The Athens Epidaurus Festival is Greece’s leading cultural organisation and one of the oldest continuously running festivals in Europe. Spanning 71 years, the Festival has welcomed some of the greatest music, dance, and theatre artists of the international and local scene, in collaboration with the most prestigious Greek and international organisations, attracting large audiences from around the world.

Athens Epidaurus Festival 2026 (Official Trailer)

Beginning on May 29 and running for 92 days, with 104 productions and more than 2,500 artists and collaborators from 26 countries, this year’s edition marks the beginning of the three-year tenure of the new Artistic Director, Michail Marmarinos. It also coincides with the landmark 20^th  anniversary of Peiraios 260 as a central artistic hub of the institution.

Michail Marmarinos, speaking at the presentation of the artistic program of the Athens Epidaurus Festival for 2026 in his capacity as Artistic Director, described the Festival as a dynamic space for encounter and exchange of ideas, connecting Greek audiences with the latest currents of contemporary artistic creation on the international stage. He focused on the concept of “Vertical Time” — the time of personal experience that excavates emotion — and described the darkness of the theater hall as therapeutic, since it functions as a passage toward a new, unknown self that reveals itself to us after the performance. Within this context, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus reconnects this year with the sanctuary of the Asklepieion of Epidaurus, recalling the “healing” nature of Art.

In addition to the nine major productions that will be presented at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, innovative initiatives are also being introduced this year, such as Narrative Archaeology at the archaeological site of the Asklepieion of Epidaurus and the new thematic series 1-1-1 at the Ancient Stadium — where music plays the leading role in the interpretation of ancient drama. Particular emphasis is placed this year on dance, which takes center stage as an open field of encounter between bodies, memory, and collective experience.

The new visual identity for 2026 was presented by the founders of the creative studio Polkadot Design, Klairi Georgelli and Nearchos Daskas. As they explained, the Festival’s visual language emerged through a handcrafted and almost ritualistic process, in which a simple gesture is transformed into trace and image.

Up until 2005, the Festival had been held exclusively at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. In the summer of 2006, five brand-new theatre stages were launched at the Peiraios 260 industrial venue which has since emerged as an important springboard for contemporary art. Artistic productions and site-specific performances are also presented at other venues in Attica and various locations as part of the Festival.

(Source: https://aefestival.gr/ )

ODEON OF HERODES ATTICUS

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus – known as the “Herodeon” – is located on the southern slopes of the Acropolis, on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. Entry to the Odeon is from the pedestrianised Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, a walkway linking Athens’ main archaeological sites (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival, © Thomas Daskalakis)

Stamatis Kraounakis, Lysistrata, A hilarious opera (12-13.6.2026) (left), Stathis Livathinos, Hecuba, Euripides (25-26.6.2026)(right)

In the shade of Plato’s Republic

As has already been announced, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus will open to the public for one month and will then close for several years so that essential restoration work can proceed, allowing the Roman theater to enter a new era. The venue will mainly host musical events and major tribute performances. Michail Marmarinos emphasized the importance of these tributes, noting that “through this, the festival expresses gratitude to individuals who shaped its course and what we are today as artists.”

PEIRAIOS 260

The Athens Festival venue at 260 Peiraios Street is a former industrial space  located at the Tavros district of Athens, and shares a city block with the Athens School of Fine Art (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival)

This year, the venue is celebrating its 20th anniversary, with a diverse program and various innovations aimed at keeping visitors at the venue until very late at night. As part of its anniversary celebrations, the festival is paying tribute to George Loukos, the artistic director who first established this venue, transforming a former industrial complex into the principal home of the Athens Epidaurus Festival and opening it to international artists and pioneering avant-garde works. Dance will take center stage this year, with a number of international productions making their Greek premiere. This year sees the debut of Gen 260, a platform designed to showcase and amplify the voices of young performing artists. In addition to dance, this year’s festival will spotlight contemporary music through the C-Music Now series and Greek theatre through new dramaturgical works alongside modern reimaginings of classical texts.

Teaċ Daṁsa – Michael Keegan-Dolan, MÁM (10-11.6.2026) (left), Tribute to Georges Aperghis, Quatuor Diotima, Works by Aperghis, Tzortzis, Ligeti (28.6.2026)

Gemma Hansson Carbone, The Gospel of Cassandra, by Dimitris Dimitriadis (4-5.7.2026)

Pireos 260 will once again keep the party going late into the night with its popular live events in the Garden and the Square, newly renamed AFTERS. This year, the festival is also introducing screenings of recorded stage productions, presented in the atmosphere of an open-air summer cinema as part of a new series, Starry Sky – Starry Nights.

ANCIENT THEATER OF EPIDAURUS

The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is located within the archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, in the Argolis prefecture of the Peloponnese. It is a half-hour drive from Nafplio and approximately two hours from Athens (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival)

Alan Lucien Øyen, Antigone, Inspired by the work of Sophocles (7-8.8.2026)

At the Epidaurus Festival 9 different interpretations by Greek and international creators will be presented, based on both well-known and lesser-performed texts. The Festival opens on June 20 with the revival of Medea by Luigi Cherubini, the highly anticipated co-production with the Greek National Opera. This will be followed by The Persians by Aeschylus, directed by Christos Theodoridis (July 2 & 3), and The Bacchae directed by Deyan Donkov Gardev, featuring The Tiger Lillies live on stage (July 17 & 18). Next come Alcestis by Euripides, directed by Dimitris Karantzas, and Peace by Aristophanes, directed by Nikos Karathanos (July 24 & 25). The next production at the ancient theatre is The Trojan Women, directed by Eleni Efthymiou (July 31 and August 1), followed by Antigone by the Norwegian director and choreographer Alan Lucien Øyen, a choreographic approach inspired by and giving rhythm to tragic poetry. The Epidaurus Festival concludes with Lysistrata by the National Theatre of Northern Greece, directed by Asterios Peltikis (August 21 & 22), and Ion, directed by Thomas Moschopoulos.

LITTLE THEATER OF ANCIENT EPIDAURUS

The Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus is located in the Argolis prefecture of the Peloponnese. It is a half-hour drive from Nafplio and approximately two hours from Athens (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival, © Thomas Daskalakis)

Marta Górnicka, Mothers – A Song for Wartime (4.7.2026)

In recent years, Little Theatre of Epidaurus has no longer been intended solely for musical events, as it was in the past. This year, dance is also being incorporated into the program.

SYSTEMA

A major cultural policy announcement of the Festival is SYSTEMA – For the Greek Performing Arts, an important partnership between the Athens Epidaurus Festival, the National Theatre of Greece, and the Kalamata International Dance Festival, aimed at dynamically promoting Greek artistic creation abroad. In a joint statement, the Artistic Directors of the three institutions presented this initiative as a gesture of collaborative ethos.

VISUAL ARTS

VISUAL INSTALLATION Objects of Common Interest. The original light installation by the award-winning design studio Objects of Common Interest returns to Peiraios 260 this year, having by now become an integral part of the site’s visual identity. Founded by architects and designers Elena Petaloti and Leonidas Trampoukis – who work between Athens and New York – the studio focuses on the creation of sculptural objects and immersive environments that foreground the relationship between materiality and space.

(Source: https://www.athensvoice.gr/ /)

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In this year’s original visual art production of the Naxos Festival, held at the Bazeos Tower, two distinguished artists, Maria Grigoriou and Yiannis Papadopoulos, present their work at an exhibition entitled “The thread that holds us together”, curated by Mario Vazaios and running until October 5. With parallel, long artistic journeys, yet maintaining artistic autonomy, they delve with dedication and knowledge into weaving and manual craftsmanship. (Cover photo: Yiannis Papadopoulos, “Athens-Naxos”, hand-woven linen string, natural dyes, Source: athensvoice.gr).

