Concerts, festivals, open-air cinema, full moon sleepovers, DJ sets, outdoor art exhibitions and much more make up this year’s programOnce again this summer, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Cultural Center (SNFCC) becomes a choice summer destination in Athens, a meeting point and a place of shared experience, inviting the public to a lively program of events. Film screenings and concerts in the Park, DJ sets and live performances at sunset, sleepovers under the full moon, as well as opportunities for sports and relaxation, comprise a daily schedule of encounters with culture, entertainment, education and wellness that appeals to all ages and tastes. With free admission and an abundance of options, Summer at the SNFCC is here, and there’s something in it for everyone!
Summer in the city means first and foremost open-air cinema. The successful series of outdoor movie screenings Park Your Cinema and Park Your Cinema Kids stay true to their rendezvous with the city’s cinema enthusiasts for an 11th year in a row. Adult audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy popular “Musicals under the stars,” while kids will relish delightful films about friendship and family.
Naturally, the unique experience of the Full Moon Sleepover and the Full Moon Film Marathon could not be missing from this year’s program, inviting audiences to a shared experience of the July and August full moons, respectively. The nights are dedicated to two directors who have left their mark on world cinema: Steven Spielberg (July 29) and Stanley Kubrick (August 28).
In the musical part of this summer’s program, July marks the inauguration of Sunset Frequencies, the SNFCC’s new music series to be held every Wednesday, at sunset, featuring Greek DJs and small bands performing live. At around the same time, In Orbit (July 10–12), the festival that maps the city’s contemporary alternative music scene, is back with a lineup curated by selected independent record stores and record labels.
Furthermore, the program is enriched with festivals that highlight collectivity and coexistence. In May, the Community Choir Festival (May 22–24) is a two-day event dedicated to choir as a means of collective expression and shared musical experience. In July, the Great Lawn of Stavros Niarchos Park is transformed into an open space of gathering and creativity with the Common Grounds festival (July 15–17), in which different cultures build common grounds through their respective traditions, narratives, arts, and sounds.
The long-established Parklife concert series is back in September, featuring two special tributes to the legendary Beatles (Sept. 06) and the great songwriter Leonard Cohen (Sept. 12). Also in September, the SNFCC Green Weekend (Sept. 19–20) is back at the SNFCC for a sixth instalment. This year’s festival focuses on water and attempts to raise awareness and re-open a multi-stakeholder dialog about the environment.
The program is complemented by the two outdoor exhibitions already hosted at the SNFCC: The exhibition Untitled (Pride and Contempt) of iconic American artist Barbara Kruger includes thirteen new large-scale works specially designed for the public space of the SNFCC, while the photography exhibition Together, Visible, in collaboration with MOMUS-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, highlights multiple aspects of the female experience.
Last but not least, enhancing our fitness and creativity remains a priority for yet another summer, with workshops and sports events (running, yoga, pilates, kayaking on the Canal, etc.) aimed at both children and adults.
A grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) supports the majority of the SNFCC’s programming.
The detailed program is as follows:
Families and Public Space
Park Your Cinema
Musicals under the stars
May – September
Great Lawn, Stavros Niarchos Park
Curated by: Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Free admission
Sponsor: Fysiko Aerio – Hellenic Energy Company
Accessibility Partner: Kotsovolos
In this year’s Park Your Cinema program, the musical is not simply a choice of genre; it’s an attitude. A cinematic language unafraid of excess, capable of turning emotion into rhythm and melody. This is not a nostalgic reflection, but a reminder that song in cinema has always been an act of freedom. From Singin’ in the Rain to Fame and Mamma Mia!, one thing is certain: when words are no longer enough, music takes over.
Park Your Cinema Kids
Ohana at the Park: Summer stories for the entire family
May – September
Great Lawn, Stavros Niarchos Park
Curated by: Athens International Children’s Film Festival
Free admission
Sponsor: Fysiko Aerio – Hellenic Energy Company
Accessibility Partner: Kotsovolos
This year’s Park Your Cinema Kids draws inspiration from the summer universe of Lilo & Stitch, a story about friendship, family (ohana), and how we find our place in the world. The program brings together an array of films set in summery locales: islands, beaches, underwater worlds, campsites, and neighborhoods freed from school routines and filled with a sense of freedom.
