters etc.
This March and April we had 2 such worksops.

First the workshop on "paper plaster" and "sawdust plaster".
"Paper plaster" is also known as paper mache. It is actually one of the traditional ways to make handmade paper and it is used also on making paper ornaments, toys etc. But it is also possible to use it as a plaster - to cover wooden or stone walls inside. It gives good insulating effect and is also good technique in old houses, where walls are not very even.
The recipe of the plaster is simple: first chop (better wettered) newspapers, make small pieces and leave them into the water for a while. Then squeeze the water out of the paper, put it into the bucket, add water and methyl cellulose (a glue, you can also replace it with glue for wallpapering). Then mix it and add chalk (about 3-4 handfuls per bucket), also add a little bit boron (against mould) and mix it really well to make it look and feel like paste - then it is easier to plaster it. Then you have plastering which is warm and nice with structure of paper. It also one of the cheapest plasters you can get and also available for people, who live in towns and cities.

Another natural plaster is what we call "sawdust plaster". It is also natural, cheap and have great insulating effect. Take 3 parts of sawdust, 2 parts of chopped and wettered newspaper and 1 part of clay (you can use normal pottery dry clay powder). Add just water and mix it well. And it is ready for use. Using very fine pieces of paper makes it possible to use it for finishing layer.

For the finishing we used another natural paint - egg tempera. Take simply 1 egg, the same part by volume of boiled lineseed oil and the same part by volume of water. First filter egg through gauze or stockings to remove bigger parts of it. Then mix it first with oil and only then with water. Now you have transparent paint, also good for primer before or after painting.
If you add to this 1 part of talc or kaolin or what we cell "titanwhite" you get more covering paint, a nice natural white paint. If you add natural pigments you get beatiful finishing, especially on natural plasters, but also on wood.
For 10-15m2 you need 5 eggs and corresponding parts of other ingredients.

All ingredients necessary for these techniques are available in Paide SRIK.

Photos of plastering workshop and egg-tempera workshop.

Freetown congress

In March we had second "Wabalinna kongress", which may be transalted as "Freetown congress". As you see, it has a symbol of "Anarchy is Order". Yes, it was about anarchy. Many ideas, espacially on economic issues implemented by "communty movements" are actually borrowed form early works of anarchists (P.J.Proudhon, J. Warren, S. Gesell, L. Tolstoy, M. Rothband etc). It is often forgotten, that anarchy symbol says that it is connected to order not chaos. In many ways it is possible in small local communities, where people can and should cooperate without external pressure and regulations.

This time we had guests from Tallinn and Tartu: people who are involved in animal rights movement and squatters. And punk-bands in the evening of course :)

Some photos here of the congress and some of 2012 congress.

FarmFoodClub

Since 2013 we have FarmFoodClub (Talutoiduklubi in estonian) in our community centre.

The idea is nothing new, actually it is already quite popular in Estonia. It involves direct marketing of local (Järva county) farm products (talukaup in estonian) to local, people of Paide town.

But it is not just marketing, it is also a club, where farmers can make presentations about their products. Also lectures and workshops (incl cooking) are planned. We have small community coffee, where different local chefs can practice and which is working with the help of volunteers.

The aim of these activities is to value local resources, incl food and to help local community to become more viable.

FarmFoodClub webpage (in estonian): http://talukaup.jarva.ee

Wabalinn Paide festival Kolmkõla – Poetry

KIVISILDNIK:

Kivisildnik (civil name Sven Sildnik; born on 3 January 1964 in Rakvere) is an Estonian writer and journalist. He has been a member of literary groups “Hirohall” and Young Authors' Association in Tartu as well as the Estonian Kostabi-$ociety. In 1993-1996 worked as a journalist for the newspaper Post. Wham! Zaiks' singer.

In 2006-2009 he was the Secretary General of the Estonian Independence Party, and from 2009 he is the party chairman.


TÕNU TRUBETSKY:

Tõnu Trubestky (born on 24 April 1963 in Tallinn) is a poet, novelist, anarchist, musician whose mostly known to the general public as the leader and singer of Vennaskond.

He reads his poetry and answers to audience's questions on 10th of September at 20:00 pm at Reval Cafe.

