Music, arts, and psychotherapy in nature, creative writing, cinema, books, comics, dance, theater, concerts, workshops for children and adults. A festival and a cultural chain unfolding in a beautiful welcoming place in Kymi and its villages. An unusual collective effort with many challenges and difficulties, but also much emotion and creativity, by a group of friends in Kalimeriani who either live there permanently, have returned to this corner of Evia, or have consciously chosen it for a new way of life away from the big city.
The festival ‘Arts as Remedies’ hosts scientists and artists from various fields to express themselves dynamically in a festive atmosphere in Kymi, Central Evia, and its surrounding villages. Dedicated to the pioneering doctor Georgios Papanikolaou from Kymi, it is more than a typical cultural program: it offers a unique opportunity for individuals to dive into a special world of creativity and personal transformation. It began in 2024 with a core focus on the connection between the arts and health, including a scientific symposium, music, dance, theater, cinema, storytelling, and visual arts, creating an immersive experience for participants and audiences alike. The special emphasis on the healing dimension of the arts makes the festival unique in Greece.
Since antiquity, it has been recognized that art can be a rewarding and beneficial experience, as beyond its aesthetic appeal, it is not merely a source of entertainment but plays a critical role in promoting health and well-being for both artists and audiences. The arts enrich lives and communities by fostering physical condition, mental clarity, and social cohesion. The inclusion of performing arts remains vital in the festival’s operation for promoting holistic health and enriching human experience.
Α´. SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM
KYMI PALACE HOTEL
20 July
TITLE: “Understanding catharsis in the arts and medicine”
The workshop is dedicated to the intersection of art and medicine and emphasizes the understanding of catharsis in order to reveal the therapeutic potential of the performance experience for performers and audiences. The meeting, honoring George Papanicolaou, serves as a reminder of the power of perseverance, innovation and dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and better health outcomes for all. In the welcoming space of the Kymi Palace, the conference brings together artists, scholars and healers to share views and experiences of the cathartic power of the arts.
Keynote speakers: Denia Athanasopoulou-Kypriou, Thanasis Dritsas, Kostis Zouliatis, Menelaos Karantzas, Yuli Kokori, Xantoula Dakovanou, Nikos Xydakis, Vasiliki Petraki, Spyros Tegos, Agni Stroumbouli, Angeliki Toubanaki, Dimitris Tsokanis
Β´. EXHIBITION OF WORKS AND PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK BY PETROS CHRISTOULIA “Dr. PAP. The life of the pioneering doctor G.N. Papanikolaou”
FOLKLORE MUSEUM OF KYMI
JULY 06-16
The fascinating life journey of the eminent scientist Georgios Papanikolaou is presented for the first time through an exhibition of comic artworks by the award-winning visual artist Petros Christoulias. These works served as the basis for the creation of the book “Dr. Pap. The Life of the Pioneer Doctor G.N. Papanikolaou,” which has received outstanding reviews. After intensive research in archival sources, the author and illustrator, with great sensitivity while maintaining historical accuracy, creates a dramatic atmosphere where the characters of the narrative move between Greece, Europe, and America. Christoulias’s fresh and original approach, through clear visual storytelling, offers both a strong first introduction and a deepening insight into the remarkable pioneering work of the benefactor of humanity, Georgios Papanikolaou.
On July 6, the opening day of the exhibition, Christoulias’s book will be presented at the Museum. His work honors the legacy of the pioneering doctor and will be publicly shown for the first time in Kymi, the birthplace of Georgios Papanikolaou. The event will feature the participation of Papanikolaou’s granddaughter, Yuli Kokkori (daughter of Nasos Papanikolaou, Georgios’s elder brother), a doctor and researcher, as well as the director and theater scholar Tzortzina Kakoudaki.
On July 7, Petros Christoulias will hold a workshop at the Museum, introducing participants to the heroes of the comics.
C. CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES
The Festival presents a lineup of musicians and performers ranging from local artists to internationally renowned performers. The music spans various genres, including jazz, folk, world music, and art song, ensuring there is something for everyone in the program. The performances are designed to inspire and evoke emotions, encouraging participants to interact with the artists, sing, dance, and connect with the rhythm of the moment.
