Athens and Epidaurus Festival strengthens cultural ties with Asia
Representatives of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival took part in major performing arts events across China and South Korea in October, setting the stage for future collaborations.
The initiative was part of the festival’s efforts to broaden its global outreach, with a focus on Asia, a continent where Greece has yet to establish strong cultural exchanges in the contemporary arts.
Cultural ties can be strengthened further through joint artistic productions, residencies, and masterclasses, activities that also foster cultural diplomacy, said the festival’s artistic director, Katerina Evangelatou, during her address at the China Shanghai International Performing Arts Festival.
“Our mission is to bring our festival audiences into contact with leading artists from around the world, while also familiarizing them with bold new approaches to ancient drama, a cornerstone of our classical heritage,” she said.
Evangelatou was also an official guest of the 2024 Performing Arts Market Seoul, South Korea’s largest international performing arts market. She also held working meetings with representatives from cultural institutions across Asia, Australia, North and South America, Canada and Europe.
Ioannis Kaplanis, the general director of the Athens Epidaurus Festival, joined Evangelatou and spoke on the crucial role that the arts and festivals play in building bridges in a world continually tested by wars, inequality and climate change.
“With an eye on our upcoming 70th anniversary, our primary goal is for the Athens and Epidaurus Festival to continue serving our community as an open, inclusive, green and accessible festival for all,” he said.