Full Moon Sleepover
July 29, 21.00
Great Lawn, Stavros Niarchos Park
Free admission
Sponsor: Aperol
The Full Moon Sleepover is back on the night of the July full moon, for an overnight cinematic experience dedicated to one of the most iconic directors of modern cinema, Steven Spielberg. The audience is invited to experience a night full of suspense and cinema magic through five films that have marked our collective imagination and redefined the concept of blockbuster. From the adrenaline rush of Jaws and the awe-inspiring Jurassic Park to Hook’s playful adventure, Poltergeist’s dark atmosphere and Catch Me If You Can’s charismatic narrative, Spielberg demonstrates his unique ability to combine technical craftsmanship with pure cinematic pleasure. The evening is complemented by several parallel activities for kids and adults.
Full Moon Film Marathon
August 28, 21.00
Great Lawn, Stavros Niarchos Park
Free admission
Sponsor: Aperol
In the light of the August full moon, the SNFCC pays cinematic tribute to Stanley Kubrick, a creator who has remained, to this day, both classic and utterly relevant, holding a special place in both the history of cinema and contemporary pop culture. The films that will be screened back-to-back during the film marathon are: Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange and The Shining.
Barbara Kruger: Untitled (Pride and Contempt)
Until November 1
Canal & Esplanade
Free admission
Curated by: Katerina Stathopoulou
The first solo exhibition in Greece of the iconic American artist Barbara Kruger includes thirteen new large-scale works specifically designed for the SNFCC’s public space. At the core of the exhibition is a 90-meter-long mural displayed on the building of the National Library of Greece, boldly declaring (in Greek): “LOOK FOR THE MOMENT WHEN PRIDE BECOMES CONTEMPT”. Informed by her experience in graphic design, Kruger’s work uses the language of advertising and mass media as a critical tool, turning it into a vehicle of political and social reflection. Featuring declarations and characteristically intense color contrasts, the works pose a sharp commentary on the contemporary socio-political environment in Europe: polarization, intensification of extreme ideologies, and the uncertainty resulting from economic, migratory and geopolitical tensions.
Photography exhibition Together, Visible
in collaboration with MOMUS-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
Until June 30
Perimeter of Stavros Niarchos Park
Free admission
The exhibition brings together works by twelve contemporary photographers from the permanent collection of MOMUS-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography and highlights multiple aspects of the female experience: identity, memory, body, social roles, migration, visibility, and sense of belonging. From self-portrait and staged image to photographic documentation, an array of different photographic practices makes up a polyphonic narrative of how female presence is shaped, challenged and redefined.
Music
Lullaby Project: Music Act
May 18, 20.00
Alternative Stage
Free admission; requires online pre-registration at snfcc.org
The Lullaby Project is back at the SNFCC for the ninth year running, in partnership with the musical social inclusion project El Sistema Greece and New York City’s Carnegie Hall. This year, El Sistema Greece is creating a Music Act that goes beyond the boundaries of gender or biological kinship. Original music compositions highlight stories that touch upon contemporary social issues, inviting us into a world of empathy, acceptance, and meaningful contact. These stories are conveyed on stage through original musical compositions by: Dimitris Kamarotos, Rosanna Mailan, Dimitris Bakoulis, Dimitris Papikas, Sadahzinia, Seeds, and Sophie Lies. The orchestra is conducted by Kyriaki Kountouri. Also participating in the concert is the intercultural El Sistema Greece Youth Choir, under the direction of Vagia Papagiannopoulou.
In Orbit | Off the record
July 10, 11 & 12, 20.00
Dome
Free admission
In Orbit festival maps and showcases the city’s contemporary alternative music scene. This year’s lineup is curated by selected independent record stores and record labels (Dum Dum Records, Veego Records, Syd Records). For three consecutive days, the festival is bringing the city’s pulsating energy to the forefront, through multiple musical pathways and unexpected artistic encounters.