Wabalinn Paide Festival Kolmkõla – Art

JANNO BERGMANN:

Janno Bergman has always searched for sideways and secret passages instead of the well-trodden ways of the art scene. His education is a proof of this - he studied social work, art at Sütevaka Art Department, Academia Non Grata, at Ilya Kabakov's studio in New York as well as info-technology at the Pärnu German Technology School.

Since 1996 he has actively engaged in action, video and installation art; he has curated, visualized and conceptualized, leaving an imperceptible, yet lasting mark on the development of Estonian indie art.

The exhibition "Glasperlenangst" focuses on the deconstruction, modification and reproduction of various cultural utopias. It comprises six works - "Picasso's Bullet", "Literary Black Square", "The Deconstruction of Malevich' Black Square", "Why Would You Want Milk, If You Could Have Culture", "The Script for Validating the Human Soul", "A Transhumanistic View on the Development of Language and Culture".

MIHKEL ILUS:

Mihkel Ilus is a native of Paide and has graduated Department of Arts at the University of Tartu. Currently he is studying fine arts at Estonian Academy of Arts in postgraduate studies. He has participated in several art projects both here and abroad (eg: Georgia).

In spring at St. Canute a unique modern dance and painting uniting project "Kapriisid" took place – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Z4auyzEwE&NR=1

Wabalinn Paide festival Kolmkõla – Music

MARI KALKUN:

Mari Kalkun's father is a native of Võru and mother a singer from Kihnu-Pärnu, so you may hear a forest as well as a sea in her songs.

She has drawn inspiration from nature, Estonian poetry and folk songs. In creating music, she uses a variety of musical instruments such as zither, accordion, guitar, piano, but she also likes to experiment with unusual sounds – whitsles, pipes and childhood instruments.

She has released two albums: “Üü tulõk” (2007) and „Vihmakõnõ” (2010).

http://www.myspace.com/marikalkun


ANS. ANDUR:

Started in Paide in 2002, in eight years this merry guitar pop band has released several albums, won a heart of music critics' as well as countless people in Estonia. Keywords describing Ans. Andur's music are: simplicity, beauty, romance and it's all presented in the form of home-made in the best sense of the word.

http://ansandur.bandcamp.com


RAGATMIKA:

Ensemble Ragatmika began its activity in Tallinn in 2000 and in the same year the band was awarded by music critics with a title as "the best undeground band."

During their activity of four years, two different oriented albums were published: guitar pop, flok and electronics connecting “One day this world will betray us & we will abandon it” (2002) and more into ambient music's depths diving “Katkiminekud”(2004).

After nearly 8 years of break, the band continues to make music in full-strength composition and also recording and issuing a brand new album, which should appear in the near future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOCwMAf3Cq0


TIIT KIIK:

Born in Kuressaare, Saaremaa, in 1950, Tiit Kiik graduated Tallinn conservatory as a concert-organist under the guidance of Hugo Lepnurm in 1976.

He is Estonia Concert Hall's and St. Nicholas' Church organist and organ's curator since 1985.

Over time he has performed in many European countries, USA and Canada, Saaremaa's organ festival and in many other Estonian churches.

http://www.myspace.com/tiitkiik


TIIU KIIK:

Singer and songwriter Tiiu Kiik is blessed with talent to put simple ideas and melodies ring softly, deeply and sometimes dramatically. Listeners have found that her music and fairy-like singing voice has a therapeutic effect.

With her song "Second Chance", she reached the semi-finals in 2011 Eesti Laul and the song "The One and Only – Love" reached to the finals of Eesti Laul 2010.

At the end of summer 2010, she revealed two different albums, “Lend ja tants” and “Muinasjutuline teekond”.

Tiiu has learned piano, violin and a little bit of organ at Paide Music School, music theory at Tallinn Georg Ots Music School and belonged to bands Forgotten Sunrise and Solweig.

http://www.myspace.com/tiiukiik

Wabalinn Paide festival Kolmkõla

Til 9th to 11th of September, a new three-day festival, called "Wabalinn Paide festival Kolmkõla" takes place In Paide. Organizers are Leho Rubis, Kaido Kirikmäe and Rainer Eidemiller. It is funded by Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

So far there has been lacking a comprehensive, contemporary music and other art forms presenting festival in Paide. Now this festival is scheduled to run and also to bring together other initiatives so far acted alone.