CONCERT | FOLKLORE MUSEUM OF KYMI
Monday, July 21 | 9:00 PM
“Thoughts and Meditations. Musical Dialogues of Apollo and Dionysus. A Therapeutic Musical Journey with One Piano and Two Voices”
A musical performance that moves along the bridge between art and therapy. Compositions by Thanasis Dritsas and Xanthoula Dakovanou, including improvisation and interaction with the audience. Performed by: Thanasis Dritsas and Xanthoula Dakovanou.
STORYTELLING PERFORMANCE | PARALIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEATER
Tuesday, July 22 | 9:00 PM
Agni Stroumbouli
“The Wounds Are Nests of Flowers.” A storytelling performance of magical fairy tales. Narration by Agni Stroumbouli.
Folk fairy tales, having absorbed the spirituality of preceding centuries, dare to speak of powerful life experiences, contradictions, and wounds…
They speak in metaphorical language rich with memory and with images that awaken all our senses.
They know well that the longing for life can penetrate deeply, find fruit in obstacles, reconcile contradictions, and affirm life through experience!
CONCERT | FOLKLORE MUSEUM OF KYMI
Wednesday, July 23 | 9:00 PM
Kymides
“Everything About Marriage Is Difficult”
A musical journey featuring traditional, rebetiko, and folk songs about the beautiful and challenging aspects of relationships. Performed by: Christos Kalogerogiannis, Aliki Katsarou, Stavroula Tavoulari, Markos Filianos, Christos Psychogios (Kymides).
Members of the dance group “Axanemes” will participate under the instruction of Dimitris Tsokanis.
PERFORMANCE | KALIMERIANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Thursday, July 24 | 9:00 PM
A performance featuring students from the experiential workshops in the local community.
CONCERT | KALIMERIANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Friday, July 25 | 9:00 PM
Giorgos Andreou, Dimitris Zervoudakis, Korina Legaki
“When You Sing, My Soul”
A unique journey of music and poetry into the artistic universe of the great composer Giorgos Andreou, as well as exquisite reference songs by major creators such as Theodorakis, Mikroutsikos, Xarchakos, and Spanos, set to poetry by Manos Eleftheriou, Thodoris Gonis, Nikos Gatsos, and other important poets. This musical narration expresses the anxieties of today, speaks directly to the human soul, and concerns us all. Accompanying performers are the remarkable singers Korina Legaki and Dimitris Zervoudakis.
CONCERT | FOLKLORE MUSEUM OF KYMI
Monday, July 28 | 9:00 PM
Angeliki Toumbanaki, Thanasis Stavridis, Simone Mongelli
“Crossovers Duet”
An explosive musical program where Balkan rhythms and melodies of the Mediterranean and Anatolia blend with contemporary harmonies, crossover improvisations, and vocalizations.
PERFORMANCE | OPEN THEATER OF KYMI HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday, July 29 | 9:00 PM
DIPETHE Serres
Molière’s “The Doctor in spite of himself” (Le Médecin malgré lui). Directed by Dinos Psychogios. A production in collaboration with the Municipal Regional Theater of Serres.
Following the acclaimed ancient comedy Lysistrata by Aristophanes, which won the Greek Critics Association award for Best Performance in the DIPETHE category for summer 2024, DIPETHE Serres returns with another hilarious comedy from the global repertoire: Molière’s The Would-Be Gentleman Doctor, directed by Dinos Psychogios with original music by Kostas Bountouris.
Molière is considered one of the greatest and most influential playwrights of all time and a key figure in modern comedy. His works, with lively and brilliant portrayals of human types, characters, and morals, were revolutionary for their time. They had a profound impact on the development of modern theater, especially comedy, and continue to move theater audiences today.
PERFORMANCE | FOLKLORE MUSEUM OF KYMI
Sunday, August 3 | 9:00 PM
Konstantinos Dellas
“The Old Women Who Gather Nettles”
The performance is a stage approach to the female body in old age and its connection to folk magic, cooking, and ritualistic practices. Its starting point is the region of Thessaly and its tradition of magical practices, which claim that the witches of the area inherited their secret skills from Medea and specialize in “bringing down the moon,” also known as “milking the moon.” Guiding this secret journey are three female figures who converse between the familiar and the archetypal, the harmless “grandmother” and the dangerous healer, speaking about their lives, what they learned from the old ones, what they suffered as women, and what they pass on to the next generations.
Spending their lives in the shadow of dominant patriarchal power, women in the periphery during the 19th and 20th centuries largely remained marginalized, unable to have a say in decisions that were exclusively the right of men.
