Press release 2023

Petit Paris d’Athenes 2023
19 – 29 October
Anniversary (2013 -2023)
Theme of the year: Love in the arts – L’ amour dans les arts

October 2013.
The opening signal was given in Vathi Square, then events followed at garden of the Archaeological Museum and at the centre of metaxourgio
The festival “Petit Paris d’Athenes” was just beginning!
Every year since, at the beginning of the school term, it has become an institutional and beloved celebration of Athenian culture, in which more than 500 artists, creatives and intellectuals participate, in many selected venues (theatres, music stages, galleries, squares, pedestrian streets, conservatories, schools, neoclassical-historical buildings, hotels and other alternative spaces) in events ranging from music concerts to art galleries.

Its legacy is ubiquitous.
⦁ The iconic murals (street painting) such as WD’s famous and internationally awarded “Owl”,
“The girl with the books” by Simple G and many other large and small works that adorn and add value to Athens.
⦁Many artists (musicians, actors, visual artists, photographers, jugglers
and other street artists) have emerged over the years using the festival as their starting point.
⦁ Many young people have come into contact how a festival can be created, by
volunteering in the festival’s academy of cultural management.
⦁ This metaxourgio rea is mostly inhabited by migrants of various countries whose children came to love the festival through its open events and educational programmes.
This generation of new volunteers has now come of age with the festival being a constant in their lives since childhood.
⦁ Thus, the “Petit Paris d’Athenes” has contributed to the integration of these children into the general athenian society.
Through their integration the parents and relatives often found common ground for socialisation and integration to society at large rather than staying in close knit groups.
⦁ All these years the festival has highlighted and continues to highlight and utilise public and private spaces such as the National Conservatory, Aggelon Vima, Lux music scene (formerly Akrovatis), Cafe concerto bistro, Beeraki and Typographos restaurants, Matchpoint gallery, the central library of the Municipality of Athens, Petanque Park, the former Athens Peloponnese railway station, Karaiskaki Square, St. Paul’s Square, pedestrian zone, and the pedestrian street of Athens. Maizonos Vathi Square, Douroutis Square, large hotels in the area (Wyndham Grand Athens), the spiritual centre of the municipality of Athens, St. Pavlou, the 51st Primary School of Athens, etc.
The contribution of the festival to tourism and commercial development as well as social cohesion has been officially recognized by all relevant stakeholders.

2013 – 2023 ! “Petit Paris d’Athenes” is celebrating and its anniversary edition will be an enriched ten-day celebration of art and culture with
open concerts and other street activities for children and adults in public spaces with free access,
concerts and theatre performances in indoor venues with low ticket prices,
art and photography exhibitions,
lecture-round tables,
Freestyle football tournaments for youths, petanque tournaments, educational programmes for children,
street painting – murals that develop the puzzle that little Paris bequeaths to Athens,
a cultural management academy with practical training and seminars throughout the period of preparation and running of the festival.

This year’s theme celebrates the most important and timeless source of inspiration of all time. Love as god, love as the ultimate happiness or ultimate human passion or mistake that has inspired almost all the creatives of art history, of every movement and every style. Works inspired by love will be hosted at the anniversary of “Petit Paris d’Athenes 2023”.
The festival is co-organized by the Athens Arts Network, the Region of Attica and the Culture, Sports and Youth Organization of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA).
Interested artists-creators-scholars–athletes etc. are invited to submit
proposals for participation by sending an e-mail to petitparis.athenes@gmail.com by the 20th of September.

The festival “Petit Paris d’Athenes” will officially participate with a booth at the 51st book festival at Pedion tou Areos in September 1-17.

Theme of the year: Love in the arts – L’ amour dans les arts

October 2013.

 The opening signal was given in Vathi Square, then events followed at garden of the Archaeological Museum and at the centre  of metaxourgio

 The  festival “Petit Paris d’Athenes” was just beginning!

 Every year since, at the beginning of the school term, it has become an institutional and beloved celebration of Athenian culture, in which more than 500 artists, creatives and intellectuals  participate, in many selected venues (theatres, music stages, galleries, squares, pedestrian streets, conservatories, schools, neoclassical-historical buildings, hotels and other alternative spaces) in events ranging from music concerts to art galleries.

Its  legacy is easy to see.

 ⦁ The iconic murals (street painting) such as WD’s famous and internationally awarded “Owl”, 

“The girl with the books” by Simple G and many other large and small works that  adorn and add value to Athens.

 ⦁Many artists (musicians, actors, visual artists, photographers, jugglers

 and other street artists) have emerged over the years using the festival as their starting point.

⦁ Many young people have come into contact how a festival can be created, by

 volunteering in the festival’s  academy of cultural management.

⦁ This metaxourgio rea is mostly inhabited by migrants of various countries whose children came to love the festival through its open events and educational programmes. 

This  generation of new volunteers has now come of age with the festival being a constant in their lives since childhood.

⦁ Thus, the “Petit Paris d’Athenes” has contributed to the integration of these children into the general athenian society.

Through their  integration the parents and relatives often found common ground for socialisation and integration to society at large rather than staying in close knit groups.

 ⦁ All these years the festival has highlighted and continues to highlight and utilise public and private spaces such as the National Conservatory, Aggelon Vima, Lux music scene (formerly Akrovatis), Cafe concerto bistro, Beeraki and Typographos restaurants, Matchpoint gallery, the central library of the Municipality of Athens, Petanque Park, the former Athens Peloponnese railway station, Karaiskaki Square, St. Paul’s Square, pedestrian zone, and the pedestrian street of Athens. Maizonos Vathi Square, Douroutis Square, large hotels in the area (Wyndham Grand Athens), the spiritual centre of the municipality of Athens, St. Pavlou, the 51st Primary School of Athens, etc.

 The contribution of the festival to tourism and commercial development as well as social cohesion has been officially recognized by all relevant stakeholders.

2013 – 2023 ! “Petit Paris d’Athenes” is celebrating and its anniversary edition will be an enriched ten-day celebration of art and culture with

open concerts and other street activities for children and adults in public spaces with free access,

 concerts and theatre performances in indoor venues with low ticket prices,

 art and photography exhibitions,

lecture-round tables,

Freestyle football tournaments for youths, petanque tournaments, educational programmes for children,

street painting – murals that develop the puzzle that little Paris bequeaths to Athens,

a cultural management academy with practical training and seminars throughout the period of preparation and running of the festival.

This year’s theme celebrates the most important and timeless source of inspiration of all time. Love as god, love as the ultimate happiness or ultimate human passion or mistake that has inspired almost all the creatives of art history, of every movement and every style. Works inspired by love will be hosted at the anniversary of  “Petit Paris d’Athenes 2023”.

The festival is co-organized by the Athens Arts Network, the Region of Attica and the Culture, Sports and Youth Organization of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA).

email: petitparis.athenes@gmail.com