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For 1 year, the SNFCC has been Yours!

Feb 23, 2018
One year ago, today, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) held a large celebration, open to all, to mark the completion of the delivery of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) to its permanent owner, the Greek State and, by extension, to the Greek society.

The development of the SNFCC is the largest single grant in the history of the Foundation, a testament to the SNF’s mission and long-standing commitment to Greece. Following the SNFCC’s delivery, the SNF announced its commitment to continue supporting the SNFCC for five years, through grants of $53 million for the implementation of SNFCC’s public programming, as well as operational costs, while it continues to provide support to the organizations relocated there, the Greek National Opera and the National Library of Greece.

Over the past year, the SNF’s vision to create an open public space, accessible to all, became a reality, exceeding every forecast and every expectation. Since the SNFCC  opened its doors to the public, in August 2016, the SNFCC has welcomed more than 3 million visitors and has carried out over 3,500 free cultural, educational, sports, recreational and environmental events, all with free admission for all with the exclusive support of the SNF. The vast number of visitors who have embraced the SNFCC as their own and integrated it into their daily lives proves in practice what can be achieved through the proper collaboration of the private and public sector, based on high transparency and common goals.

In the words of the Co-President of the SNF, Mr. Andreas Dracopoulos, at the official delivery ceremony, which fully represents the SNF's vision: “For all of us at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the SNFCC encapsulates the countless possibilities and prospects of our country, for which we will continue to strive. We are very proud that we managed to create a “crack”, as Leonard Cohen would say, through which the light can get in […] the light of hope, for a better and more creative tomorrow”

(Read the full speech)