26 November 2013

Approximately two years before the completion of the construction of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) and three years before the SNFCC officially opens its doors to the public, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation presented today the new program “Journey to the SNFCC” which aims to transport the general public to the near future of 2016.

The SNFCC, in collaboration with the Greek National Opera (GNO) and the National Library of Greece (NLG), begins a wonderful journey of creativity, literature and art in the neighborhoods of Athens, with the goal of introducing the general public, and especially the younger generations, to the philosophy of the SNFCC, as well as to everything that the SNFCC aims to bring into city life in a few years’ time: open access to the Arts and Education, opportunities for dialogue, the restoration of the city’s and its residents’ relationship with green spaces and, by extension, enhanced social cohesion, through a number of open cultural and educational actions.

The Journey to the SNFCC program, which is funded exclusively by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), begins at the municipal libraries of Athens, Ilioupoli, Haidari, Halandri, and Keratsini/Drapetsona, and also includes “Opera in a suitcase” performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni by the Greek National Opera, readings from popular artists selecting passages from their favorite books, experimental digital film workshops, activities which will raise the public’s environmental awareness, and debates focused on the concerns of today’s youth.

The program’s actions began on November 6th at the municipal library of Haidari and will come to an end in late February 2014 at the municipal library of Ilioupoli. Entry to all events is free.

This is, essentially, the first large scale action for the promotion of the SNFCC, carried out thanks to a multidimensional collaboration of the SNFCC with the National Library of Greece, the Greek National Opera, the Future Library program, five Municipalities of Greece and their five respective Municipal Libraries, and the non profit organization WWF, as well as acclaimed artists, all coming together to create, along with the public, an active community of education and culture, which responds to the citizens’ needs for a creative outlet for the problems of everyday life. 

Specifically:

• The NLG coordinates the collaboration with the Libraries of the five Municipalities taking part in the program and co-creates the content of the events that will be held there.

• The GNO presents Mozart’s legendary Don Giovanni in the form of “Opera in a suitcase”. This is a flexible opera production, which will be performed in various spaces, with piano accompaniment and the GNO’s acclaimed protagonists. Alexandros Efkleidis’ direction seeks the heroes’ complicated motives, taking the former out of their rococo frame and placing them firmly in the present day.

• The experimental film workshop is addressed to young people who are interested in creating a short amateur film about their everyday lives, with the help of easy-to-use technological solutions. During the sessions, participants will gain an understanding of the basic principles of scriptwriting, filming and editing, and complete their own short film. The duration of each workshop series will be 14 hours long and participants may pre-register at the respective libraries.

Take an interest, discover, participate, take action in the green spaces of our city. Citizens aged mostly between 18 and 35 years old, upon invitation by their local library, will be asked to record the condition of green spaces, discuss the changes that can take place, and take part in a series of activities and events. This project will be coordinated by the non profit organization WWF.

• Young people with an interest in discussing the problems of their generation and unlocking the ways to support their opinions with arguments, may join the audience or take part in the debate contests that will be held in the libraries. Entry is free for audience members; those interested in taking part in the debate contests must pre-register at the participating municipal libraries (https://dittoilogoi.blogspot.gr).

Well-known artists will visit the libraries and read excerpts from their favorite books. The audience will have the opportunity to meet them and hear them talk about their preferences and their personal relationship with literature.

Yiannis Trohopoulos, General Manager and CEO of the SNFCC, said: “The Journey to the SNFCC program, brings the SNFCC into the everyday life of the city and invites the citizens of today to embrace and to engage with a major project of tomorrow. Three years before its official opening, the SNFCC is already an integral part of contemporary society, complying with the project’s fundamental behest for free and open access to education and culture for all.”

Additional notes:

Among the artists taking part in the new SNFCC program are the following:

Maya Andreou, Giorgos Gallos, Stefania Goulioti, Foivos Delivorias, Maria Zorba, Dimitris Imellos, Alexia Kaltsiki, Nikos Kouris, Dimitris Lignadis, Efi Logginou, Kostis Maravegias, Manolis Mavromatakis, Panos Mouzourakis, Amalia Moutousi, Angeliki Papoulia, Ioanna Pappa, Dimitris Piatas, Giorgos Pyrpasopoulos, Maria Skoula, Eleftheria Stamou, Lena Stamoulakatou, Yiannis Stankoglou, Konstantinos Tzoumas, Ioanna Triantafyllidou, Lysandros Falireas, Marietta Fafouti.

For more information on the various activities and on taking part in the workshops, please contact:

Municipal Library of Athens: +30 210-8810884, +30 210-8846009, +30 210-8846011
http://www.cityofathens.gr/texnes-politismos/xoroi-politismoy/bibliothikes/dimotiki-bibliothiki

Municipal Library of Ilioupoli: +30 210-9948344
http://www.politismos-ilioupoli.gr/

Municipal Library of Haidari: +30 210-5821574, +30 210-5821639
http://www.haidari.gr/Default.aspx?tabid=79&language=el-GR

Municipal Library of Keratsini/Drapetsona: +30 210-4312182, +30 210-4003116
http://keratsinilibrary.blogspot.gr/

Aetopoulio Cultural Center Library of Halandri: +30 210-6820464 http://www.halandri.gr/frontoffice/portal.asp?cpage=node&cnode=140

The five participating Municipal libraries are part of the Future Library program, www.futurelibrary.gr

SPEECHES

Ioannis Trohopoulos, CEO and Managing Director of the SNFCC

Myron Michailidis, Artistic Director of the National Opera of Greece

Stavros Zoumboulakis, President of the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Greece

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