The Venue:
Kinitiras Studio and Artistic Residency Centre
Kinitiras Studio, the
first Residency Centre for performing arts in the city of Athens, is located in
the historical area of Acropolis. Since its opening in 2007, Kinitiras has been
the focal point of international residencies for artists and scholars from all
over the world, including a residency by American actor/director John
Malkovich. The venue is regularly funded by the British Council, the Ministry
of Culture in Greece and the European Culture Fund. Kinitiras’ environment promotes multicultural
understanding that allows innovation and creativity to flourish. Programmes are
not only multicultural but also interdisciplinary and include dance, movement,
improvisation techniques, acting, directing, cinematography and
choreography.
The centre has one
main studio space with sprung wooden floor, approximately 100m2. There are
changing facilities, including shower and lockers. The studio has a lighting
grid that supports informal performances.
There is a full sound system and projector-screens for film/media
presentations. There are mini DV cameras available for documentation purposes.
There is free wireless internet access throughout the whole venue.
You can see a virtual
tour of the studio at: http://kinitiras.com/v2/gr/gre/staticpage7-en.html?n0=8c5ca142eef22facc58b24a796fa2c85&n1=f368d700b2751c2c0b555eadb1f402ed&n2=590a98dd410f7581ba9b3f47b6973d53
Accommodation:
International participants have the option of staying as guests in houses/apartments of fellow artists (free of charge/contribution towards bills) or in low cost hostel-style accommodation in the vicinity of the studio.
Athens in the Summer:
The paralysis in the financial districts has been counter argued with a vibrant spirit of innovation where national and international artists are joining together to find new forms of expression, new ways of thinking, in fact new ways of living in this rapidly changing and uncertain world.
The opening of the New Acropolis Museum in June 2009 (at the start of the crisis) cemented the Greek capital’s association with its ancient past, but also showed how tradition can be refreshed through a dialogue with the growing contemporary arts scene.. The Deste Foundation together with the Athens Binnale show rotations of works by some of the worlds leading artists including Jeff Koons, Maurizio Cattelan, Robert Gober, Pawel Althamer and Urs Fischer. The project ReMap allows galleries and independent art groups to install shows and site-specific works in dozens of properties in the Kerameikos and Metaxourgeio neighbourhoods. A new branch of the Benaki Museum of Greek culture has also bolstered its contemporary programme, recently presenting a show curated by Paolo Colombo that included work by William Kentridge, Natalie Djurberg, Kara Walker and Haluk Akakçe.
In Athens, there are over 148 theatre spaces where performances of the classical canon sit side by side more experimental work. There is also innovative activity that looks at new applications of the rich heritage and traditions of Ancient Greek theatre and performance. The Onassis Foundation inaugurated in 2010 the Centre for Arts and Letters whose main theatre space now regularly shows works by some of the most important international theatre and dance artists, with Josef Nash, DV8, Anna Teresa der Keersmaker amongst those already featured. In January 2012 CAMP (Contemporary Art Meeting Place) opened its doors in a newly refurbished listed building in the famous Kotzia Square in order to provide a new cultural meeting point for artists of all disciplines.
In the summer months Athens (and nearby regions) is the site of various major international festivals including:
· The Athens International Festival (June-August): city wide international arts festival of music, theatre and dance in many venues city wide.
· Athens International Jazz Festival
· Hellenic Festival: music and opera in the Ancient Herodes Atticus Theatre in the Acropolis
· Athens Video Art Festival: June-August in the Technopolis Arts district in Gazi District
· MIR Arts Festival: site specific and installation art events in various venues throughout the city.
· International City of Athens Dance Festival: July
