CULTURE

Promotion of Greek culture goes digital

he Organization for the Promotion of Greek Culture had to change its course after the end of the Cultural Olympiad. The first event to reflect the organization’s new direction is the digital video and film competition, which was announced in the summer and is currently under way on the website of Net Odyssey under the title «Micropolis.» It is a low-budget undertaking that embraces the possibilities of new technology with the participation of sponsors. It was an initiative into a new field with the help of renowned Greek artists in the field of digital art. The organization’s second step, announced at a recent press conference in the presence of Deputy Culture Minister Petros Tatoulis, is the active participation through information kiosks at various international cultural events, such as annual meetings, conferences and more, that take place around the world and to aim at strengthening communication among artists, managers, producers, organizers, sponsors and other institutions involved with culture. In short, Greek culture will have a stronger presence abroad, along with printed and other material and the organization’s special kiosk which was designed by its architects. Already various state and private institutions, such as the Thessaloniki State Orchestra, the Camerata Orchestra and the Sinequanon dance company, have created their own CD-ROMs containing information that will be available to anyone interested who stops at the kiosk. The organization’s president, Stelios Mavros, and Managing Director Georgia Iliopoulou said that, at first, the kiosk will only represent those who have ready material, but that in the future there will be an effort to expand the number of orchestras and theater and dance companies that can take advantage of the opportunity for promotion. Tatoulis stressed that the organization’s new character will bear no similarity to what it was under previous administrations at the Ministry of Culture. He added that at present it is concerned with the promotion of local art and culture abroad. Tatoulis also made reference to the debts incurred from the events of the Cultural Olympiad, which amount to 1,450,000 euros, and suggested that the director of the National Gallery may not have made proper evaluation of the cost of various exhibitions. He added that when he was appointed deputy minister of culture, he found debts amounting to 54 million euros at the ministry.

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