Among other things, this means that so far in February held "Kolmkõla" will now take place in September in an enlarged format. Venues are different importated places for Paide located in the heart of the city, including town hall, Vallitorn, cafe, Paide Restaurant’s rooftop and Paide Community Center (Tallinna 9/11), which is the center of the festival in its organizational sense.

The name "Wabalinn" derives from a project, carried by association Weissenstein, which essence is to shape the city of Paide more communal and efficient with cooperation by the initiative of the so-called free, public and private sector. The project is meant to support the same nonprofit activities as our festival. You can read more about the project at blogi.weissenstein.ee.

3kõla will cover Wabalinn projects as well as concerts, poetry evenings, exhibitions, film evenings and perfomances. The goal is to offer something interesting for citizens and visitors which at the same time will be carried by a single worldview and supports common goals.

Wabalinn Paide festival Kolmkõla – timetable

9th of September, Friday

The opening of Wabalinn and “Kolmkõla”

11:00 Invitation to the festival in front of the Town Hall and central square
11:30-14:00 Wabalinn presentations and lectures at the Town Hall, free
14:00-16:00 Vegetarian lunch at the central square’s green area
18:00 Janno Bergmann’s exhibition “Klaaspärliäng” opening at Thin Grete’s Gallery (Paide Community Centre, Tallinna 11), free
20:00 Poetry evening at Reval Kondiiter café – Kivisildnik, Batman & Robin (Vee 1), free
22:00 Mari Kalkun at Wittenstein Time Centre’s glass gallery (Vallitorn), 5 EUR
00:00 Night cinema at Paide Restaurant’s rooftop café (Keskväljak 15), free

10th of September, Saturday

“Külmkõla”

12:00 Wabalinn performance in front of Paide Culture Centre (Pärnu 18), free
15:00 Welo orientation at the Old Town (Paide Community Centre, Tallinna 9 and 11), free
18:00 Mihkel Ilus’ art exhibition opening and Gottlieb Walrus Walrus Entertainment’s concert “Sarvekandja tihasnokk”, artist Chungin Han Minjujuji (Tallinna 11 box), free
20:00 Poetry- and meeting evening – Tõnu Trubetsky at Reval Kondiiter café (Vee 1), 2 EUR
22:00 “Külmkõlad” album presentation – 8 compositions dedicated to Arvo Pärt at Paide Restaurant’s rooftop café (Keskväljak 15), Ans Andur and Ragatmika concert, 5 EUR
00:00 Tallinfilm presents – night cinema at Paide Restaurant’s rooftop café (Keskväljak 15), fantasy and sci-fi movie “Commander Pirx” (1978), free

11th of September, Sunday

“Sunday”

14:00 Concert of music by Arvo Pärt at Paide Holy Cross Church (Keskväljak 1)
Artists:
Tiit Kiik (Niguliste Church) – organ
Tiiu Kiik – vocals, electronics
18:00 The ending at Thin Grete’s Gallery (Tallinna 11) – not quite free, something good should be brought along :)

Summary from June 2011 KoosOlek

Food is our primary medicine
Author: Kaido Kirikmäe

Food and health – as important subject matters – are with high impact to all of us – without them rhythm of life soon stops as well as all sorts of activities associated with human habitation.

By now, food culture for me is as important as music and not only from consumer’s point of view, but also from composer's.

As you can experiment with interesting sounds, try their suitability and imapct on human consciousness, then all this can be done to prepare yourself and others delicious food.

Vegetable food makes us more vivacious and it coincides with scientific way of thinking, which argues that it is more time-consuming and energy expending to digest meat (compared to plant food).

Through a succesful combination of plant-based nutrients such as fruits and vegetables, leguminous, cereals and animal protein such as milk and cheese, it is possible to achieve surprising and delicious results.

I personally feel that if a person decides to choose what, how and where he eats, then it will also shape more consciously the choices of his other areas of life.

Diet should not be just simply human needs' fast satisfaction, but also meditation and procedure with therapeutic effects, which offers taste adventures and creates a sense of satisfaction at the same time.

Wabalinn Paide

On 2nd May association Weissenstein and The National Foundation of Civil Society signed a grant contract to support the project “Communal and Sustainable Paide”, total 10 700 €.

