Greece’s cultural calendar comes alive this summer

Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni on Monday announced that some 251 events and performances (not including the performances of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival) will take place in 111 archaeological sites and museums in 38 regional units and in collaboration with the local archaeological ephorates.

These 55 productions will be put on by the National Theatre, the National Opera, the Athens Concert Hall, the Northern Greece National Theatre, the MoMus and the Αthens State Orchestra.

"We don't want a non-cultural summer," Mendoni said, announcing the programme and stating, among others, that 91% of producers are external collaborators - 750 artists and technicians, and 500 staff of local collaborators. The programme begins on July 18 with the National Opera in the Roman Market and the internationally renowned Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili. All activities are free and spectators will pay only for the entrance ticket to the archeological site or museums.

According to the minister the initiative is part of the newly established programme "All of Greece, one Culture" through which the ministry is trying to "beam" contemporary culture into its historic heritage sites, with activities in archaeological sites and the open spaces around museums, activating the bodies under its supervision and their collaboration with the free market of contemporary culture, which may suffer an even greater blow in autumn.

The first phase of the programme will run from July 18 to September 30, and the safety protocols imposed due to the pandemic will apply.