The Bazeos Tower dominates the land leading to the seacoast of Agiassos on the 12th Km of the main road linking the capital city of Naxos (Chora) with the inland, outside Sangri village. The tower dates back to the 17^th century. At first, it functioned as a monastery and was called monastery of the Holy Cross (“Timios Stavros”). By the end of the 19^th century, it was bought by the Bazeos family, whose descendants are the current owners. Since 2001, when the first renovation phase was completed, the monument remains open to the public through the Naxos Festival activities, one of the most significant summer cultural events of Cyclades. (Source: bazeostower.com)

Maria Grigoriou and Yiannis Papadopoulos, exhibition “The thread that holds us together” at Bazeos Tower. (Photo:  facebook.com/Bazeostower/posts)

Using various primary materials such as linen, cotton, and silk, and employing traditional techniques like weaving, natural dyes, and handmade paper production, the two artists, Maria Grigoriou and Yiannis Papadopoulos, create independent works and sculptural landscapes. They develop old and new in situ constructions within the spaces of the historic monument, highlighting the timelessness of craftsmanship and weaving tradition and their evolution into contemporary visual art and expression. Their creations harmoniously and complementarily intertwine with works and installations present within the tower. (Source: culturenow.gr).

Maria Grigoriou and Yiannis Papadopoulos have shared the same art studio in Athens since 1978 and follow parallel paths. They studied at the Vakalo School of Art and the West Surrey College of Art and are founding members of the AFI group. They have both given seminars and lectures in various parts of the world, as well as numerous solo and group exhibitions, including at the Benaki Museum in Athens, the Foundation for Hellenic Culture in Berlin, and the Grand Curtius Museum in Liège. (Source: cycladesopen.gr Photo: lifo.gr)

Maria Grigoriou, “Sowing”, hand-woven white cotton, cotton cloth, resist dye, natural dyes indigo and walnut, acacia pods (left), “Indigo blues”, cotton, silk, wool (middle). Maria Grigoriou’s works are a daily recording of the same seascape, that constantly changing blue which contains Depth, Time, and Infinity. They bear the dark marks of Time, salt, and rust in an attempt to convey the emotion evoked by the landscape rather than the landscape itself. The process she follows to transcribe her recent daily experience into art is deeply experiential. (Source: culturenow.gr Instagram photos: maria_grigoriou_textiles)

Yiannis Papadopoulos, “Let’s twist”, “Test event”, handmade paper, rattan (left), “The tip of the thread”, hand-woven linen strings, handmade paper (right).  Yiannis Papadopoulos unravels the thread of Time and weaves his thoughts while rejecting all superfluous elements. Skillfully working with a simple linen twine, he dialectically shapes landscapes, ideally intertwining the works with the space, stirring and bringing the memory of the historic monument to the contemporary surface, offering a new and interesting perspective. (Source:  culturenow.gr, Instagram photos: maria_grigoriou_textiles)

The Naxos Festival started in 2001 with the aim to encourage the contact of local people and Naxos Island visitors with the diachronic and contemporary cultural artistic activity. Naxos Festival is nowadays a platform for intercultural meetings (Greek and from abroad) including art exhibitions, music, theatre, dance performances and many others cultural activities. The festival events take place from June to September mainly at Bazeos Tower, a 17^th century monument which predominantly overlooks the Naxian mainland, in an environment that encompasses and inspires both the events and the audience. (Source naxos.gr Photo: Naxos Festival facebook.com)

Naxos town (Chora) and the Kastro (Castle) district of the Old Town (Photo aegeanislands.gr)

Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades islands in Greece, is not only famed for its stunning beaches and ancient ruins but also for its remarkable medieval towers scattered across the island. These towers, built primarily during the Venetian occupation from the 13^th to the 16^th centuries, served as fortified strongholds and watchtowers to protect local communities from pirate raids and invasions. Constructed from local stone, their robust and imposing structures reflect the strategic importance of Naxos as a maritime and trading hub in the Aegean Sea. Today about 30 towers are preserved in the countryside of the island, offering a glimpse into the turbulent medieval past and enriching its cultural and architectural heritage. Visitors to Naxos can explore these historic monuments, which blend seamlessly into the island’s landscape, serving as silent witnesses to centuries of history. The following are some of the best-preserved examples of medieval architectural gems on Naxos.

Inside the old city of Naxos Kastro, narrow alleys lead to noble mansions, flowered courtyards, and centuries of history. The Della Rocca Barozzi Tower is now a museum of Venetian and folk heritage, and the nearby Tower of Crispi, is the last of Kastro’s original twelve towers. At the center lies the Catholic Cathedral, with its family crests and a rare double-sided icon of the Virgin Mary and Saint John. Behind it stands the older Orthodox Church of Panagia Theoskepasti. Nearby, the Capuchin Monastery features noble coats of arms and impressive icons. The Archaeological Museum, once attended by author Nikos Kazantzakis, hosts artifacts from the Neolithic to Christian eras. Across from the museum, the Ursuline School and Monastery were a former famous girls' school (Source: naxos.gr Photo: kastra.eu)

Fragopoulos Della Rocca Toweris one of the island’s oldest fortifiedtowers, dating back to the 14^th century and is found inKourounochori village. (Source: naxos.gr )

Zevgoli Tower, a two-storey Venetian-era stone structure that has been renovated and is now inhabited, is located close to the center of Apiranthos village.(Source naxos.gr)

Oskelos Tower located by the seaside road close to Kastraki is one of Naxos’s few towers built close to the sea. It dates back to the 17^th century and is distinguished by its considerable height and its strong defensive character. Offering an exceptional view towards Paros and Ios, the Oskelos tower is open to visitors. (naxos.gr)  

The tower of Ypsili, or tower of Ypsilotera, or monastery of Ypsilotera, was once a fortified monastery; the katholikon and the impressive frescoe, the towers, the murder holes etc are still preserved. The monastery was a revolution centre at the time of Naxos people uprisings against the oppression of Latin nobles. (Photo: aegeanislands.gr)

Barozzi Tower at the heart of Filoti village, is an imposing structure dating back to 1650, when Naxos was ruled by a Venetian duke of the same name. (naxos.gr)

The Markopolitis Tower has strong defensive walls and a drawbridge and is located at the entrance of Akadimi village. It holds a special place in Naxos history. Built in the late 18^th century for the House of Politis, it served as a bastion of the revolts against Frankish feudal lords in the Tragea valley. (naxos.gr)

The 17^th century Barozzi-Gratsia Tower in Chalki village, comes in three levels, with strong walls, iron-barred windows, heavy wooden gates, wooden drawbridge, murder hole to thwart attackers with scalding water and coats of arms that indicate its successive owners and repairs. (Source: naxos.gr)

The impressive Kokkos Tower at Potamia village was built by the same-name Greek Orthodox family in the 17^th century. The remains of a watermill are seen in the basement. Tradition has it that the Kokkos tower was the scene of a love story similar to that of Romeo and Juliet, involving two young members of the respective families. (Source: naxos.gr   Photo: allovergreece.com )

I.A.

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The 13^th Thessalian Poetry Festival opens its gates from 25 to 29 August 2025, with a multi-dimensional programme that includes poetry readings by more than 70 Greek and international poets, live music, book presentations, a visual art exhibition curated by Antigoni Kapsali, and multimedia poetry performances.

Organized by the publishing house Thraka and the Department of Culture of the Municipality of Larissa, with the support and under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, the Region of Thessaly and the University of Thessaly, the five-day international poetry festival will take place in Larissa, Volos (Makrinitsa), Trikala, Karditsa (Fylakti) and Athens.

This year’s Festival has “Hope” as its central theme, the belief that something good will happen — a prediction we make with greater or lesser certainty, whether based on reason, feelings, intuition, or our circumstances. Since the beginning of poetry, hope was often at the core of it — whether it had been expressed, doubted, or negated; hope, as well as its absence, was always inseparable from the act of creation. Hope is an intrinsic part of every creative process, every individual, and every society. Sometimes we write or act from a place of hope; at other times, under the pressure of hopelessness. The existence of hope is the difference between survival and death — personally, societally, symbolically — moving us toward creation against all odds. But the lack of hope, too, can be a source of creation, urging us to engage in the creative process without inhibition.

