The Summer Nostos Festival encapsulates the idea of “nostos” (homecoming), the inexhaustible desire to return to all things familiar; familiar emotions and places, which have helped shape us and make us nostalgic. The SNFestival is an open and welcoming festival, with programming that encourages the peaceful coexistence of all people, welcoming everyone, both individually and collectively.
Every summer, during the days of the SNFestival, the SNF opens the doors of Your home to music, games, performances, sports events, an international conference on philanthropy, and many other events.
Press Event for the Presentation of the 2018 Program of Events
This year, the line-up once again includes unique, renowned artists, covering all genres and tastes. The performance by Joyce DiDonato, one of the world’s most famous opera singers, stands out from the field of classical and contemporary music, alongside the “live documentary” by Sam Green and Joe Bini on the legendary Kronos Quartet, the presentation of the prematurely departed Islandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson’s famous work Drone Mass by the American Contemporary Music Ensemble and the Theater of Voices, but also a musical medley with songs by the Beatles and Elvis Presley, performed by Armonia Atenea, under the artistic direction of George Petrou.
The most anticipated performances include, among others, concerts by John Cale & Band, the Animal Collective and Stereo Nova, as well as the first-ever performance of Greek-Jamaican R & B singer, Lianne La Havas, in Greece. The live performances by Anna Vissi and Onirama complement this year’s music programming and are expected to excite and delight audiences at the SNFestival!
For the first time ever in Greece, a distinct component of the festival, titled “Out of Africa” will present some of the most well-known artists from the neighboring continent. One of these artists is the talented songwriter Bongeziwe Mabandla, while 4 representatives of the contemporary Arfrican electronic scene will provide unique rhythm and color to this year’s SNFestival.
In Dance and Entertainment, there are many performances that will attract the interest of audiences, including the following: The American Ballet Theatre Studio Company comes to the SNFestival to present a unique performance, the Theater of War returns to Athens with an extremely topical play inspired by Martin Luther King’s last sermon, Monica Bill Barnes will surprise and delight us with the unforgettable “Happy Hour,” one of the most successful modern dance productions, Konstantinos Rigos and Oktana Dance Theatre will present the emblematic avant-garde modern dance performance The Rite of Spring, Marianna Kavalieratou and musician Dom Bouffard will excite audiences with the group dance Bastet, which they created together, while the famous former World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov, becomes the inspiration for an innovative choreography based on his famous 1993 chess match. Magicians, stand-up comedians, dance instructors, dancers and renowned street artists will surprise and invigorate us with their imagination, their humor and their impressive feats.
In the field of visual arts, Robert Storr, in collaboration with renowned curators Barbara London, Kalliopi Minioudaki and Francesca Pietropaolo, will present an international video art program, titled We Interrupt Regular Broadcasting to Bring You This Special Program! Through selected videos and films by distinguished international artists tackle the concept of Disruption in a variety of ways.
Special attention has been given to events for children and families. At the Nostos University for children and adults, inventor and artist John Edmark guides us through the most unbelievable secrets of nature. At the same time, a plethora of sports and leisure activities, workshops, classes, games, but also a puppet shadow-theater by the award-winning director director and shadow-theater player, Elias Karellas, will entertain children of all ages, with endless hours of fun.
The 7th annual SNF International Conference on Philanthropy will also be held as part of the SNFestival, from June 21st to June 23rd, 2018. The Conference will explore one of the most discussed and debated concepts of our times, that of Disruption. The conference will examine, among others, the effects that pervasive inequality has in disrupting social cohesion and present those who through their groundbreaking work attempt to disrupt this cycle of inequality and bring about change both on a local and global level. Furthermore, an event will be held on June 20th, as part of the SNF’s monthly series, DIALOGUES, in collaboration with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University on social and political polarization and the ways to address it. The SNF has supported the creation of the SNF Agora Institute with a grant totaling $150 million. Participation in the Conference is free. Pre-registration is required.
For the 4th consecutive year, on June 23rd, on the occasion of World Olympic Day, the evening race SNF RUN: Running into the Future will take place, followed by a spectacular fireworks show. Live commentary on the race will be provided by journalist Anna-Kynthia Bousdoukou. The race is organized and overseen by the NGO Regeneration & Progress, under the auspices of the Hellenic Police.
The events of the SNFestival will be complemented by this year’s World Cup matches, which will be broadcasted live from Russia, on screens placed in various locations around the SNFCC.
With the Summer Nostos Festival, organized in collaboration with SNFCC SA, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation aims to bring together people from different ages and different interests, with different forms of expression and stimuli, in a large summer celebration that is open to all, bringing together—under a single roof and on the same stage—all those that surprise, disrupt, excite us and “take us back to our favorite summers.”
Welcome to the Summer Nostos Festival 2018!
Detailed information on all the events is available on the SNFestival’s website at www.SNFestival.org.
