Across Australia, a range of community-led projects continue to bring Estonian culture to life — often supported, in part, through grants from the Estonian Cultural Foundation of Australia (ECFA). Here’s a brief update on recent activities and what’s ahead.
The newly constituted Estonian Cultural Foundation of Australia (ECFA) Board has started its work to deliver a timely grant funding round for Estonian community activities in 2026-27. In 2025–26, $38,000 in grants was distributed across the country, and we anticipate a similar level of support for the coming year.
Our grants are highly sought after. As community activities continue to grow in both scope and diversity, competition for funding has increased.
Valuable work is being done by groups and teams across Australia — great initiatives, lively events — a credit to the many volunteers and organisers who keep our community going. These activities remain the core focus of ECFA’s support.
From time to time, ECFA also collaborates with partners to bring artists and performers from Estonia to spice up our local entertainment calendar. Between February and April this year, ECFA has co-funded projects led by the Estonian Society in Sydney, Ave Nukki, and volunteers across the country, supporting visits by actor Margus Tabor and the award-winning clown duo Piip ja Tuut.
Margus Tabor’s Mamma Lood, where he shared Hiiumaa humour and stories about his grandmother in an entertaining and at times poignant one-man show, was seen by about 200 people across audiences in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane,
Sydney and across the ditch in Auckland in February.
Piip ja Tuut are still to perform in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Melbourne, with ticket presales also nearing 200. In the meantime, the duo has already brought their signature mix of chaos and craft to audiences at The Vault at Fool’s Paradise as part of Adelaide’s Fringe Festival.
A big thank you from ECFA to everybody involved in organising the visits of these legendary Estonian entertainers to Australia. It will be exciting to see what 2026-27 brings to the community’s cultural program.
A new ECFA grant round is expected in the coming months — something for community groups and organisers to keep an eye on.
Lembit Suur
Chair of the Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia
Read more
Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia
Estonian clown duo Piip ja Tuut touring Australia | HEIA
Mamma Lood brings Hiiumaa humour to Australian stages | HEIA
Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia: past, present and a new board | HEIA
Top row, from left: the Adelaide Fringe Festival program featuring Piip ja Tuut; Estonians in Auckland after the Mamma Lood performance; and Margus Tabor before his performance in Perth.
Bottom row, from left: Estonians in Melbourne with Margus Tabor; and Anu Läänesaar (Perth) with the clown duo Piip ja Tuut. February–March 2026. Photos from the private collections of Lembit Suur and Anu Läänesaar.