Two pre-festival events will be held on 25 August — one in Athens and one in Volos. Co-organized with the Poets’ Circle, the first pre-festival event with take place in Zatopek bookstore in Athens. Moderated by Dimitris Angelis, it includes poetry readings by Maria Koulouri, Miguel Rodriguez Monteavaro (Spain), Giorgos Kentrotis, Giorgos-Ikarios Babasakis and John Tripoulas (USA/Greece) and a book presentation, that is When I Cease to Be a Flower, I Become a Nuisance by Yolanda Castaño, supported by the Cervantes Institute in Athens and the Embassy of Spain in Greece.

The second pre-festival event will take place at Art Café in Makrinitsa, Volos. Moderated by Lina Fytili, the event will include a welcome address by the Festival’s Director, Thanos Gogos, poetry readings by Ivana Maksić (Serbia), Anthi Drillia, Lina Fytili, Dragica-Anta Djipalo Patsea (Greece/Serbia), Phoebe Giannisi, Anna Emmanouil, Viktoria Tsiokou, Mina Patrinou, Aristotelis Pittaris, Martin Figura (UK), Eleni Kosma, Elena Psaralidou, Dimitris Voulgaris, Elisavet Arseniou, Eirini Vogiatzi, Višnja Begović (Serbia), Georgia Tsoukalohoriti, Charitini Malissova, Marios Chatziprokopiou, Alexios Mainas, as well as live music by Marina Voloudaki and Spyridonas.

The festival’s Opening Day will take place on 26 August in Larissa, at the Garden of the Diachronic Museum. Moderated by Chryssa Voulgaraki, the event will include the opening ceremony with the respective welcome speeches, as well as the opening of the art exhibition “Hopeless Romantic / False Hopes: Approaching Reality through Delusion”, curated by Antigoni Kapsali. The exhibition explores the persistence of hope as an attitude towards life in times of collective crisis and existential uncertainty. Through artistic practices that balance between the imaginary and the ironic, the participating artists – Artemis Diamanti, Stefanos Giaremis, Karl Grümpe & Rene P.G., Sofia Kyriakou, Pythagoras Kotsoulas, Myrto Sakka, Eleni Sarli, Efstathia Savvidou and Grigoria Vryttia - address the contemporary need for utopian narratives, even when reality appears relentless and irreversible.

During the day, there will also take place the Makis Lachanas Award Ceremony, with the Award for Lifetime Contribution to Greek Poetry presented to Giorgos Ch. Theocharis, and the Thraka Award Ceremony for Best Unpublished Poetry Collection, presented by Sotiris Pastakas. There will also take place poetry readings by Alicia E. Stallings (USA/Greece), Martin Figura (UK), Yolanda Castaño (Spain), Thanos Gogos, Zoë Skoulding (Wales), Aristea Tsantzou, Marianne Catzaras (Tunisia), Dimitris Angelis, as well as live music with the award-winning choir InDonnation, conducted by Dimitris Ktistakis with Frosso Ktistaki on the piano.

On 27 August, the programme continues with two parallel events — one in Fylakti, Karditsa, and another in Larissa. During the “Christos Diamantis” Day, which will take place in Karditsa, there will take place welcome speeches by the Director’s Festival Thanos Gogos, Sissy Papathanassiou, Head of Literature at the Ministry of Culture and Panagiotis Nanos, Mayor of Lake Plastiras, as well as poetry readings by   Kleopatra Lyberi, Rania Orfanakou, Panagiotis Nanos, Ilias Bartziokas, Vicky Triantafyllou, Alexandros Dediliaris, Georgia Giota, Vaggelis Briannas, Afroditi Tsioli, Ilias Diamantis, Alicia Stallings (USA/Greece), Marija Dejanović (Croatia/Greece), Angelos Bertos, Catrin Menai (Wales), Eirini Karagiannidou and Jenny Fountea. The event will be moderated by Christos Koltsidas with live music by Apostolos Gougoulakis.

During the same day in Larissa, there will also take place poetry readings by Ilias Kourkoutas, Chrysa Mastorodimou, Petros Skythiotis, Athanasios Tzikas, Chrysa Alexiou, Petros Isaakidis, Giannis Zarampoukas, Isidora Morosou, Panagiota Tsianogianni, Argyris Koskoros, Th.P. Zafeiriou, Thanasis Kritsiniotis, Dimitris P. Kraniotis, Lambros Anagnostopoulos and Kostis Papazak, as well as book presentations, that is Constructing the Witch by Helen Ivory (trans. by Nikolas Koutsodontis, Katerina Iliopoulou), and Bolsheviks Don’t Wear Nightgowns by Ivana Maksić (trans. by Christos Koltsidas). The books will be presented by Nikolas Koutsodontis, while poets will read poems in their languages and the actress Chryssoula Christou will read the Greek translations. The event is moderated by Eleni Anastasopoulou with live music by Vaggelis Boundouloulis (guitar).

On 28 August, the festival moves to Trikala, at the Theatre on the River Lithaios, and will include poetry readings by Kostas Kanavouris, Georgia Koloveloni, Paraskevi Alexi, Apostolos Gougoulakis, Eleni Alexiou, Miguel Rodriguez Monteavaro (Spain), Helen Ivory (UK), Yolanda Castaño (Spain), Thomas Tsalapatis, Marianne Catzaras (Tunisia), Ilias Kefalas, Stavros Zafeiriou, Zita Iszó (Hungary/Czechia) and Socrates Kabouropoulos. The event will be moderated by Nikolas Koutsodontis.

This year, the festival also hosts a special feature titled “Creative Europe on tour… in Thessaly”, taking place on 27 and 28 August. Head of the EU Department and the Creative Europe Desk Greece, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Eirini Komninou, will take part in a series of events in Larissa, Karditsa (Lake Plastiras), and Trikala, focusing on creativity, sustainability, and innovation in culture. This programme is co-organised with Creative Europe Desk Greece.

The Closing Day will be celebrated on 29 August, again in Larissa, at the Municipal Art Gallery – G.I. Katsigras Museum. Following the respective welcome speeches, there will take place a poetry marathon with the participation of Eleni Anastasopoulou, Lambros Papadimas, Pavlos Kastanaras, Valia Tsilimeni, Giorgos Saratsis, Ioanna Giannakopoulou, Tonia Tsaroucha, Nikolas Koutsodontis, Maria Resta, Beatrice (Betty) Saias-Magrizou, Tasoula Tsilimeni, Sotiris Pastakas, Marija Dejanović (Croatia/Greece), Christos Koltsidas, Zita Iszó (Hungary/Czechia), as well as the Multimedia Poetry Performance “Coastal Echoes: Naming the World Again” by Zoë Skoulding & Catrin Menai (Wales), organized by Literature Across Frontiers and supported by Wales Arts International.

This multimedia poetry performance by Catrin Menai and Zoë Skoulding, presented in Welsh and English, explores the meeting points between land and sea, between languages, and between visible and invisible environments, looking for hope as it extends forms of community to the non-human. Supported by Wales Arts International, the performance is part of Coastal Echoes, an ongoing project organised by Literature Across Frontiers, aiming to explore shared concerns about the destruction of marine environments and the impact of climate change on coastal regions. 

The festival is presented in collaboration with the Diachronic Museum of Larissa, the Municipal Art Gallery of Larissa – G.I. Katsigras Museum, the P.Ar.Co – By the River Gallery, and the Circle of Poets. It is also supported by the Municipality of Trikala, the Municipality of Lake Plastiras, the Cervantes Institute of Athens, the Embassy of Spain in Greece, Literature Across Frontiers, Wales Arts International, and the French Institute of Larissa. Local sponsors include the Ermís Property Management Office and Kaltsas Bookstore. Media sponsors are ERT3, ERT Larissa, ERT Volos, and Bookpress.gr.

A.R.

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For its 10th anniversary, “Beyond Borders” Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival celebrates with a special edition dedicated to Greece and its creative powers. This year’s festival, which will take place on August 24-30, on the history of Greek documentaries, and their efforts to record reality, comment on it and reshape it in the most imaginative and direct way.

The Festival's visual identity, designed by the creative agency Polkadot Design, draws inspiration from the art of weaving - an art that represents memory, narrative and continuity. Just as the women weavers of 1905, protagonists of the first film recording to be made in the Balkans, wove their present through art, so contemporary documentary filmmakers weave a tapestry of our own reality with images and sound. Greek documentary thus becomes a cinematic loom, where past and present are tightly woven together, creating a narrative canvas that extends into the future.

