Overall, however, everything points to the problem admitted by the Vikerkaar chief: lack of a body making systemic decisions. Thus, randomness sets in. Personal relations come into play. Personal initiatives became determining factors, conflicts of interests appear.
Says Mr Kiho: «The council plays no essential role, but this ought to be the place for strategic decisions.»
Right now, decisions are born (or appear to be born) arbitrarily. Like, at the start of November, as the Foundation Kultuurileht council gathered to discuss ways to raise salaries, somehow ending up discussing the possible closure of magazine Muusika.
Talking to the culture magazine makers, they do not expect the minister to pick editors-in-chief; they do not expect the council to intervene in definite texts. The reasons being obvious. What they do desire is clarity and strategy.
Indeed, a couple of days ago the outgoing culture minister Mr Lang announced: artistic associations are getting two extra seats at Foundation Kultuurileht council. This would be a small step in the right direction; still not enough, probably. The council’s role, its formation and tasks, should be reviewed.
Of course, no system will be perfect and – according to current Foundation Kultuurileht chief Toomas Väljataga – we should not hope for a utopia. The occasional conflicts, differences, competition (as, for instance, between state-financed and non-state-financed magazines à la who takes whose place) and even scandals; even so, all think something needs to change.
Foundation Kultuurileht publications
• Akadeemia – established in 1989, editor-in-chief Toomas Kiho
• Keel ja Kirjandus – established in 1958, editor-in-chief Joel Sang
• Kunst.ee – established in 2000, editor-in-chief Andreas Trossek
• Looming – established in 1923, editor-in-chief Mihkel Mutt
• Loomingu Raamatukogu – established in 1957, editor-in-chief Triinu Tamm
• Muusika – established in 2002, editor-in-chief Ia Remmel
• Sirp – established in 1940, editor-in-chief’s post vacant
• Teater. Muusika. Kino – established in 1982, editor-in-chief Madis Kolk
• Täheke – established in 1960, editor-in-chief Ilona Martson
• Vikerkaar – established in 1986, editor-in-chief Märt Väljataga
• Õpetajate Leht – established in 1930, editor-in-chief Kalle Muuli