After five years serving as President Alar Karis' culture adviser, Estonian composer Rasmus Puur says the job shouldn't come at the expense of staying active creatively.
Puur joined Karis' team while studying at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He initially had no plans to take the job but was eventually persuaded to try it.
Working quarter-time allowed him to continue composing and other creative work, though the workload sometimes resembled a full-time job.
"Anyone who's ever worked part time knows it can vary a lot — sometimes you end up working full time, sometimes you could do a little less," he said, adding that those times you could squeeze in an orchestra rehearsal or do something else.
Puur had to fit composing around the president's schedule, sometimes turning down commissions and racing to finish pieces during quieter interludes.
"I'd know the president was on a visit to somewhere in the U.S. that week and think, 'OK, things are a little quieter for now, so I need to get this piece written,'" he recalled.
Still, he stressed the importance of not losing touch creatively.
"With this kind of job, I think it's very important to stay connected to your creative self and the wider [creative] scene, so you don't end up isolated from it," the composer said.
Showing up, new traditions
A key part of Puur's role was helping the Estonian president engage with cultural events and recognize creatives' work. Even simply showing up, paying attention or presenting an award can mean a great deal to people in the field, he said.
During Karis' five-year term, the head of state attended major cultural anniversaries, song festivals and other events, and even served as official patron of the Year of the Estonian Book.
New traditions included annual reading marathons on the presidential palace's front steps in Kadriorg each March and the establishment of Estonian Literature Day, observed January 30, when the president announces the Literature Teacher of the Year.
Puur also highlighted Karis' visits to communities across the country for Mother's Day and Father's Day celebrations, which helped bring people together and put local events and efforts in the national spotlight.
"Showing Kilingi-Nõmme, Haljala or the Jõgeva Cultural Center live on public broadcasting, with the president speaking there, is hugely important to that local community," he stressed.
Karis also took cultural figures with him on foreign visits to build international ties and open new doors for Estonian artists.
"He genuinely believed that art and culture can sometimes reach people more effectively than traditional diplomacy," Puur said.
One example was a proposed exhibition of Estonian painter Konrad Mägi at Paris' Musée d'Orsay, an idea discussed during the Estonian delegation's visit during the 2024 Summer Olympics and now potentially back under consideration.
What comes next
Puur said his time at the Office of the President (VPK) taught him the importance of a close-knit team, particularly in a fast-paced environment where decisions carry significant responsibility. Running important questions by each other helped, he said, as did being able to joke around while under pressure.
As Karis leaves office, replaced by the newly sworn-in President Ülle Madise, Puur will hand over the title of presidential culture adviser to Jaak Prints.
He said there are no fixed job instructions for the role, which each president and adviser shapes according to their own personalities and priorities.
Under Karis, he believes, cultural figures felt their work received attention and recognition, even as arts organizations faced funding shortages and cuts.
Puur, meanwhile, has no firm plans for what comes next. For now, the composer wants to adjust to life outside the VPK again, and see where music and other opportunities might take him.
"One day at a time," he said. "I have some ideas, but first let's see what civilian life is like; it's been a while since I've experienced it."
--