The project starts in May 2011 and lasts for 12 months. Its objective is to develop a vision and action plan through cooperation between citizens’ initiative and public authorities in order to shape Paide into more natural and sustainable city and vibrant and enterprising community.

The first part is preparation (from May to August), where will be discussed the basics of cooperation. In the second part (from September 2011 to April 2012) will be formed an initiative a group whose aim is to determine the main activities and working groups, who have professional competence in these areas. These areas may include:

1. Transport – reducing car ownership in the heart of the city, the uptake of electric cars, promoting biking and walking, developing a better public transport, etc.

2. Building – more extensive use of traditional and natural building materials in urban environments, increasing energy efficiency in buildings, sustainable renovation, etc.

3. Local enterprise development – to ensure local manufacturers and service providers more favorable conditions; completion of district’s inherent product branding; promotion of local culture and cultural heritage.

4. Communal way of life – promoting civic initiatives to develop urban environment; permaculture; extending local money’s flow.

5. Energy and waste management – the expansion of alternative energy (chips, solar and wind energy, biogas, etc). Sustainable waste management in urban environments.

The first draft will be held on 27th May at Paide community center.

See also: http://www.transitionnetwork.org

Summary from April 2011 KoosOlek

Natural capitalism

Author: Rainer Eidemiller

19th century industrial revolution laid foundation for modern capitalism, which consists of four components: human, financial, industrial and natural capital. The first three capitals are used to make the fourth (natural resource) necessary in our daily life: into cars, roads, towns, bridges, houses, food, medicines, hospitals, schools, etc. In doing so it is considered natural that the fourth capital essentially has no value.

Natural capital only appears to be low-cost (or even free); ignoring its real price, however, is not possible in a long term just as it was at the time of human resources. World has reached close to population explosion and exhaustion of natural resources. Even now natural capitalism may seem like an inhibitory idea for economic development, but in fact – just as human rights took place in the economic sphere and improved it – natural resources fairer assessment makes economy more sustainable.

Solutions offered by natural capitalism, which help economy to continue operating freely in the market, are:

1. Radical resource productivity. This means that the natural resources enable to derive more energy compared to current systems, which means that our energy needs does not actually need to spend more natural capital. To promote meaningful employment, wage taxes should be reduced and imported goods to be taxed at a greater rate, because oil will be wasted more.

2. Savings – to cease garbage production; maximum recycling. All garbage is waste and it is actually a sign of poor economic policies.

3. Service-based economy. This does not mean banking versus agriculture. This means that rather than selling goods, we should sell what people expect from those products. For example, people really do not want to buy a radiator or heating systems, as such, but they expect to receive – as a result – a warm room. Thus, in spite of selling these products, we should sell a complete solution, which would give the desired result.

Natural capitalism is not, therefore, conservative or liberal, nor left- or right-wing ideology. This practical way of thinking would help to guide economy to a completely new and sustainable market trends and particularly energises local economy. Natural capitalism believes in this, that a true market economy, where all forms of capital are treated equally, could perhaps be the best way to deal with the crisis. In other words: what if a free market economy would not only be based on profit, but people, environment and then profit?

Some reading: Natural Capitalism – Creating the Next Industrial Revolution (P. Hawken, A. Lovins, L.Hunter Lovis)

Summary from March 2011 KoosOlek 3/3

Waldorf in our family

Author: Kadri Roosi

On February 11th was held in Paide community center a discussion about education, where Keila waldorf school’s “Läte” one of the founders, Urmas Keller, shared his experience in founding and maintaining a school. Driven by this talk-circle, I would like to share my impressions and experiences from one waldorf pedagogic methods using kindergarten which was related to our family for two years.

When our child became three, we started to practice him with a kindergarten-life. Problems were sleeping and eating, the child’s dislike of one teacher, diseases and relationships with playmates (in a group of 24 children). The child showed no enthusiasm for going there and I also had no good sense to send child there. We stayed there for one and a half seasons. But I heard about another one where children wanted to go gladly all along and even parents came together each week and discussed about education issues. I became interested and decided to try.