The festival is organized by the Hellenic History Foundation, in collaboration with Écrans des Mondes, and co-organized by the South Aegean Region with the support of the Hellenic Parliament, the Ministry of National Defense, the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Secretariat of the Aegean and Island Policy of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center S.A.-Creative Greece (H.F.A.C.-Creative Greece), the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), the Greek National Tourism Organization and the embassies of Australia, Germany, Austria, Spain, and Switzerland in Athens. The festival is also supported by renowned global entities such as ZDF, ARTE, BBC, RAI TV, Movies that Matter, IDF Prague, PHOENIX, FIPRESCI, and others.

This year the Festival received a record 907 submissions from 92 countries (600 feature films and featurettes, and 307 shorts). Of the 42 films that have been selected to compete in the festival, 35 are screened in Greek, international and world premieres, while many have been showcased at the world's biggest film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Amsterdam (IDFA), Copenhagen (CPX DOX), etc.

Beyond Borders will feature three distinct screening sections: the Main Competition, which includes 18 medium and feature-length documentaries; the micro Competition, which includes 24 short documentaries; and the non-competitive Panorama section, which will present daily screenings of thematic tributes and standout films.

This year’s Panorama focuses on a Tribute to Greek Documentary, featuring eight selected works—including films and television episodes by both acclaimed directors and emerging voices; a polyphonic mosaic of Greek documentary production, capturing the genre’s evolution, audacity, and creative renewal.

Awards

The two competitive sections of the festival will present a total of 10 awards:

• Golden (Grand Prix), Silver and Bronze Wreath of Megisti Awards (€7,500, €3,000 and €2,000 respectively), sponsored partially by ERT, will be given to the best documentaries that explore historical events and figures, current sociopolitical issues, and the promotion of human rights in any form or expression.

• The H.F.A.C.-Creative Greece Award will be presented to the best Greek-directed documentary.

• The “Odysseus” Award, initiated and supported the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, will honor the best documentary directed by a Greek filmmaker of the diaspora.

• The #THISISEU Award (sponsored by ERT), presented by the European Commission Representation in Greece, will go to the documentary that best promotes contemporary European values.

• The FIPRESCI (sponsored by ERT) will be given to the best film selected by the International Federation of Film Critics.

In the micro Competition Section, which includes 24 short documentaries, the best short documentaries by emerging directors will be presented with the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Phoenix Awards (€1,250, €1,000, and €750 respectively), supported by ZDF/Phoenix TV.

The micro Competition Jury features prominent figures from journalism, literature, and film. Jury President is Michaela Kolster, journalist and Program Director of ZDF/PHOENIX. The jury also includes:

• Bruce Clark, author and long-time contributor to the international press;
• Alex Sakalis, author and journalist;
• Gilles Perrin, professor of French literature and cinema;
• Vasilis Loules, award-winning director in both documentary and fiction.

The FIPRESCI Jury includes film critics Jan Storø, Elli Mastorou, and Nikolaos Alettras.

Learn more about the films that will compete at the 10th Beyond Borders

Special events and initiatives

During the festival, the Critics’ Corner initiative will also take place. Every morning, the three FIPRESCI jury members will engage in open dialogue with professionals and the general public about the films screened the night before in competition. This event celebrates the 100th anniversary of FIPRESCI and will be held as part of the 10th anniversary edition on Friday, August 29.

For the second consecutive year, the successful Co-Production Forum “Meet Your Co-Producer in Kastellorizo” returns. Fifteen senior-level film professionals—directors, screenwriters, producers, and executive producers—will present their work, share case studies of completed films, and mentor at least one documentary project through in-person and online meetings aimed at co-production.

As part of the Panorama section, a special event titled The Future of Documentary will take place on Saturday, August 30, dedicated to the evolving landscape of documentary filmmaking. The award-winning documentary Ending Wars and Making Peace by Jobst Knigge will be screened, followed by a discussion with the director on his creative process.  He will be joined by a panel of directors, academics, producers, and decision-makers will join to explore the present and future of documentary creation, from artistic trends and production ecosystems to audience engagement.

A core part of the festival is the two-day Audiovisual Pitching Lab, where 12 selected projects from around the world are presented online and discussed with leading figures in the film industry. The winning project will receive a free professional color grading package for its final cut.

Emphasizing not only film screenings but also education and career development, the festival has also created a pioneering Film School Network, partnering with top institutions from Southeastern and Central Europe, the Middle East, and South America.

Alongside the main program, Beyond Borders, in collaboration with the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center S.A.-Creative Greece (H.F.A.C.-Creative Greece), will host a special informative event on the Audiovisual Sector Outreach Program. Aimed at both the general public and industry professionals, this initiative is part of EKKOMED’s new cultural policy tools, designed to strengthen the presence of Greek audiovisual creation both domestically and internationally.

Parallel Cultural Activities

In addition to film screenings and workshops, the festival organizes parallel cultural events, turning Kastellorizo into a global cultural meeting point.

Throughout the screening week and during breaks, musical interludes will be performed by the Athens String Quartet, featuring members of the Athens State Orchestra. During the festival week, documentaries by children for children will be screened as part of a partnership with the Chania Film Festival. The children’s program will also feature workshops, chess classes and acrobatic shows.

The concert “Nocturnal Confessions” will bring together two distinguished Greek soloists: conductor and pianist Miltos Logiadis and composer-accordion virtuoso Christos Zerbinos. The program includes selections from the albums “Spring Equinox” (traditional pieces) and “From the Keys to the Heart,” dedicated to Manos Hadjidakis.

In parallel with the screenings, a sculpture exhibition by visual artist Alexandros Zygouris will be presented, while every day, journalist and author Pavlos Methenitis and academic Matteo Compagnolo will recommend selected books spanning history, literature, and cinema. The Festival will conclude with a concert by Kostas Triantafyllidis.

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The Athens Epidaurus Festival is Greece’s leading cultural organisation and one of the oldest running festivals in Europe. Spanning 70 years, the Festival has welcomed some of the greatest music, dance, and theatre artists from both the international and local scenes, in collaboration with prestigious Greek and international organisations, attracting large audiences from around the world (Cover photo: poster of the Festival by Beetroot).

In this landmark year, with 107 unique productions, more than 3,000 artists, across 14 venues and over 95 days, the Athens Epidaurus Festival promises an exciting artistic season aimed at an even broader audience. Legendary figures from the global stage will be featured, alongside the largest participation of young artists in the Festival's history. Of course, the artistic realms that gave birth to the institution and have been at the heart of its programme ever since —Ancient Drama and Classical Music— continue to hold a central role.

Stage Director and Artistic Director of the Athens Epidaurus Festival, Katerina Evangelatos, stated that “this anniversary marks a moment of reflection, but also the birth of a new chapter. It is the perfect occasion to reassess the Festival’s relationship with its audience and the contemporary artistic scene”... “In this year’s anniversary programme, we welcome prominent figures of the Arts while simultaneously turning our gaze toward the future, offering a platform to the voices of the younger generation—on a scale unprecedented in our history! In addition, we launch thematic Cycles that draw from Literature and our cultural traditions. We give prominence to formidable women who are leading the way in Theatre, Dance, and Music. We create landmark global events in Epidaurus, unveiling a constellation of productions full of surprises. We invite artists from dozens of countries, making the international character of the festival more pronounced than ever. We initiate public discussions on the pressing agonies of our times, participate in film production, expand our free-access events, embark on new artistic journeys, and establish strategic partnerships that thrust the Festival into its next era”.

ODEON OF HERODES ATTICUS

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus - known as the "Herodeon" - is located on the southern slopes of the Acropolis, on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. Entry to the Odeon is from the pedestrianised Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, a walkway linking Athens’ main archaeological sites (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival, © Thomas Daskalakis)

The programme at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus is defined by a cohesive Classical Music Cycle, featuring stellar names from the global stage. Grand orchestras and remarkable soloists, such as Yuja Wang, Daniil Trifonov, and Emmanuel Ax, will perform this year at the Roman Odeon, while, the supreme soloist Hilary Hahn will be performing with the Münchner Philharmoniker under the baton of conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada. Joining the celebration will be Greek “international” conductors, Constantinos Carydis and Teodor Currentzis. The programme of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus includes eminent figures of contemporary music, opera performances from the Greek National Opera, a grand tribute to the legacy of Mikis Theodorakis, Dance and Theatre productions.

