Sustainable Residency Policy
1. Introduction
The Pärna Art Residency in Kohtla-Järve commits itself, beginning in 2026, to sustainable, socially responsible, and long-term viable organisational practices. This policy is rooted in the needs of the local context and in our artistic focus on photography, documentary practices, anthropology, and visual research. It defines guiding principles and concrete measures for our programme, internal structures, and collaborations with artists and communities.
2. Guiding Principles
2.1 Sustainability as Method – Sustainability is a daily practice embedded in all actions.
2.2 Transparency – We communicate our capacities, limits, and compromises honestly.
2.3 Going Small – We prioritise depth over scale: fewer artists, longer stays, stronger community engagement.
2.4 Place-Based Responsibility – Our work responds to Kohtla-Järve’s social, industrial, and cultural realities.
3. Ecological Sustainability
3.1 Mobility – Encouragement of low-impact travel; longer stays; bicycles and public transport guidance.
3.2 Materials – Establishment of a reuse-material library; preference for local, recycled or repurposed resources; material plans from artists.
3.3 Buildings – Quick wins (LED, motion sensors, repairs); long-term goals through audits and municipal partnerships.
3.4 Events – Low-impact formats; minimal printing; shared or borrowed equipment.
4. Social Sustainability
4.1 Care & Anti-Burnout – Realistic timelines; no mandatory output; regular check-ins.
4.2 Community Engagement – Partnerships with schools, cultural houses, NGOs; two-way learning; multilingual practices.
4.3 Accessibility – Barrier-aware communication; multilingual (Est/Eng/Rus) when possible.
5. Financial Sustainability
5.1 Diversified Funding – Mix of state, EU, foundations, partnerships.
5.2 Realistic Budgeting – Resource–impact evaluation for all costs.
5.3 Fair Artist Fees – Compensation aligned with regional standards.
6. Partnerships
Local and international partnerships based on mutual benefit, clear expectations, and shared values.
7. Monitoring & Evaluation
Annual reviews, feedback loops, adaptive updates.
8. Final Note
This policy is a living document guiding our sustainable development starting January 2026.
The Pärna Art Residency in Kohtla-Järve commits itself, beginning in 2026, to sustainable, socially responsible, and long-term viable organisational practices. This policy is rooted in the needs of the local context and in our artistic focus on photography, documentary practices, anthropology, and visual research. It defines guiding principles and concrete measures for our programme, internal structures, and collaborations with artists and communities.
2. Guiding Principles
2.1 Sustainability as Method – Sustainability is a daily practice embedded in all actions.
2.2 Transparency – We communicate our capacities, limits, and compromises honestly.
2.3 Going Small – We prioritise depth over scale: fewer artists, longer stays, stronger community engagement.
2.4 Place-Based Responsibility – Our work responds to Kohtla-Järve’s social, industrial, and cultural realities.
3. Ecological Sustainability
3.1 Mobility – Encouragement of low-impact travel; longer stays; bicycles and public transport guidance.
3.2 Materials – Establishment of a reuse-material library; preference for local, recycled or repurposed resources; material plans from artists.
3.3 Buildings – Quick wins (LED, motion sensors, repairs); long-term goals through audits and municipal partnerships.
3.4 Events – Low-impact formats; minimal printing; shared or borrowed equipment.
4. Social Sustainability
4.1 Care & Anti-Burnout – Realistic timelines; no mandatory output; regular check-ins.
4.2 Community Engagement – Partnerships with schools, cultural houses, NGOs; two-way learning; multilingual practices.
4.3 Accessibility – Barrier-aware communication; multilingual (Est/Eng/Rus) when possible.
5. Financial Sustainability
5.1 Diversified Funding – Mix of state, EU, foundations, partnerships.
5.2 Realistic Budgeting – Resource–impact evaluation for all costs.
5.3 Fair Artist Fees – Compensation aligned with regional standards.
6. Partnerships
Local and international partnerships based on mutual benefit, clear expectations, and shared values.
7. Monitoring & Evaluation
Annual reviews, feedback loops, adaptive updates.
8. Final Note
This policy is a living document guiding our sustainable development starting January 2026.
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