Surfing Uncertainties - ELIA Leadership Symposium Postponed

Rebecca Duclos, chair of the ELIA Leadership Symposium Steering Group explains why the difficult decision was taken to postpone this years’ ELIA Leadership Symposium. 


Dear Members and Friends of ELIA, 

Unfortunately we have some difficult news to announce. Due to rapidly escalating Covid-19 cases in Estonia, and following recently released Estonian Government recommendations to cancel all non-essential events, we will be advancing the date of the ELIA Leadership Symposium to June of 2022. It is with a heavy heart that, on Friday 29 October, the host sites of the Estonian Academy of Arts and the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, together with the ELIA Steering Group, took the complex decision to “surf our own uncertainties” and postpone the symposium until we can safely meet in Tallinn. The new dates of the ELIA Leadership Symposium will be from the 8 – 10 June 2022.  

We understand that this news will come as a great disappointment to you all. It has been truly dizzying for us to see how quickly months and months of planning could be derailed. Who could have predicted that the symposium theme would be played out live in front of our very eyes! Needless to say, we are saddened, but also resilient, optimistic, and buoyed by the enormous interest shown in the symposium programme and the beautiful location of Tallinn. This is, in part, why the Steering Group elected to keep a live event and not simply shift to a virtual format.  

Next steps  

From 8 — 10 June 2022 symposium participants can now look forward to a warm spring get-together under the midnight sun in Tallinn! Expect a programme brimming with thought-provoking and insightful workshops, presentations and keynotes. Registrations are now open and we would love if you could join us. 

Information for current registrants 

Please note that all current Symposium registrations will be moved to the new dates. If you are unable to join us in June and wish to cancel your registration, you will receive a full refund. If you need to adjust or cancel your registration, please be in touch with the ELIA Conference Manager, Janja Ferenc: janja.ferenc@elia-artschools.org  

To those who have not yet paid their registration fee, please let us know whether you will be attending the rescheduled symposium.  

We hope that our prompt communication following the Estonian Government announcement (See here for details) will help minimise any financial loss related to the changing of travel and accommodation arrangements for current registrants.  

Thank you again for your support and understanding at this difficult time. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions. We dearly look forward to meeting you in Tallinn in a few months time.  

  
Kind regards, 

 
on behalf of the ELIA Leadership Symposium Steering Group  

Rebecca Duclos, chair of the ELIA Leadership Symposium Steering Group 



Mart Kalm, Rector, Estonian Academy of Arts 

Ivari Ilja, Rector, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre