The president of the Cultural Organization Katerina Geropanagioti opened the presentation of the report of the work carried out by the organization in recent years at noon on Friday 21 October at the “Agora Argyris”:

“The Cultural Organization of the Municipality of Patreon, is called to perform a task, which concerns a sensitive and specific sector. The area of culture is in many respects multifaceted and complex. Its strength and movement is based on artists of all disciplines and workers in the field. A sector of employees, self-employed or small professionals who, despite all their contribution to the education and development of our country, are plagued by unemployment or casual employment. The commercialisation of art has dealt multiple blows to artists, who daily face huge financial problems in their livelihoods and difficulties in presenting their work. The consequences of the commercialisation of art are also reflected in the difficulties faced by the public in coming into contact with the arts and culture, such as the expensive tickets to private galleries, museums, theatres, music venues and other venues, the lack of infrastructure that will adequately and without barriers promote multi-faceted artistic creation. This is the main reason why admission to most of our events is free and to the rest we apply the low ticket policy.

The Municipal Library – Cultural Organization of the Municipality of Patreon includes cultural and artistic structures. The Municipal Library, the Municipal Art Gallery, the Municipal Conservatory of Patras ΄΄Mikis Theodorakis΄΄, the Art Workshop, the Municipal Music, the String Orchestra ΄΄Thanasis Tsipinakis΄΄, the Dance Department. The Cultural Organization is also responsible for the organization of the International Festival of Patras, as well as the whole of the Festive – Anniversary events.

In all the cultural structures and artistic activities, we try to develop the interest for real art, books, dance, theatre… taking special measures to reach young people. To go out of the context of a classroom and be presented in the neighbourhoods of the city. In previous years, all the structures and employees of the Organization have done a great job, supporting our fellow human beings, who are experiencing in a cruel way the consequences of the anti-people’s policy, which has been applied for years, with an increase in poverty and misery. The Shadow Theatre and theatrical performances travelled to the fire-stricken areas in Northern Evia and Ilia. Solidarity concerts, with the collection of necessary materials for the social structures of the Municipality and the People’s Tutoring Centre. A library was created in the Homeless Hostel. Artistic groups support the camps of the Municipality.

For us it is important for art to reflect, to awaken, to be socially useful.

The reason for this is the employees of the Organization, who are doing great work in conditions of economic suffocation and understaffing. I would like to publicly congratulate them”.

The presentation was closed by a musical ensemble of the Municipal Conservatory of Patras “Mikis Theodorakis” .

On the occasion of the presentation of the project, the Cultural Organization proceeded to the production of audiovisual material accessible to all in which the actions of its structures are included. The material is available at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVvweDG4rM4&t=11s