These “Women of the Earth,” who remained invisible for years even to researchers—since they did not consider a woman’s testimony worthy of recording for a place’s history—are approached on stage by three young male bodies, attempting to bring to the stage the personal and collective narrative of the familiar, aging female body. Using expressive tools such as the raw materials of the ritual process, disguise, masks, and the coordination of speech and body, the three actors engage in a captivating storytelling that travels from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Lucan’s Pharsalia to contemporary Greek literature by Thomas Psyrras, from older narratives, recipes, and 19th-century medical treatises, to contemporary interviews conducted during the performances in Thessaly.
CONCERT | RICHTIS BEACH, KYMI
Saturday, August 9 | 9:00 PM
Stamatis Kraounakis – The Nightingales of Summer
The nightingales sing and bloom everywhere, driving away sorrows!
With their best program yet, the Nightingales are coming to Kymi for the first time.
This year’s celebration features Monteverdi’s Dionysian themes—Stamatis’s favorites!
Including some brand-new pieces by Reynaldo Hahn, French Belle Époque, Piaf, folk classics, playful traditional songs, and heartfelt emotions straight to the heart.
From traveling troupes to beloved timeless folk songs.
D. CINE-THERAPY
FILM SCREENINGS | PARALIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEATER
The Festival incorporates a series of screenings in an innovative event combining the power of cinema with therapeutic principles. While watching the films, the stimuli evoked by the stories can function therapeutically, helping viewers identify with the characters while fostering empathy and understanding. Through a careful selection of films, themes related to mental and physical health, collective trauma and catharsis, personal growth, and emotional well-being will be presented, offering viewers the opportunity to explore these issues through visual storytelling, discussions with directors, and special guests.
Screenings schedule:
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Wednesday, July 30 | 9:00 PM
The Bathers (Director: Eva Stefani, 2008) -
Thursday, July 31 | 9:00 PM
Debt (Director: Stavros Psyllakis, 2021) -
Friday, August 1 | 9:00 PM
Muddy Depth (Director: Eleni Alexandraki, 2024) -
Saturday, August 2 | 9:00 PM
Lenaki, Two Fires and Two Curses (Director: Dimitris Indares, 2024) -
Monday, August 4 | 9:00 PM
Tribute to director Giannis Lamprou
E. TRIBUTE: THE VISIONARY COMPOSER YANNIS CHRISTOU
PARALIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
July 14–17
Yannis Christou, a pioneering figure in contemporary music, left an indelible mark on the musical landscape. Born on January 8, 1926, in Heliopolis, Egypt, his work is renowned for its innovative approach and profound philosophical foundations. Despite his untimely death in a car accident on January 8, 1970, a day before his 44th birthday, his compositions continue to inspire musicians and audiences worldwide. His exploration of new musical languages and forms paved the way for future generations of composers. His works have been performed globally, earning admiration for their depth and originality.
Christou remains a significant personality in contemporary music. His visionary approach and ability to combine music with philosophical inquiry continue to captivate and challenge listeners. As we pay tribute to his life and work, we celebrate not only his achievements but also his lasting influence on the world of music and beyond.
The special tribute to the pioneering composer explores the transformative power of his music. It focuses on the therapeutic aspects of his work to honor his legacy and highlight the ongoing relevance of his compositions today. Participants are invited to explore music’s potential and its ability to connect us with our inner selves.
Program highlights:
Monday, July 14
Lecture and discussion on the life, work, and philosophy of Yannis Christou.
Screening of the film Anaparastasis by Kostis Zouliatis.
Tuesday, July 15 & Wednesday, July 16
Epikyklos. A music workshop led by the composer, based on the method of Yannis Christou.
Thursday, July 17
Performance. Presentation of the performance created by all participants at the Paralia Elementary School Theater.
F. EXPERIENTIAL WORKSHOPS
The Festival offers a variety of workshops providing educational opportunities focused on theater, the human voice, movement, and holistic well-being. Through these experiential sessions, participants receive tools for technique development, skill cultivation, emotional release, and personal growth. Ritual circle gatherings, the use of instruments and music create a unifying atmosphere, foster social bonds, and offer opportunities for collective healing.
KALIMERIANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Saturday, June 28 – Sunday, June 29
Creative writing – Dramaturgy. Taught by playwright Vassilis Katsikonouris.
