We are thrilled to announce the upcoming international conference “Sustainability in Practice: DIY Repair, Reuse and Innovation”, which will take place from October 30 to November 2 at the Estonian National Museum. The conference is organized by the Estonian National Museum in collaboration with the Peedist Pesumasin exhibition, curated by the Road Museum, Estonian Agricultural Museum, and Tartu City Museum. The conference and the Peedist Pesumasin exhibition are part of the main program of Tartu 2024 European Capital of Culture.

The conference sheds light on inventive solutions for repair and reuse that have been part of everyday life in both the past and present. These practices are essential elements of a sustainable consumption culture, especially in the context of the current climate crisis. Through exploring historical and cultural approaches, the conference seeks to find answers and examples that can help shape a more sustainable future.

The Peedist Pesumasin exhibition, which plays a key role in the conference, explores DIY and innovative practices in rural Soviet-era Estonia. The exhibition showcases home textiles and everyday objects made from repurposed materials, such as hay-bale twine, demonstrating how people creatively solved daily challenges with limited resources. The exhibition aligns perfectly with the conference’s themes, offering real-life examples of sustainable practices and material reuse.

One of the notable presentations will be by Mari-Liis Tammiste, curator-researcher at the Estonian Agricultural Museum, titled “New Materials and Old Techniques: How Hay-Bale Twine and Other Synthetic Materials Were Introduced into Handicrafts in the 1960s–1980s”. In her talk, she will explore how people cleverly utilized scarce materials to create textiles, combining innovation and traditional crafts—an essential lesson for today’s sustainability efforts.

On October 30, conference attendees will have the opportunity to visit the Peedist Pesumasin exhibition and the Estonian Agricultural Museum, with an expected turnout of 70–90 participants. Join us to discover how the creativity and innovation of the past can inspire a more sustainable future!

More information on the conference website.

Facebook event of the conference.

The Peedist Pesumasin: Ingenuity in the Countryside exhibition is open at the Estonian Agricultural Museum until September 25, 2025, so you still have time to explore the art of Soviet are DIY! More information about the exhibiton is here.