Everything you need to know about Telliskivi Creative City, Tallinn, Estonia
Telliskivi Creative City is an area in Tallinn, Estonia that embraces modernity and the creative arts. This is a bohemian and vibrant quarter within the city that stays open throughout the day and long into the night, with its mixture of galleries, theatres, and restaurants. Many restaurants include a bar with a great selection of craft beers.
Tallinn itself is a beautiful city, full of medieval architecture. It has a colourful historic past, linking back to Scandinavian, German and Russian influences. The vast majority of sights are found in and around the Town Hall Square and Toompea, in Tallinn’s UNESCO Old Town. However, away from the picturesque cobbled streets, winding alleyways and courtyards, at the edge of the neighbourhood of Kalamaja, you will find a very different Tallinn, one that has creative and innovative art at its heart. It is here where you will find Telliskivi Creative City.
This neighbourhood has a strong industrial heritage and through successful regeneration has developed into what locals consider to be an ultra-trendy, hipster neighbourhood.
To assist you in planning your trip to Tallinn, I have provided a guide to the Telliskivi Creative City.
The details I’ve included are correct at the time of writing this blog post, but please check current details before your visit.
Table of Contents
About Telliskivi Creative City
What can you find at Telliskivi Creative City?
Street Art in Telliskivi Creative City
The Role of Art in the Urban Renewal of Telliskivi Creative City
About Telliskivi Creative City
Telliskivi Creative City is located in the former derelict mechanic and locomotive factory complex at the edge of the Kalamaja neighbourhood. It still retains the echoes of its industrial past, but is now home to a thriving artist community that is driving economic growth in Tallinn.
What can you find at Telliskivi Creative City?
Telliskivi Creative City contains a variety of galleries, small shops, various creative companies, start-ups, and restaurants, making it its own self-contained city within a city. There are around 250 companies located here, employing over 1,500 people.
It is easy to reach from the Old Town and is a popular place for shoppers and restaurant goers, who are looking for a relaxed atmosphere. The diversity of options has allowed Telliskivi Creative City to develop both a thriving day-time and evening economy.
Telliskivi Creative City functions as an alternative shopping centre, with a variety of shops ranging from printing shops, furniture shops, antique shops and book shops. There is also a popular Saturday market.
There are several excellent food options for different parts of the day, including street food at Bueno Gourmet, lunch at Frenchy, Fotografiska Cafe, or Fika, or evening dinner at F-hoone, Kivi Paber Käärid, Kärbes or Lendav Taldrik. Perhaps you may want to try the organic ice-cream at LaMuuIce Cream Factory.
Telliskivi Creative City hosts more than 800 different cultural events throughout the year, so there is sure to be something special on when you visit. Events include art festivals, concerts, comedy shows and experimental theatre. More information on the latest events can be found here.
There are a number of excellent cultural venues located here including:
Telliskivi Loomelinnak Galerii – This gallery is an exhibition space integrated into the city’s two shopping streets and aims to create a playful environment.
Fotografiska Tallinn Photography Museum - Fotografiska is an international photo museum and combines to include the Fotografiska Café.
Juhan Kuus Documentary Photo Centre - The Centre for Documentary Photography supports appreciation for and the development of documentary photography in Estonia
Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava - Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava is a theatre of contemporary dance that focuses on movement and the human body.
The Erinevate Tubade Klubi – an events venue available for hire by the general public.
Street Art in Telliskivi Creative City
Telliskivi Creative City is a wonderful place to walk around. It really is an open air art gallery, with the old industrial buildings lending themselves as a blank canvas for a variety of street art, murals and graffiti. Despite the industrial architecture, there are no grey walls in this area. These street artworks are incredibly vibrant and add to the relaxed atmosphere and ambiance that this area enjoys. They create a backdrop for those enjoying a coffee or bite to eat in one of the many cafes and restaurants in the area.
I have discussed street art in a number of blogs about other locations, including, Bristol, Lima, Whitstable and Vilnius, amongst others. Click here to find out more.
The Role of Art in the Urban Renewal of Telliskivi Creative City
The area around and including Telliskivi Creative City was once a derelict shell of its industrial past and considered locally as a dangerous place.
The regeneration of Telliskivi Creative City centred on the strategy to turn this area into a creative and artistic hub. The development of creative industries at this location has acted as an important economic driver that has had lasting benefits in terms of employment generation, inward investment, increased social capital, civic pride and community cohesion. This shows the importance of art in the renewal of our cities.
Telliskivi Creative City is now an important economic area in the city that has become a tourist attraction in its own right.
How to get to Telliskivi Creative City
Telliskivi Creative City is within walking distance from the city centre. A tram and bus stop is about 3 minutes away, as is the Baltic Station Market.
The Town Hall Square is about 10–15 minute walk away, whilst Freedom Square and Viru Keskus are about 20–25 minutes away on foot.
I hope you have found this post about the Telliskivi Creative City useful. If you have visited this area, I would love to hear your thoughts or if you feel something is missing from this post, please email me and let me know at [email protected].
