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ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL
influence

What has been the public’s response to the initiative so far? Athens. Heading south, how do you see art’s footprint developing in the wider area of
It was only last year that the initiative was launched. Today, the first the Athenian Riviera?
phase’s nine programs are being implemented or have already been The southbound cultural walk is interesting. As you go down Syngrou Avenue, you can visit EMST
completed on eight islands of the Cyclades: Amorgos, Andros, Donousa, (National Museum of Contemporary Art), ONASSIS STEGI, Stavros Niarchos Foundation A Fresh Chapter Unfolds
Kea, Ios, Mykonos, Paros, and Sikinos. So, the first results are just Cultural Center, and soon the Ellinikon (Urban Regeneration Project).
starting to become apparent. What are you preparing at the Museum of Cycladic Art for the second half of 2024?
What particularly moves me is that the programs motivate local In September, we’re preparing our 2nd Cycladic Kids Festival, a free entrance festival that we hold
communities to showcase their islands’ special character. The program outside the museum. Last year, 14,000 parents attended with their children. We’re organizing
in Paros, for example, protects and highlights the famous Ancient the 12th International Kids’ Art Contest and our new archaeological exhibition for December
Marble Quarries and aims to restore the safety of visitor access in the 2024, which will be as groundbreaking as our contemporary art exhibition that will take place
future. The program in Andros focuses on the island’s water wealth and in the summer of 2025. 
ancestral management practices now that the climate has made water a
more precious resource than ever. Local foundations and communities
embraced the Initiative and told us how important it was to them. "A MUSEUM IS NO LONGER JUST
We are now in the program’s second year, and the second phase is
already underway: Six programs are being financed on four islands of A PLACE TO COLLECT AND DISPLAY
the Cyclades (two programs in Amorgos, Sifnos, Sikinos, and Syros)
and a common one on many islands. Being able to motivate more ‘OLD THINGS’. IT’S A LIVING
communities on more islands will be the greatest reward.
Why are the Cyclades so important? How do they still exert their ORGANIZATION, OPEN TO ALL."
charm at every turn?
For many reasons. Because the Cyclades hosted cultures and monuments
of all eras, acting as a key anchorage for each period. In this austere
and occasionally barren landscape, the prehistoric Cycladic culture
Kassandra
evolved, one of the greatest in the 3rd millennium BC. Because the Marinopoulou’s
Cyclades are a living lab for biodiversity. They host an impressive initiatives have
range of habitats, including Natura 2000 protected areas. Because their highlighted
customs, traditional music, festivals, and Greek cuisine are invaluable the enduring
parts of their history and culture, shaping their unique identity over relevance of
time. This is why preserving, highlighting, and passing on this identity Cycladic heritage
in the modern
to the next generations is of utmost importance. world, creating
What is the role of a museum of today, such as the Cycladic Art a dynamic space
Museum? Is it ready to embrace the current values of sustainability for education,
and inclusivity among others? research, and
A museum is no longer just a place to collect and display "old things". It’s artistic expression.
a living organization, open to all, without any social, political, religious,
or other discrimination. It’s a place for gatherings and discussions
between different social groups that must take the lead in a range of
contemporary issues. A museum today is no longer judged only by its
exhibitions and collections but also by how it perceives and responds
to matters of its time.
For 10 years now, accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability have
been self-evident concepts for us. The museum has created a separate
department that aims to organize programs for vulnerable social groups,
specially designed for them inside and outside the museum to ensure
that everyone has equal cultural opportunities.
To date, thousands of people have benefited from the museum's
social projects. In addition to programs for people over 65, people
with disabilities, and migrant children, we created "IN CONTACT",
an initiative that enables people with sensory disabilities (visual and
auditory) to access our exhibitions. Personally, I single out the program
we created last year for issues related to the mental health and well-
being of teenagers, as well as the program for schools in financially
disadvantaged areas of Attica. ATHENIΑΝ RIVIERA CRETE CYCLADES IONIAN HALKIDIKI PORTUGAL ACROPOLIS
The Museum of Cycladic Art is part of a cultural route, a walk
that includes other museums and artistic spaces in the heart of

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