The programme at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus includes, among other performances (from upper left to lower right): Greek National Opera, Turandot by Giacomo Puccini (June 1-8), Katerina Evangelatos, Hippolytus by Euripides, National Theatre of Greece (June 18-19), The Stranglers (June 23), Athens State Orchestra – Lukas Karytinos – Emanuel Ax, Works by Beethoven and Mendelssohn (June 28) Sydney Dance Company, Impermanence (July 4), The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra – Andrés Orozco-Estrada – Hilary Hahn, Works by Brahms and Dvořák (July 6), Chamber Orchestra of Europe – Constantinos Carydis – Francesco Piemontesi, Works by Koukos, Liszt, Purcell, Berlioz (July 10), Mikis Τheodorakis – Odysseas Elytis, Axion Esti, Athens State Orchestra conducted by Myron Michailidis (July 13), Greek National Opera—Derrick Inouye—Katerina Evangelatos, Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi (July 27-31)

PEIRAIOS 260

The Athens Festival venue at 260 Peiraios Street is a former industrial space  located at the Tavros district of Athens, and shares a city block with the Athens School of Fine Art (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival)

First-time participants in the Festival, young Greek creators, as well as trailblazing voices from the international stage, will present original works of Theatre and Dance at Peiraios 260. At the heart of this year’s programming lies the representation of as many artistic disciplines and languages as possible, embracing every breath of artistic expression, diverse forms, dramaturgies, repertoires, and creative contributors. However, the 70^th anniversary of the Festival would not be complete without some legendary figures, whose journeys have been intertwined not only with the history of the institution, such as Ariane Mnouchkine and the historic Théâtre du Soleil, and the visual artist and director William Kentridge.

The programme at Peiraios 260 includes, among other performances (from upper left to lower right): Christina Gouzelis - Paul Blackman, Far from the End (June 6-8), Back to Back Theatre, The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes (June 6-8), Idio Chichava, Vagabundus (June 6-8), El Conde de Torrefiel, La luz de un lago (June 12-14), Alexandra Waierstall, HEART MOMENT (June 12-13), Io Voulgaraki, Comemadre, based on the book by Roque Larraquy (june 13-16), Alexandros Stavropoulos, Who’s gonna tell her? (June 14-16), Thanasis Dovris, Sotiria, based on the short story collection by Chara Romvi (June 19-21), Faye Driscoll, Weathering (June 27-29)

Panagiota Kallimani Somehow, if not, at all, together (June 27-28), Carolina Bianchi—Cara de Cavalo, The Bride and the Goodnight Cinderella /A Noiva e o Boa Noite Cinderela (July 5-6), Christos Thanos, War correspondents (July 5-8), Emily Louizou, Blindness, Based on the novel by José Saramago (July 5-8),  Miet Warlop, INHALE DELIRIUM EXHALE (July 7-8), Dafin Antoniadou, Darkest White (July 21-22), Katerina Giannopoulou, Phenomenon, By Greg Liakopoulos (July 21-24),  Sofia Antoniou, Life, Old Age, and Death of a Working-Class Woman Based on the book by Didier Eribon (July 21-24), Patricia Apergi, Hystory (July 21-24)

Handspring Puppet Company – William Kentridge, Faustus in Africa! (June 20-22). Within a meticulously orchestrated universe—populated almost entirely by puppets!— Kentridge tells the story of the protagonist who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for unlimited joy and everlasting youth—this time, setting it in Africa!

Live at the Platea: Live performances will take place throughout the artistic programme at Peiraios 260, following the main performances. Musical groups performing a diverse array of styles—from gypsy jazz, funk, and Latin to hip-hop, world music, and Balkan rhythms (May 30-July 27)

ANCIENT THEATER OF EPIDAURUS

The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is located within the archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, in the Argolis prefecture of the Peloponnese. It is a half-hour drive from Nafplio and approximately two hours from Athens (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival)

A cornerstone of programming at Epidaurus, Ancient Drama remains the unwavering protagonist of a rich, pulsating tradition that constantly seeks new avenues of expression and communication with the current cultural momentum. In recent years, the Festival has designed and established initiatives that strengthen research, foster fruitful dialogue, and renew the genre. The Contemporary Ancients Cycle, is a project celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. From 2021 to 2024, thirteen original works have been presented at both theatres of Epidaurus by internationally acclaimed creators who responded to our call, demonstrating the timeless appeal of ancient myths.

This year, the Cycle is significantly enriched, among others by the distinguished dramaturg and director Wajdi Mouawad who will present Europa’s pledge, leading an international cast, celebrated French film actress Juliette Binoche.  Masters of theatrical Αrt, such as Theodoros Terzopoulos, Yannis Houvardas, and Michail Marmarinos, will bring their creations to the stage of the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus—a distillation of their remarkable journey in Theatre.

National Theatre of Northern Greece - Cyprus Theatre Organisation - Michail Marmarinos, ζ – η – θ The stranger, A return to the sources: a visit to three Odyssey rhapsodies (July 11-12)

Yannis Houvardas: Oedipus, Ancient Theater of Epidaurus. The story of a transformation: from darkness to light.  (July 25-26)

National Theatre – Theodoros Terzopoulos, Oresteia by Aeschylus (August 22-23)

LITTLE THEATER OF ANCIENT EPIDAURUS

The Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus is located in the Argolis prefecture of the Peloponnese. It is a half-hour drive from Nafplio and approximately two hours from Athens (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival, © Thomas Daskalakis)

At the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus, the month of July is purely dedicated to the Contemporary Ancients Cycle, featuring a programme not strictly theatrical but also rich in music-theatre and film projects, initiating an intriguing fusion of diverse genres and languages that proposes a brave and multi-dimensional approach for the future.

In an unexpected collaboration, the Festival joins hands with the Hellenic Film Academy to produce a film inspired by Sophocles’ Electra, directed by seven filmmakers—a direct nod to the seven decades of the institution’s existence.

GRAPE

GRAPE, the platform dedicated to promoting and exporting Greek performing arts worldwide, has reached its third year and become an indispensable part of the Festival. This year’s edition (July 21–26) welcomes more than 90 guests from over 30 countries. Alongside its rich programme of dynamic Greek artists—whose work will be showcased to artistic directors and heads of programming from across the globe—it launches a major collaboration with the European Festivals Association, and hosts an international forum on performing arts on July 23.

Greek artistic performances presented in the framework of GRAPE 2025. The performances included are also scheduled on dates outside the duration of the platform

SUBSET FESTIVAL – ATHENS CONSERVATOIRE

The Athens Conservatoire remains a steadfast companion in the organisation of the Subset Festival—returning this year with a more pronounced international character than ever. Featuring Ryoji Ikeda, Mouse on Mars ft. Dodo NKishi, Christina Vantzou, and many more artists and soloists, ensembles, and groups from Greece and abroad, the festival further boasts workshops, commissioned works, sound installations, and an enveloping electrifying atmosphere that showcases the new music right here in the heart of Athens. The series of concerts will take place across the Ioannis Despotopoulos Amphitheatre, the New Stage, and the Arts’ Foyer of the Athens Conservatoire.

VISUAL ARTS

On the occasion of the 70^th anniversary of the Festival, Objects of Common Interest, the award-winning design studio, presents an innovative light installation at the spaces of Peiraios 260. The installation consists of tube lights in various shapes, arranged in countless configurations (June 1 – July 24)

Tenant is the title of a video installation by artist and video designer Pantelis Makkas, presented at Peiraios 260: a translucent house filled with images born and crafted for theatrical productions in which he has collaborated over the past fifteen years (July 5-24)

A travel back in time through posters that have adorned the Athens Epidaurus Festival during its 70 consecutive years of operation. In order of appearance, creators of the posters are (from  upper left to lower right): 1955 Giorgos Anemogiannis, 1968 Nikos Kostopoulos, 1975 Nikos Kostopoulos, 1989 Nikos Kostopoulos, 1994 Takis, 2022 Kostas Tsoklis, 2017 Iphigenia Vasileiou, 2024 Beetroot (Source: Athens Epidaurus Festival)

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The Kalamata International Dance Festival is synonymous with the flourishing of contemporary dance in Greece. From 1995 to the present day, it provides the public with works dedicated to the poetry of the human body, hosting creators who are shaping the very history of contemporary dance.

