Community theatre project

15.02.2026 12:00 - 15:00
Tamme tn 17, Tammiku Jõhvi vald
  • Language level required: B1
  • Location: Tamme tn 17, Tammiku Jõhvi vald
  • Time: 15.02.2026 kell 12:00 - 15:00
  • Format: Workshop
  • Organizer: Narva eesti keele maja

We invite residents of Ida-Viru County to join a theatre project taking place from 15 February to 15 April 2026 (the exact meeting times will be agreed with the project participants at the first meeting on 15.02).
Community theatre meetings take place at the Tammiku Community Centre (Tamme tn 17, Tammiku, Jõhvi vald 41542 Ida-Viru maakond).
The recommended level of Estonian language proficiency is B1; however, language learners from level A2+ as well as community members with Estonian as their mother tongue are also welcome.
Participants are expected to have an interest in non-formal language learning, a willingness to challenge themselves in a new situation, and the courage to perform.
Participants with different language proficiency levels support one another, encourage communication, and together create an environment where both a sense of community and linguistic confidence and development can grow.

“What’s on the mind is on the tongue” is a performative inquiry created in the format of community theatre, focusing on the experiences of people living in Estonia whose mother tongue is not Estonian. The project looks into their everyday lives, memories, and personal stories, and asks:

*how do they perceive Estonia, the Estonian language, and culture?

*how have language learning and the language environment influenced their identity and sense of belonging?

*is “being Estonian” something foreign to them, or something that could become their own?

As part of the project, we bring together local community members who share their personal stories and experiences. These stories form a theatrical whole that, guided by the principles of community theatre, gives voice to perspectives that often remain unheard in the public sphere. The performance does not offer ready-made answers; instead, it creates space for listening, uncertainty, and multiple voices.

One of the key sources of inspiration is the Estonian language reader “Lõpuks leidsin sind” (“At Last, I Found You”), published in 2023 by Estonian Language House teachers Marta Dolgoševa and Pille Maffucci, which approaches language learning as a personal and emotional process. The project follows the same principle: language is not a neutral tool, but a deeply personal experience that shapes one’s sense of self, belonging, and relationship with society.

Registration: https://iseteenindus.integratsioon.ee/service/view/16082?lang=en

NB! You can register for the events through the Integration Foundation's self-service, which you can enter using an ID card, Mobile-ID or Smart-ID. Please see the user guide:https://integratsioon.ee/iseteenindus