FokiaNou Art Space is pleased to present a solo exhibition of Geeta Roopnarine, “Fragility of Breath.” Geeta Roopnarine is an interdisciplinary artist working within the intersection of art, science, and technology. Her process is inspired by the archaeology of things, unearthing layers of meanings, and in making connections between cultural and historical artefacts. Her background includes Indian, Trinidadian and Greek cultures and she draws upon images and myths to transform the familiar into the unfamiliar.

Prana, the Sanskrit word for breath, life force, which permeates reality on all levels including inanimate things is her starting point to pose questions about mind-body ‘dichotomy’ and what it means to be a breathing body. Paper, a fragile material, interacts with watercolor and mark making and effects a collaboration between artist and material. Watercolor, poems, and 3D installation create a liminal space between abstraction and reality within the context of human and non-human.

Geeta Roopnarine was born in Trinidad and Tobago and lives in Athens. She trained as a forensic scientist before studying sculpture at Athens School of Fine Arts (Professor George Lappas). She recently completed an MA in Computational Arts at Goldsmiths, (Univ of London) and has taken part in exhibitions in Greece, London, and New York.

The use of masks and social distancing are required in all areas of the space, including the roof terrace, halls and elevator.

FokiaNou Art Space is an artist-run project space in the intimacy of a small apartment in an old building in the center of Athens. The space encourages collaborative creative efforts between Greek and foreign artists, thereby promoting and supporting the local art community. The space hosts exhibitions, workshops and projects under the direction of two artists, Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris. www.fokianou247.gr

Opening: Thursday 10 June 2021, 18.00
Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 18.00-21.00

In this summer’s Park Your Cinema Kids, we invite our young film buffs and their families to discover incredible heroes in worlds that defy the imagination, to embrace tales based on compassion, and to build bridges that abolish differences and create a universe of love and trust.

In all of these stories, the heroes break away from the safety of their world (like Elsa and Anna, who seek the truth beyond Arendelle), choose their unexpected families (like Paddington, the lovable bear, in London), meet the friends with whom they’ll share unforgettable adventures (like the boy who forges an unbreakable bond with the Iron Giant), choose kindness over prejudice (like Shaun the Sheep, when he comes across an alien weed) and, of course, the adventure that makes all of this possible (like the revelation of the Giant Pear). 

Every day, kids are faced with the reminder that the world around us is not black and white: it is multicolored, multifaceted, complex, like these wonderful films chosen by the Athens International Children’s Film Festival, which make up the most exciting summer cinema season at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.

Athens turns into a vast, open-air cinema! Summer blockbusters, all-time classics, local gems and special events in the biggest open-air festival in the city!

The most cherished film institution is returning for the 11th time, assuring that all the screening of the Athens Open Air Film Festival will take place  providing a premium audiovisual experience and, of course, strictly complying with the measures for public health protection and social distancing, as required in open-air cinemas.

Entrance is free but you will first need to acquire an admission pass, at least three days before each screening

To reserve an admission pass or view the screenings schedule click HERE!

On Sunday 20 June 2021 the Acropolis Museum celebrates its twelfth anniversary, having undergone its most difficult year to date, as it remained closed to the public for more than six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Acropolis Museum, now refreshed and renewed, welcomes its visitors on the day of its birthday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., with reduced entry (5 euro) to all exhibition areas. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the new thematic presentation “Marathon-Salamis. In traces of myth and history”. 

In this presentation, visitors will discuss with the Museum’s archaeologists about the Persian wars and their significance for the western world, the colliding opponents and the role played by gods and goddesses, the importance of the Marathon battle in the victory of the Salamis naval battle, the price paid by the Acropolis and how it was transfigured into creation and, finally, how the great moments of history are depicted in the exhibits of the Acropolis Museum.

Information:
Greek: 12 noon, 4 p.m. & 6 p.m.
English: 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Participation: Limited to 8 visitors per session. For registration, please refer to the Information Desk at the Museum entrance on the same day. First-in first-served. It is necessary to wear a protective mask (not provided by the Museum) and to use the whisper guide system headsets (provided by the Museum).

After a year's absence, one of our favorite cultural events is returning from June 20th to June 30th for a "Jazz & World Music" edition!

Petit Paris makes a dynamic comeback with a series of 11 concerts taking place in the beautiful garden of Athens' Municipal Library, opposite Larissa Station. 

