Petit Paris d’Athènes 2022

29th of September-9th of October

This years theme will be: 1922, Foundation for today

100 years after the destruction of Smyrna we have come to realise its great heritage.

Petit Paris d’Athènes gives tribute in recognition of the cultural impact of the Ionian peoples in Greece.

The cultural mosaic of Smyrna, In music and various arts became a focal point for the east and the mediterranean. One can still find its echoes from the middle east to the depths of europe.

All of these cultural vectors will be the inspiration for this year’s  festival .

Ranging from rebetiko to franco-levantine music and to café chantant, various theatrical, dance and musical performances will be held along with street shows, painting and photo galleries,  lectures and discussions, murals and education programs for children.Alongside these, the now established                             “Jazz n World music festival” will also be held as a part of the overall organisation.All this will aid in emulating the cosmopolitan character of Smyrna of 1922

10 years after its first showing, another 10 day celebration of art will take place in the centre of Athens.There will be more than 500 artists, scholars and creatives In many chosen venues as well as in public stages.(theatres,music stages, galleries,public squares, pedestrian areas, conservatoires, schools, neoclassical historical monuments,hotels).From omonia  square to Larissa and Metaxourgio station, were many roads are named after french scholars and have been meeting points for the athenian cultural scene, the folk scene, large immigrant waves, travellers and tourists. 

In all these years the festival has found ways to showcase and utilise public as well as private venues such as the National Conservatoire, Aggelon Vima theatre, the musical stage of Lux(former Acrovatis), bar-restaurants like Beeraki and Typografos,Matchpoint gallery, the central library of Athens Municipality, park petanque, Karaiskaki sq, Agios Pavlos sq, peloponnese station, 51 Public school of Athens etc.The festivals contribution to the commercial and tourist potential has been recognised by every relevant public and private party. 

This year as in all years prior the festival will be organised by the Athens Art Network, Region of Attika administration and OPANDA.Through art and culture we will once again give new life to one of the most underrated regions of Athens by shining a spotlight on new and upcoming artists.

In 2013 the festival was held in honor of 100 years after the birth of Albert Camus.In 2014 the theme was  “Βelle Époque and the beggining of world war I”. In 2015 it was bistro and cafe culture, with special attention giverive gauche in Paris after the war.In 2016 we had “Groups in art”.In 2018 the theme was “The women of Europe” In 2019 it was “May of ‘68, 50 years later”.In 2019 we had the «Cabarets du monde» theme.During 2020 the festival was not held due to health and safety reasons.In 2021 the festival took place with the theme “Culture and ecology”.

Petit Paris d’Athènes 2022 will include:

Open gigs and various street performances in public venues for kids and adults

Gigs in closed venues

Theatre

Photography and painting galleries

Lectures-Open discussion sessions

Freestyle football tournament for the youth

Petanque tournament

Instructional programme for children about smyrna and its history.

Street painting-murals with an ever expanding mosaic in the city center expanding every year

Cultural management academy consisting of seminars and practical lessons.The lectures and training will be done by the experienced managerial staff of the Athens Art Network.

The established ten day celebration happening just under omonoia square will once again arrive to signal a restart of cultural events for the athenian downtown as it has for the past 10 years.

All interested artists athletes and creatives are called to submit their proposal at petitparis.athenes@gmail.com 

• Likewise all those interested in becoming volunteers to aid the festival are to send a message of interest at petitparis.athenes@gmail.com