Heili Vaus-Tamm was the producer of the Tallinn Philharmonic Society and is now the current producer of the Eesti Kontsert. She has been working and producing in the arts sector for more than 18 years. With her profound understanding, it is our pleasure to have Heili to share her experiences with us.

Heili believes the ultimate goal in arts management is to have the company work cooperatively in order to create the right atmosphere for art-making.

“The best experience is when you feel that the entire company is breathing in one rhythm, all people are supporting and valuing each other. Only this kind of chemistry can unite a creative team. Believe me – no jealousy, no bitterness. Such a dream team can happen only with a positive-thinking, caring leader, so that people can  fit in and work cooperately. And if  one important member leaves, the balance will be destroyed and all come crashing down. You can replace one person after another – but you won’t succeed once the structure of your dream team is altered.”

As well as a great working environment, Heili also believes in the work ethos of “playing”. She believes the joy and fun in arts are intrinsic to artists:

“The most interesting thing in the works of a producer is to “play” with your artists – to find a place for them in the programme, to use them in ways that are surprising not only to the audience, but also to themselves. It is a great feeling when musicians are sending you a message after a concert, ‘It is wonderful to take part in this project!’”

Heili thinks it is important for producers to have the social-cultural sensitivity, and it is arts’ connections to society and human that make arts significant.

“I like a statement from a Russian director, Popovski, who said that the goal of future culture is to help people to understand themselves; like looking into a mirror. It means that art does not only provide an experience, but it is also a self-analysis process, like healing, like therapy. This is the reason why I worked on a series, in which one of the participants is a music therapist.”

On the next blog, Heili will comment on the current arts sector and share some of the artistic visions behind her upcoming projects. Angus Wu