The Covid 19 pandemic defined the form of this year's festival, so due to the protection measures against the coronavirus, the festival this year will not include street performances, activities for children, theatrical performances and concerts indoors.

The concerts will start at 21:00 with free admission but you will first need to reserve your seat by email at petitparis.athenes@gmail.com, as seats will be limited due to coronavirus protection measures. |

More information about the events can be found in Greek here! 

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XpatAthens Is Proud To Be A Media Sponsor Of Petit Paris 2021

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More information about the festival's schedule can be found here! 

The 2nd summer festival of the street magazine Shedia is here, connecting locals and visitors through a series of unique events. Shedia invites everyone who will be staying in Athens this summer to celebrate, meet new people, and enjoy nights and days of culture and fun, companionship and joy.

Until September 6th, 2021, small parties will be set up in and around Shedia's home, in the capital's historic center (56 Kolokotroni & Nikiou 2, corner), including pop-up photography and cartoon exhibitions, music nights with live gigs and guest DJs, tastings, barbecues, guest chefs, cool cocktails, happy hours and even happier days, guest mixologists, evenings of literature and poetry. Yoga sessions, activities for children, screenings and games, creative workshops, walks in the heart of the city, and special brunches are only some of the activities we have the opportunity to participate in. 

 

Athens Epidaurus Festival proudly presents the young musicians of El Sistema Greece for the second time in its history at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, in collaboration with producer, musician and DJ Blend Mishkin.

On July 5, members of El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra and El Sistema Greece Youth Choir join forces with Blend Mishkin reggae band Roots Evolution and favorite Greek singers, in an artistically unexpected meeting at the iconic Odeon of Herodes Atticus and present new performances of songs that marked contemporary music, based in turn on older hits, thus introducing past music to younger audiences.

El Sistema Greece is a community music project that since 2016 provides free music education to children and young people in Greece. All children —no matter their origin, nationality, or religion— are not only inspired to strive for a better future, but thanks to music, they are given a platform for dialogue and togetherness across diverse communities.

Music is a universal language which can be a powerful tool for social inclusion. Musical education has been proven to be an incredibly effective medium for achieving long term social change for both the children involved, and their families, worldwide.

FokiaNou Art is pleased to present The Castro, a group show curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris, for which participating artists responded to an open call. The exhibition title refers to the famous San Francisco district that since the 1960s has become one of the most well-known centers of LGBT activism and culture in the world. The title’s double meaning is the antithesis of a free environment, that of a traditional castle as a walled-in, exclusive and restrictive institution.

Artists were asked to play with the word castro, and its double meaning, presenting the bright and open castle of freedom, acceptance and equality, as well as the dark and enclosed castle of racism, homophobia and violence. The show comprises a wide variety of media: drawing, painting, photography, video and sculpture.

Curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris

Participating artists: Sofia Archangelou, Dimitrios-Claudio Bantourakis, Sebastian Boulter and Taija Goldblatt, Aristea Charoniti, Stelios Dexis and Myrto Vounatsou, Andromachi Giannopoulou, Marietta Kallona, Vasiliki Kanellou, Christos Katsinis, Kalliopi Kouklinou, Kelly Koumarianou, Andreas Lyberatos, Alexandros Mavrogiannis, Gioula Papadopoulou, Dina Skapetoylia, Christina-Sylvia Simantira, Maaike Stutterheim, Zari Nikolov, Maria Bourbou, Eva Gkilntirim, Geeta Roopnarine, Stella Sevastopoulos, Marios Trichas, Panagiotis Voulgaris, Grigoria Vryttia.

The use of masks and social distancing are required in all areas of the space, including the roof terrace, halls and elevator.

FokiaNou Art Space is an artist-run project space in the intimacy of a small apartment in an old building in the center of Athens. The space encourages collaborative creative efforts between Greek and foreign artists, thereby promoting and supporting the local art community. The space hosts exhibitions, workshops and projects under the direction of two artists, Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris.

Opening: Tuesday 6 July 2021 at 18.30
Duration: 6-17 July 2021. Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 18.30 - 21.30
Where: FokiaNou Art Space, Fokianou 24, 7th floor, Pagkrati
Metro: Evangelismos.

The heart of mountain running beats at the “place beyond the mountain”. Preparations of athletes and organizers are gradually being completed while pulse rates are increasing and the adrenaline is rushing ahead of Zagori Mountain Running, the biggest mountain running race. The 10th anniversary race is approaching and Zagori, with its outstanding natural beauty, is expected to gather again, with utmost safety, professional and amateur runners from Greece and abroad on July 23-25, 2021.

