Close Collaboration between the SNFCC and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation

A photograph of the outside of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

Source: Yiorgis Yerolymbos

Following the appointment of the new Board of Directors (BoD) of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), a video conference was organized on March 9, 2017 between the Board of Directors of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and the BoD of the SNFCC.

The SNFCC BoD underlined their great sense of responsibility with regards to the management of a project of such extraordinary scale, belonging to all Greeks thanks to the generous donation made by the SNF. The new BoD underlined its firm commitment to make the best use of and expand the opportunities offered by the SNFCC project to Greek society, especially in culture and education, building on the great bequest of the SNF and continuing its close collaboration with it. This is, after all, the mandate of the new BoD by the Greek State.

More specifically, it was mutually agreed that the two organizations will work closely together on the basis of the following principles and common priorities:

1.Full transparency and meticulous attention to the financial management of the SNFCC.

2.Continuation of the rich and diverse cultural, educational, athletic and entertainment programming, focusing particularly on the needs of young people, and realized in the form of open events, free of charge in their great majority, thanks to the generous support of the SNF, with a donation of up to €50 million over the next 5 years. This grant will cover SNFCC’s programming and events expenses, as well as operational expenses.

3.Full utilization by the Greek National Opera (GNO) and the National Library of Greece (NLG) of the project’s resources and potential, aiming at multiplying their offering to the public and especially young people. In this context, the excellent collaboration maintained by the three organizations was underlined, as well as the commitment of SNFCC’s management to support on a permanent basis and in any possible way both the GNO and the NLG, especially through their transition period, as well as to explore the wide margin available for joint initiatives and events.

4.The need for a coordinated effort by the three organizations to establish themselves as major European and global cultural centers, and to develop partnerships with leading European cultural organizations.

Furthermore, meetings between the management of both organizations on a regular basis were agreed.

Lastly, both the SNF and the SNFCC expressed their optimism that by hard work and commitment the ambitious goals set will be achieved, thus contributing significantly to the national development, especially in the fields of education and culture.