The house had two groups – older and younger, total 20 children. Children groups were compiled partly by their nature – peace-loving in younger group and noisier in older group. Most children did not go to kindergarten every day, but some day a week. Breakfast was eaten at home and at nine o’ clock they came to the kindergarten. Then by candlelight a fairy tale reading took place and after that each day a different creative activity – painting, acting, movement. Playing outdoor activities was followed, as in any other nursery.

One major difference between the regular kindergarten was the only meal of the day which took place after going outdoors. Children helped to cover the table. Nobody was forced to eat the food as well as to sleep. After lunch you just had to be more quiet. Who wanted or became tired, could sleep.

I probably think that we do not have enough active parents currently to build a nursery school or a school using waldorf pedagogics. However, Järvamaa has many schools and kindergartens, where we could at least partly use that method.

Summary from March 2011 KoosOlek 2/3

Thin Grete’s gallery and Alley of a Hungry Culture

Author: Leho Rubis

“Thin Grete’s” gallery has worked for almost a year in Tallinn’s street now and it is a testimony that there is something very good and weird at the same time. Gallery set up by civic initiative, has exhibited paintings by both local and foreign artists. It is known by the painter Irina Ošleja currently showing her works there and probably by a small part of the local population. The problem is wider – visual arts is something that decorates (at best) lunchroom or it has to offer people something more.

Fine art has lost its consumption value but more important is a personal perception of the world which relieved from the obligation of consumption can bear other goals. For example, the possibility to somehow perceive the world in a new way, to see or perceive things which existence was not of prior notice. That is certainly the ability to simply observe without a purpose, which may have a liberatory effect in a world where everything is done only to catch some certain outcome. It is necessary to educate yourself in this field as well as you have to study music or whatever discipline, such as whether chemistry to understand its language.

On the one hand this understanding should be provided by education and on the other hand by the gallery/galleries, because only fully functional art life offers an opportunity and a lasting need to enjoy art and so to enrich our daily lives. Art is also perceived as a creator of the local identity. Because of Paide Vallitorn was carrying out changes a year ago, its function as a gallery was vanishing. Thanks to Jaak Salmar’s initiative and a number of volunteer helepers’ work, a year ago the basis of comfortable “Thin Grete” was done which we hope will enrich the local art scene for long. It was also pleasing to see that Kultuurimaja’s concert hall had a new gallery space which has a natural supplement out there next to concerts and performances, but it would certainly be embarrasingly out of place next to sport center’s corridor wall.

Summary from March 2011 KoosOlek 1/3

The face of Paide could be its music

Author: Kaido Kirikmäe (professional composer and freelance anarchist)

It might be true that I look at things related to Paide from a migrant’s point of view, but it seems to me that many years of image creation has not borne a fruit. Time to time we try to figure out something new but miss larger cultural and natural resources we have got.

Namely, these are musicians born or living in Paide who are able to set the fashion in Estonian cultural landscape as well as worldwide.

For example, a local guitar pop collective Ans. Andur who are known among music lovers thanks to their particular and simple, so-called Paide sound. Organisers are familiar that this quartet from Järvamaa is able to attract hundreds of listeners into the concert hall.

Or Paide stoner-kings Nevesis who have attained reputation as an ensemble with profound technical proficiency and against whom has also been interested Finnish festival organisers.

And are we informed with up-and-coming One Sense label’s weird and cosmic hip-hop/rnb producers Kali Briis and Ki En Ra?

Also with delicate but beautiful voice Tiiu Kiik, who has participated in two Eurovision Song Contest’s semifinals and has repeatedly attracted the attention of music fans living abroad.

Do we know the enigmatic Kurt Webbers Pink Band, whose album “Café Regatt” was honoured by many of Estonian leading media publications as a week's No. 1 album?

Or, who knew that band’s Sinine leader Mauno Meesit has signed a significant record contract with Germany’s record label or that he has toured across Russia?

I have come to realize that Paide has an excellent basic material in shaping their own image and what a pity if it left unused: the outflow of talented people continues to go there where seems to be more fertile ground for the realization of their achievements.

I believe that the current local culture policy requires a new breath to survive and bold, but practical solutions and which costs stay in modest numbers, compared with other investments, but because of these mentioned artists Paide is known as a nice city full of vibrant music scene and where festivals with truly interesting content take place which arouse attention both here and elsewhere.