Great athletes honor the event’s 11 years!
The TeRA 80km, which is considered as the milestone-race in the history of mountain ultras, is expected with even more excitement this year due to the participation of Greek athletes such as Fotis Zisimopoulos, Vangelis Noulas, Angelos Ziakas, Thodoris Zisis and Giannis Kourkourikis, while Dimitris Seletis, the 2019 winner with a time of 8:18’:06’’ will attempt to claim the first place again. Moreover, participations from Spain such as the one of Jesed Hernandez, who returns with the desire to claim the first place, and of Miguel Angel Heras, the greatest foreign athlete who has ever visited our country so far, are expected with great interest. Finally, Apostolos Tzoumakas is the outsider of the race.

The schedule
Participants will be able to receive their participation kits from Thursday, July 22 at the Fifth Element store (Dagli 2 & Papazoglou, in Ioannina), between 18:00 and 21:00 or alternatively on Friday, July 23 (12:00 to 22:00) and on Saturday, July 24 (10:00 to 20:00) at Tsepelovo High School. On Friday, July 23, at 19:00 in the afternoon, the race briefing of the athletes will take place at the Tsepelovo High School and at 20:00 there will be a Pasta Party for the athletes of 80km &44km races, with the support of Melissa pasta industry and Dodoni dairy product company.

Races’ action starts on Saturday, July 24, at 04:30 in the morning, at Tsepelovo, with the TeRA 80km mountain running race. The race’s development extends to 80 kilometers and its positive altitude difference exceeds the 5,100 meters. The race has a time limit of 20 hours from the start and has 4 intermediate elimination points. At 06:00 in the morning, Marathon 44+ takes over. A filling 44km circular route, with 2,600m of positive altitude, which challenges athletes to raise their personal goals and experience mountain running from a different angle.

With the coolness and hydration offered by the Natural Mineral Water ZAGORI, children’s favorite running race of 1km distance, ZAGORAKI, will be held on Saturday afternoon at 2 18:00. The children are expected to have fun, run in nature and learn the values of sports. At the end of the race, there will be a draw and prizes will be given from the Natural Mineral Water ZAGORI in the context of environmental responsibility and familiarization with the concept of recycling. The lottery will be attended by all participants and visitors who will recycle any packaging of glass, plastic, and aluminum in the mobile recycling unit with photovoltaic panels that will be located on site.

On Sunday July 25, athletes will get to know the two brand new routes, the Half Marathon 21km and the Entry Race 10km. At 07:45 in the morning the renewed Half Marathon 21km race will start, while the competitive Entry Race 10km will start at 09:10. All routes have Tsepelovo as their starting and finishing point. Due to the current condition of the pandemic, the athletes on all routes will start gradually, in order to avoid overcrowding at the starting point.

How to join us
The event will be conducted based on the strict health protocol that has received the approval of the Health Scientific Committee of the General Secretariat of Sports which is being carried out by the organizing committee. All participants must bring an EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate in order to enter the event’s venue. Alternatively, they must have conducted a rapid test or a PCR test against Covid-19 within 48 hours before the start of their race and provide confirmation of their negative result. With the exception of those who will provide a vaccination certificate or a certificate that proves that they have recovered from Covid-19 within the last 2 to 9 months. Finally, if there are consecutive race days for a participant, it is recommended to do 1 test before the first race.

What Participants Should Know
Based on the current measures and the current period, all participants must bring an EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate in order to enter the event’s venue. Alternatively, they must have conducted a rapid test or a PCR test against Covid-19 within 48 hours before the start of their race and provide confirmation of their negative result. With the exception of those who will provide a vaccination certificate or a certificate that proves that they have recovered from Covid-19 within the last 2 to 9 months. Finally, if there are consecutive race days for a participant, it is recommended to do 1 test before the first race.

The 1km ZAGORAKI Children's Race
Τhe children’s favorite race returns with the coolness and hydration offered by the Natural Mineral Water ZAGORI. ZAGORAKI, the children’s 1 km distance running race, will take place this year at the village of Tsepelovo, in the afternoon of Saturday, July 24, 2021. Its goal is the contact of children with running in nature, through an entertaining activity that highlights the values ​​of sports. For the 1km children’s race, children 3 to 12 years old can participate. Each child will be awarded with a commemorative medal and a collectible technical t-shirt.

Children’s participation is FREE.