The Festival’s artistic program will take place from July 18 to 27, featuring a total of 20 choreographic works from Greece and abroad—specifically from Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Norway, Portugal, the UK, Lebanon, and Switzerland.12 works will be presented at the Kalamata Dance Megaron. In addition, parallel events will include 6 dance performances across the city, at venues such as the Castle Amphitheater, Kalamata Main Square, Municipal Railway Park, and Kalamata Port. The program will also include 8 dance nights in other cities throughout the region – including the Agora of Costa Navarino - and various public spaces in cities across the Peloponnese. Moreover, a temporary anniversary exhibition will be organized, alongside two new sections: Dancing on Screen, dedicated to the relationship between dance, the moving image, and cinema, and Offstage Encounters, which will feature a discussion between the dance community and the public on the theme of age in art and society. (Source: kalamatadancefestival.gr/en/)

This year’s edition is shaped through collaborations with other cultural institutions, educational bodies, municipalities, associations, and organizations from both Greece and abroad, including the Greek National Opera, Onassis Stegi, the French Institute, the Museum of Cycladic Art, and others.

The Ballet of the Greek National Opera, in co-production with the renowned London dance center The Place, will present Future Cargo by Frauke Requardt and David Rosenberg, at Kalamata Main Square, on July 19. This dance performance transports audiences into a science fiction world, where a group of non-human beings observe us from an eerie, futuristic setting—a truck that has invaded the city. Future Cargo will tour throughout the Festival’s duration, appearing in different cities across the Peloponnese, supported by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), in order to promote the Greek National Opera’s artistic outreach

According to the Artistic Director of the Festival, Tzeni Argyriou, the selected works this year reflect a broad spectrum of generational voices, geographical backgrounds, choreographic languages, research themes, and levels of experience and artistic development. This year’s program places special emphasis on Greek creators, aiming to highlight that Greek choreographers—both within and abroad—are at the very center of the international contemporary dance scene.

 Venues across the city will host choreographic works of the Kalamata International Dance Festival, including the Port (upper), the Castle Amphitheater (lower left), and the Dance Megaron (lower right) (Source: kalamata.gr )

Tzeni Argyriou stressed that, “At the heart of the Festival is dance that speaks to the human condition, that connects us with the deeper parts of ourselves, and helps build bridges of understanding and solidarity. The Festival’s rhythm emerges through the succession of performances, gradually forming a collective body that nurtures our curiosity for discovery, our desire to observe, that stretches time and invites us to travel from one artist’s world to another—to rediscover ourselves and reconnect with others. This year’s Festival invites us to celebrate the joy of creation and the freedom of expression. Dance is a medium that transcends cultural borders, allowing us to communicate and invent new codes—perhaps even new worlds”.

A core part of the Festval’s new vision is the year-round activation of the Kalamata International Dance Center outside the Festival’s usual schedule, transforming the unique-in-Greece Dance Megaron into a vibrant, active hub of artistic creation 12 months a year. The goal is to establish an International Dance Center operating on local, national, and international levels—a place that hosts artists from around the world, with a special focus on Greek creators. This center embrace all stages of artistic creation—research, production, presentation, and promotion—and will encourage dialogue between the arts and sciences, traditions, and technologies. It will also emphasize art’s connection to society by cultivating creative relationships among the institution, the city, and its communities. (Source: kalamatadancefestival.gr/en/)

For the opening performance on July 18 on the Main Stage of the Kalamata Dance Megaron, Mellowing by Christos Papadopoulos, will be presented. Created and premiered in Berlin in 2023, the work was commissioned by the Dance On Ensemble - a company founded to explore the relationship between dance and aging, both on stage and in society. Papadopoulos is a Greek choreographer who, in recent years, has captivated the global stage with his minimalist style and richly layered worlds. He was honored with the prestigious Rose International Dance Award

The Festival presents one of the 20th century’s landmark masterpieces, May B by Maguy Marin—one of the most important choreographers of our time, visiting Kalamata for the first time, ten years after her last appearance in Greece. In her work, dance meets social awareness, politics, and the need for action. Inspired by the Beckettian universe (B for Beckett), May B embodies what Marin calls “the power of dance to express the mystery of our existence in the world”

The new work Thrice by Franco-Belgian choreographer Damien Jalet, currently regarded as one of the most sought-after choreographers in the world - and perhaps the one most directly engaged with the world of cinema - will be presented just one month after its premiere in Norway. Jalet is interested in dance’s ability to constantly redefine itself as a medium through dialogue with other fields such as visual arts, music, cinema, theatre, fashion, and the realm of ancient mythology.

Beytna by Omar Rajeh is a unique dance performance centered on the idea of sharing - an ideal work to close this year’s Festival. “Beytna” means “our home” or “our house” in Lebanese and signifies an invitation to the table. For Omar Rajeh, the word is deeply connected to his grandfather’s open home, where the joy of sharing was one of life’s greatest values. In Beytna, four choreographers and four musicians from Lebanon, Korea, Palestine, Belgium, and Togo transform a traditional family gathering into an artistic convergence of dance, music, and cooking.

In Dive Into You by Kat Válastur, a Greek choreographer who has long lived and worked in Berlin while maintaining her connection to Athens, will be presented for the first time in Greece. Válastur’s works—poetic, tender, and sharp—often reference ancient rituals and myths. This choreographic ritual draws inspiration from the organic functions of trees, with the energies of her body and voice expressing dynamic forces of vibration, spiral, and circle. Through these elements, she composes a ritual of transformation, healing, and care.

This year’s expanded educational program includes 4 professional workshops, 4 masterclasses, and 5 dance and movement workshops for the general public of all ages, including individuals with disabilities. Moreover, a rich program of parallel events will run in dialogue with the main stage performances, featuring an anniversary exhibition, a new series of dance film screenings, and a discussion event on the topic of age in art and society.

Inside the Megaron’s Foyer, the anniversary exhibition Kalamata, the City of Dance will highlights the Festival’s legacy through fragments of its archive—posters, programs, photos, and video footage—paired with new artworks inspired by its history

A new thematic section introduced this year, Dancing On Screen will run daily during the Festival at the Kalamata Labour Centre. This section will present eight films dedicated to the relationship between dance, moving image, and cinema—addressing both seasoned audiences and newcomers to contemporary dance

Kalamata, the capital and central port of Messinia, is located at the site of ancient Farai in Southern Peloponnese, approximately 238 km SW of Athens. Thanks to the fertile Messinian lands - producing olive oil, raisins, figs, and more - it has developed into a wealthy urban centre and a significant port.

The wider region of the legendary “castle of Isabeau” of Kalamata, constructed in the 13^th  century by William Villehardouin,  boasts several Byzantine churches and is the hotspot for the city’s beating nightlife heart (Source: visitgreece.gr)

The seaside road in front of the city’s extensive 4 km-long beach offers visitors crystal clear waters and lace-like beaches, which have been granted the Blue Flag award for quality. Along the seaside, there are several tavernas, ouzo restaurants, cafés, bars, and clubs, while beach aficionados can enjoy all kinds of water sports. Nearby destinations include several beaches - Verga,  Mikri Mandineia, Avia. Kitries - which have developed in recent years into resorts featuring significant tourist facilities and a vibrant summer nightlife (Source: visitgreece.gr, visit-kalamata.gr)

Also worth visiting are also the mountain villages on the Western slope of Mt.Taygetos, along the road to the city from Sparta, considered one of the most beautiful routes in Greece (Source: experienceskalamata.com, kalamata.gr/en/visitors/city-tour)

Watch the Kalamata International Dance Festival’s official trailer here

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GRAPE – Greek Agora of Performance is an innovative platform launched by the Athens Epidaurus Festival to elevate Greek Performing Arts on the global stage.

