Communal singing in the Baltics excludes certain groups

The Integration Foundation presented research showing that communal singing in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania may no longer be as inclusive as people believe.

The Crises Established Singing project examined how collective singing functions during social crises in the Scandinavian and Baltic regions. Researchers found that many residents in these three countries do not identify as a singing people. People who do not speak the local language participate less frequently in these traditions.

The study also found that unemployed individuals and older people participate less often because they may lack the money to attend large public events. In Estonia, choral singing is declining in large cities as residents choose other leisure activities. Rūta Muktupāvela, a professor at the Latvian Academy of Culture, noted that people from minority ethnic groups are less likely to join song and dance festivals. Some people also avoid participating because they do not believe they are talented enough.

Muktupāvela suggested that organizers should create more opportunities for people who want to join but lack confidence in their singing abilities.