Sunset Frequencies
July–September, 20.00
Canal
Free admission
Sunset Frequencies is the new SNFCC music series and a natural continuation of Sunset DJ Sets. For seven Wednesdays, from July to September, the space next to the Canal is transformed into a meeting point. Small bands performing live and selected DJ sets compose a coherent musical landscape that spans across the jazz, neoclassical, electronic, funk and soul genres, creating an alternating atmosphere of relaxation and upbeat mood. Each week has its own character, but all of them as a whole make for a modern urban soundtrack for our summer sunsets.
Parklife: Beatles Symphonic
September 6, 21.00
Great Lawn, Stavros Niarchos Park
Free admission
Sponsor: Aperol
The ERT Symphony Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Michalis Economou, present a unique tribute to the legendary Beatles with a program that includes, among many others, the timeless hits “Let It Be,” “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude,” “Come Together,” and “Here Comes the Sun.” The concert combines symphonic sound with choral performances, offering a fresh perspective on timeless favorites.
Parklife: Leonard Cohen Tribute
September 12, 21.00
Great Lawn, Stavros Niarchos Park
Free admission
The second concert in the Parklife series proposes a special musical tribute to Leonard Cohen, with the participation of his son Adam, as well as a multitude of beloved Greek artists. Lina Nikolakopoulou, Manolis Famellos, Panos Mouzourakis, Vassilikos, Penny Baltatzi, Maria Papageorgiou, LOU IS, Nalyssa Green, and Sugahspank are but a few of the artists who will take us on a journey into the universe of the great composer and songwriter.
Participatory events: People, Society, Environment
Community Choir Festival
May 22–24
Agora
Free admission
The Community Choir Festival is a two-day event dedicated to choir as a means of collective expression, collaboration and shared musical experience. It highlights the collective voice and the choir as a vibrant community of people who come together through music. It is taking place for the first time this year and aspires to bring together choirs from all over Greece.
Common Grounds
July 15–17, 18:00–23:00
Great Lawn, Stavros Niarchos Park
Free admission
Festival Supporter: Ben & Jerry’s
For the second year running, the SNFCC’s intercultural festival brings together communities, organizations and creators from different countries who live and operate in Greece. Through an open and participatory program, it creates a place of gathering, expression and cooperation, where the audience becomes acquainted with different cultures and actively participates in shared experiences. The program includes interactive workshops, music and dance performances, narratives, as well as pop-up activities in the public space.
SNFCC Green Weekend
September 19 & 20
Stavros Niarchos Park
Free admission
Grand Sponsor: Fysiko Aerio – Hellenic Energy Company
Accessibility Partner: Kotsovolos
This year’s event is dedicated to water, a fundamental but increasingly endangered resource, at the core of contemporary environmental, social and urban challenges. Through a two-day program of talks, visual arts exhibitions, artistic interventions, guided tours and participatory activities for all ages, water is highlighted as a field of research, a source of artistic inspiration, and a starting point for discourse, turning Stavros Niarchos Park into an active field of experience and knowledge exchange.
Workshops
Centering on the Park, nature and contemporary environmental challenges, the program of workshops includes renewed propositions, innovative practices, and new partnerships with acclaimed cultural institutions. The workshops aim to enhance creativity and environmental awareness, as well as to engage participants in meaningful collective learning and entertainment experiences. The detailed program of activities will be announced soon. Moreover, educational workshops that complement Barbara Kruger’s exhibition and are addressed to both children and adults, will continue throughout the summer. The detailed program will be announced soon.
Sports and Wellness
The summer program would be incomplete without our popular outdoor activities, such as kayaking on the Canal, yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi in the Park, mini volleyball and mini basketball courses for children, and many other activities aimed at enhancing fitness and wellness. Open to all, free of charge and set against the backdrop of the beautiful landscape of Stavros Niarchos Park, adults have the opportunity to integrate exercise in their daily lives and children can enjoy playing and coming into contact with many different sports.