This annual event takes place annually as part of the Athens Epidaurus Festival and provides Greek theatre and dance artists the opportunity to present their work to representatives and artistic directors of international festivals and cultural institutions abroad, as well as to the general public of the Festival. “Exporting” Greek works and fostering connections that can lead to future collaborations and tours abroad has been one of the Festival’s main objectives.

Launched in 2023, GRAPE focuses on innovative dramaturgy and contemporary issues, allowing new productions to be flexible and adaptable for international audiences. The initiative not only showcases the rich tapestry of Greek creativity but also aims to facilitate meaningful dialogues and exchanges within the global arts community, ultimately promoting a deeper understanding of Greek culture and its contemporary artistic expressions.

In 2024 GRAPE returned for a second year as part of the Athens Epidaurus Festival on 21 – 25 July 2024 with 8 powerful theatre and dance performances.

Greek stage Director Katerina Evangelatos, Artistic Director of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, spoke to Greek News Agenda on the GRAPE initiative

How do you judge the operation of the GRAPE platform after its second year?

“We are particularly happy about the progress of GRAPE, an Athens Epidaurus Festival initiative that started last year, although the initial idea for the systematic "export" of Greek works was already announced in 2020. Due to the pandemic period the program was finally implemented in 2023.

This year, the performances of GRAPE 2024 were presented to more than 60 international guests and to the public of the Festival, in a condensed five days Greek creation program. Among the 14 performances presented at GRAPE 2023, 7 are already traveling to stages abroad, proving the necessity and the success of our venture.

We hope that this initiative, which is already bearing fruit, will continue and expand, so that it will soon become an institution for the promotion of Greek culture abroad”.

How is the language barrier overcome? Is the database created accessible to professionals, experts and to the public?

“All the performances included in the GRAPE are presented with English subtitles so that the representatives of the cultural organizations visiting the Festival can watch them. This invitation is addressed to artistic directors, curators and programmers from important stages abroad, who come to watch the performances, but also to get to know the Greek artists through meetings and networking events held during the GRAPE. The performances can of course be watched by the public.

The archival videos are not posted for copyright reasons, but the audio-visual material is available to the professionals who attended the performances, creating bridges of cooperation for the future as well”.

The selected productions for GRAPE 2024 investigated the question of identity –national, racial, and sexual– and that of citizenship, justice, and equality; they delved into women’s relationship with their bodies and motherhood, migration, and the impact of modern technology on the shaping of human relationships, and also explored the search for hope and stability, as well as the joy of togetherness in a world marked by a universal sentiment of uncertainty, alarm, and seclusion. Each piece posed the question: Can we shift our perspective on the world? By engaging with political, social, and existential issues through a poetic lens—often drawing on myth and folk tradition—these performances illuminated our current reality and challenged the stereotypes that permeate our daily lives.

From left to right: MARIO BANUSHI, Taverna Miresia – Mario, Bella, Anastasia; ANESTIS AZAS, Ta skylia / The dogs (1^st GRAPE Audience Award); EFTHIMIS FILIPPOU – ANGELIKI PAPOULIA, Etymologies; ZOE CHATZIANTONIOU, Amalia melancholia, Queen of the Palm Trees

The GRAPE 2024 was complemented by networking events, panel discussions, and other activities, fostering dialogue and collaboration within the global arts community and enhancing the visibility of Greek creativity on the international stage.

Among the guests who attended the GRAPE 2024 program were representatives of leading artistic organizations, such as: Festival d'Avignon (France), Rising Melbourne (Australia), FIBA ​​- Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires (Argentina), NYU Skirball (USA), Centro de Experimentación Teatro Colón (Argentina), TransAmériques (Canada), Théâtre de Liège (Belgium), KVS Royal Flemish Theater (Belgium), La Bâtie-Festival de Genève (Switzerland), Comédie de Genève (Switzerland), Residenztheater (Germany), Istanbul Theater Festival (Turkey), Factory International (UK), Théâtre National de Bretagne (France), Ivan Vazov National Theatre, Sofia (Bulgaria), Sadler's Wells (UK), Festival euro-scene Leipzig (Germany), Center Nationale de la Danse (France) and more others.

From left to right: ARGYRO CHIOTI, Point of Refreshment; KATERINA ANDREOU, Bless This Mess; CHARA KOTSALI, Borborygmi (dance performance – 3^rd GRAPE Audience Award); YOLANDA MARKOPOULOU – STATION ATHENS GROUP, Connection Error (2^nd GRAPE Audience Award)

Several media platforms from around the world praised the GRAPE initiative:

"A platform that is increasingly penetrating Europe's most important scenes", “"A Week of sensational Images" (nachtkritik.de)

"Although the platform is only in its second year, its impact is already being felt" (The Stage)

"GRAPE is bearing fruit as seven of the 2023 productions are touring to other countries" (THEATER DER ZEIT).

At an event organized by the Athens Epidaurus Festival at the Goethe Institute in Athens on September 24, the 3 GRAPE Audience Awards were presented: 1^st prize for the theater performance by Anestis Azas "The Dogs", 2^nd prize for "Connection Error" by Yolanda Markopoulou and the group Station Athens and 3^rd prize for the dance performance "Borborygmi" by Hara Kotsali.

Also read/watch:

GRAPE 2024– Greek Agora of Performance

Watch GRAPE – Greek Agora of Performance video 1

Watch GRAPE – Greek Agora of Performance video 2

Further Greek News Agenda articles concerning the Athens and Epidaurus Festival

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Ano Syros is located on one of the two large hills above Ermoupolis, the capital of the island of Syros. The settlement was sometimes referred to as the "hill of Catholics," as ιτ used to be inhabited mainly Catholics islanders, who trace their origins to Venetian merchants and Frankish crusader and settled there as a safer location during the Middle Ages, when the island was subject to frequent raids by pirates. The large gates, which to this day constitute the central entrances tothe settlement (Portara, Epano and Kato Terma, Skalakia, Sa-Bastias), were closed with large wooden doors for greater protection from raids, mainly at night. In the 12th century,

Ano Syros was part of the Duchy of Naxos, until 1537, when the Duchy became a tributary of the Ottoman Empire, and was annexed by the Ottomans in 1579. The inhabitants of Ano Syros actively participated in the Struggle of 1821 and in the two world wars, but also in the Resistance, many lost their lives fighting,  as can be evidences a Heroes' Monument with their names of the fallen inside the settlement. Until the foundation of Ermoupoli, the first residential core of Ano Syros was exclusively Catholic. In fact, he had been placed under the protection of the king of France.

From 1890 onwards, the French Hospital was created, various associations were founded and the large cobbled road was built that connects the medieval settlement with Ermoupolis. It is one of the few medieval settlements in Greece that is in such good condition and has been regularly inhabited for almost eight centuries.

Built around 1200, the majestic Saint George Cathedral, also known locally as San Tzortzis, dominates the top of the medieval settlement of Ano Syros. It is built on top of an older Byzantine church and is considered the most beautiful Catholic church on the island; it is also the largest and the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Syros. From its construction until today, it has undergone numerous renovations, the most important of which dates back to 1834, after it was completely destroyed by the Ottomans in 1617. That was when most of the Diocese's archives were destroyed. The renovation of 1834 was undertaken by Tinian architect Hatzisimos Nikolaos and it was he who gave the temple its current form. Maintenance work of the temple took place in the last decades as well.

The building complex includes the church, the three-story bell tower of 1855, the baptistery (originally the chapel of the Holy Cross), the sacristy, the building with the historical archive and the episcopal palace. Inside the church is an icon dedicated to Our Lady of Hope which is considered miraculous, as it is believed that she saved the population of Ano Syros from a cholera epidemic in August 1854. Other important relics are the icons of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Saint Peter and Agios Andreas.

One of the most important artifacts of the temple is its organ, the oldest church organ in Greece. This impressive instrument was built in 1888 by the Italian Zeno Fedeli organ builders in Umbria, and was donated by Pope Leo XIII to the Cathedral of Agios Dionysios in Athens. It stayed there until 1951, when, on the initiative of Bishop Georgios Xenopoulos, it was transferred to Syros.

