Executive Director of Foto Tallinn, Director at Association of Estonian Art Institutions,
Co-Founder of ELLELL
Kadi-Ell Tähiste has worked across a range of roles in the arts for nearly 15 years. She is the Director of the Association of Estonian Art Institutions (KAEL), which coordinates cooperation and advocacy among more than thirty Estonian art museums, galleries, and support organisations. She also serves as the Executive Director of Foto Tallinn, Estonia’s only art fair dedicated to photography; is the co-founder, together with Lilian Hiob-Küttis, of ELLELL, a consultancy specialising in art advisory; and is a guest lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts and the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy.
Tähiste has extensive and multifaceted experience in the field of contemporary art. She has worked at the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, where her focus was on developing the gallery sector and promoting the international export of Estonian art; contributed to the establishment of Kai Art Center and its early years of operation; and worked at Vaal Gallery, Estonia’s oldest private gallery, as well as at the Ministry of Culture. She has also conceived and delivered numerous art projects.
Tähiste holds a Master’s degree in Law, cum laude, from the University of Tartu. She is an active contributor to discussions on cultural policy and a consistent advocate for greater visibility and sustainability in the arts, as well as for improved working conditions for artists and other creative professionals.