Monday, July 7 – Saturday, July 12
Theater and local history. Coordinated and led by theater scholar and director Tzortzina Kakoudaki.
Friday, July 18 – Thursday, July 24
“Once Words Take Root.” Workshop on magical storytelling. Taught by storyteller Agni Stroumbouli.
Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 27
“Vocal Circle.” From ‘I’ to ‘we’ – Group improvisation using the voice as the sole instrument. Taught by vocalist and researcher Angeliki Toumbanaki.
Body music. Taught by percussionist and body music performer Simone Mongelli.
Monday, July 21 – Thursday, July 24
Traditional dance. Guided by dance teachers Dimitris Tsokanis and Vasiliki Petraki.
Friday, July 25 – Saturday, July 26
Masterclass in music creation with composer and director of DIPETHE Serres, Giorgos Andreou.
ESTIA KYMI
Friday, July 18 – Thursday, July 24
Educational theater for children. Coordinated and led by theater scholar Lia Lambrou.
KALIMERIANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Thursday, July 24 | 9:00 PM
The results of the workshops will be presented as an open performance for the entire local community.
G. PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC ACTIVITIES
Psychotherapy is recognized as a valuable tool to help individuals face emotional and psychological challenges. However, integrating the arts into therapeutic practices can enhance this process, leading to powerful moments of catharsis and self-discovery. Whether through painting, music, dance, drama, or writing, the creative arts offer strong tools for unlocking emotions and achieving emotional release.
The Art of Response: Visual Arts Workshop
Coordinated by art psychotherapist Mary Konti.
KALIMERIANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Tuesday, July 8 – Thursday, July 10
A series of three workshops aimed at activating two types of “listening” (internal and external) through processes of collective meaning-making. This is achieved by listening to a sound presentation of the work of a guest artist who shares their creative and everyday practices. Participants simultaneously create artworks following the flow of the artist’s narration, using three main tools: archive, performative writing, and painting.
Ecotherapy: Walking Psychotherapy
Coordinated by group analytic psychotherapist and psychologist Chrysi Kariotoglou.
OPEN SPACE IN NATURE
Saturday, June 28 – Sunday, June 29
Therapeutic sessions in the beautiful nature of Central Evia, walking on specific routes mapped for safety by the psychotherapist. Using tools from group psychodynamic psychotherapy, participants learn to live with themselves and others while discovering new ways of relating and connecting.
H. CERAMICS WORKSHOP
Monday, July 21 – Wednesday, August 6
The ceramics workshop offers a unique opportunity to engage in a conscious and creative process that promotes personal emotional healing and growth. It is open to beginners and advanced participants, providing a supportive environment to explore the therapeutic power of clay. The instructors are Angeliki Gkegke and Maria Moula.
The lessons include: Introduction to ceramics; overview of various clay and ceramic tools; demonstration of basic ceramic techniques; guided hands-on practice; mindful ceramic exercises; creation of simple ceramic pieces while reflecting on the tactile experience; exploration of creativity and emotions through ceramics; techniques for painting, glazing, and decorating vessels.
ABOUT KYMI
The elegant town of Kymi, with its neoclassical architecture, is one of the most important destinations in Central Evia. Located about 2.5 hours from Athens, it is the capital of the municipality of the same name. Its history dates back to antiquity, when it founded two colonies in Aeolis—one north of Smyrna and one in Campania, Southern Italy—together with the Chalcidians, where the Greek alphabet was transferred and evolved into the Latin alphabet. The area, known for its noble inhabitants, the excellent Folklore Museum, traditional stone-built villages, towers, monasteries, and cool climate, offers opportunities for exploration, recreation, and tranquility. The region combines mountain and sea and is distinguished by its unique natural beauty, including a rare fir forest, gorges, caves, pristine sandy beaches with crystal-clear Aegean waters, and breathtaking mountain ranges. Visitors can enjoy fresh fish and local traditional cuisine. Access to Kymi is possible via Chalkida or by the Oropos-Eretria ferry.
Web: https:||technis-iamata.org|
Applying to the workshops: https:||technis-iamata.org|application-form|
Tickets: https:||www.more.com|happenings|tis-texnis-ta-iamata-festibal-stin-kymi|
Scientific and Artistic Direction: Iosif Vivilakis
Production: “Othonion” – Non-Profit Urban Company, 28 Ipeirou Street, 10433 Athens.
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