Since then, the church organ of the Zeno Fedeli house with its beautiful neo-gothic style wood-carved facade has been located in the porch of the entrance of the Cathedral of San Tzortzis of Ano Syros. For many years it served the needs of the church and the religious ceremonies of the Catholic community, but gradually the mechanical problems due to its age and the lack of Greek technicians for its maintenance and stringing had condemned it to silence and obscurity.

In 2016, at the initiative of the, His Excellency Petros Stefanou, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Syros, it was partially repaired and it sounded again. For the needs of the repair, the Italian craftsman Saverio Tamburini, 4th generation of manufacturers of the house of the same name, who has built important church instruments all over the world (Milan, Vatican, Messinia, Mexico, Bologna) was enlisted. Its restoration was completed in 2019 with a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

“ANO” International Organ Festival

Since 2017, with a view to showcasing the organ in St. George's Cathedral in Ano Syros and, at the same time, revive the Ano Syros medieval settlement, the Catholic Diocese of Syros has been organizing the “ANO” International Organ Festival. The festival's program of events includes concerts, lectures, viewings of the pipe organ as well as tours of the Ano Syros medieval settlement.

In August 2024, for the eighth consecutive year, the Catholic Diocese of Syros and the Association of Greek Catholics of Syros held the ANΩ International Organ Festival, featuring a program dedicated to the great Greek composer originating from the Cyclades, Nikos Skalkotas. Furhtermore, the festival highlighted its international character with prominent invited artists and organists of famed cathedrals in Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

This year’s Festival also presented the ANΩ FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA (AFO) to audiences for the first time. The ensemble includes young musicians from Greece, Poland and the Czech Republic, along with experienced musicians from the Athens State Orchestra, under the direction of the Festival’s artistic director and distinguished conductor of international repute, Stefanos Tsialis.

Also for the first time, the Festival extended its activities beyond Syros, with the ANΩ Festival Orchestra giving a second concert – after its inaugural appearance at the courtyard of Sisters of Mercy Monastery in Ermoupoli – at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Fira, Santorini.

A special treat for festival audiences this year was be a photography exhibition titled “The Organs of Greece”, curated by photographer Dimitris Vamvakousis. All of the organs located in churches throughout Greece, as well as at the Megaron Athens Concert Hall, were photographed within a period of 20 days and the photographs displayed at the Cathedral of St. George in Ano Syros.

The 18 churches organs that exist today in our country are located in churches, except for one, the largest in size, which was built in 1993 and is located in the Athens Concert Hall – it took three months of daily 8-hour work by a team of six specialists who arrived from Bonn to build it. Unfortunately, some of these wonderful ecclesiastical organs remain mute and decommissioned awaiting interventions for their restoration.

These include the church organ of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Greece in Nice, which was built in 1882 in Denmark by Knud Olsen, and the church organ of the Catholic church of Agia Barbara in Lavrio, Attica, which belongs to the Victorian organs era, which adorned the living rooms of rich families, which is why its enclosure is a particularly elaborate piece of furniture with decorative shapes and beautiful lighting sconces. The two impressive church organs in Corfu, made in Italy, one of them 176 years ago, are also out of operation.

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"All of Greece One Culture", a successful initiative by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and one of the country's most important cultural institutions, returns this summer for its fifth edition, breathing new life into the unique setting of archaeological sites, monuments and museums in every corner of Greece. The diverse and ambitious program of events and activities for 2024, with the concept of "Conflict" as its central theme, will offer an unforgettable experience in ancient theaters, Byzantine museums, castles, forts, monasteries, churches, mosques, mansions and prehistoric settlements.

For two full months, from July 1 to August 31, 2024 a program consisting of 70 new high-quality productions to be presented at 68 archaeological sites, monuments and museums in 12 regions of Greece.

This year, the institution also adopted a new visual identity, based on the use of symbols of classical culture, with a new logo and the creation of the program's official website. The program features 140 events from a wide range of fields of artistic expression, including music, theater, performance art, dance, visual arts, and activities for children and teenagers. All events have free entrance but audiences may need to book in advance through the official website.

After the huge success of the 2023 program, inspired by climate crisis, which attracted a large number of visitors from Greece and abroad, this year's program once again highlights and connects contemporary artistic creation with archaeological sites. In addition, the institution is once again leaving its cultural and social mark on the region, giving artists and artistic groups the opportunity to create works on the thematic axis of "Conflict".

All Greece a Place of Culture 2024: Conflict

The organization of the institution's events around a central thematic axis began in 2022 with the great tribute to the centenary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and continued in the summer of 2023 with the theme of the climate crisis and its crushing consequences, not only on our lives, but also on our cultural, tangible and intangible heritage.

For the 2024 program, the Greek Ministry of Culture invited artists and artistic groups to create new works on the concept of Conflict, which is further divided into four themes that span across politics, economy, culture, and mental life: Inner Conflict, Conflict of Cultures, Conflict of Interests, and Conflict in Times of War.

Participating artists inspired by Inner Conflict focused on mental struggles, highlighting the concepts of introspection and human communication through art. Those exploring the theme of Conflict of Cultures examine the interactions between different cultures and the clashes and compromises emerging when they intersect. Conflict of Interests inspired artists to delve into the intricacies of the decision-making process and power dynamics in various fields including economy and politics. Finally, the theme Conflict in Times of War provided artists with a canvas to examine the fundamental human experiences of courage, sacrifice, loss, and resilience. Through their work, they explored the profound and enduring effects of war conflicts, foregrounding the importance of understanding and empathy for the individuals and communities affected by acts of war.

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From Wednesday, June 26, to Sunday, June 30, 2024, the Chania Book Festival returns for its third consecutive year, organized by the Municipality of Chania, in collaboration with the Region of Crete. With a renewed program, the festival will take place, as in the previous two years, at the Venetian Harbor of the city, between the Mediterranean Architecture Center, the "Mikis Theodorakis Theater," and other iconic venues. Having as its central theme "Europe: Past and Future. Perspectives on Literature, Culture, Politics", it invites visitors to explore the tumultuous past and the uncertainties of the future of Europe, through the lens of literature, history, and politics.

With the participation of more than 100 Greek and foreign writers, academics, translators and intellectuals from 17 countries and more than 60 thematic panels around contemporary themes, both from the field of literature and from the field of society, as well as book presentations, workshops, theatrical events, performances, concerts, regarding books of contemporary Greek and foreign prose, poetry, essays, by 35 publishers, the Chania Book Festival returns for its 3rd edition through innovative actions, aiming to become a meeting place for the book lovers from Greece and around the world.

The ambition of the festival is to become an annual institution, gathering contemporary Greek literature and intellectual thought, while also having an international character with invitations to significant foreign authors, academics, and intellectuals. The goal is to extend the festival throughout the city of Chania, with readings and events taking place in bookstores, libraries, as well as open spaces so that gradually, during the festival days, the city will come alive for it. A deeper goal is to expand the love for reading, familiarizing everyone with the object of "book," so that it becomes part of the daily lives of as many citizens as possible.

In the words of the Festival’s Director, Manolis Piblis, “In a complex era, we organize a festival with individual existence in mind. The person who seeks points of balance but struggles to find them amidst the whirlwind of information, ongoing events, diverse advertising and propaganda, conflicting stimuli. The book, knowledge, genuine democratic dialogue, and entertainment are elements that offer balance, give strength to the person with sensitive antennas, the one who feels uncomfortable in the realm of appearances, enabling them to gain self-confidence, to stand on their own feet. Even more so when such individuals, who are many yet also alone, gather together somewhere in a creative atmosphere, a different atmosphere, it generates uplift, produces power and hope. This is the value of a festival. The creation of another world within the known world, the fusion of individual existential struggle with collective vision. And this has a deeper existential, social, and political significance."

The 3rd Chania Book Festival is organized by the Municipality of Chania in co-organization with the Region of Crete and with the cooperation of cultural organizations and institutions, as well as bookstores of the city. Thenature of the festival is purely festive. There is no book exhibition; only the books of the invited authors are sold at relevant points within the festival spaces, in collaboration with interested bookstores in the city.

A.R.

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