The production of an international festival is a complex and joint activity with several demands. Nevertheless, the collaboration with the Folklore Dance Group Achaioi gave us the opportunity to have a strategic role in the planning and organisation of such an event, of the International Achaic Festival – an international festival of traditional arts and folk culture.
In our first communication with Mr. Andreas Palaiologopoulos, Chairman of the Board of the Folklore Dance Group Achaioi, regarding the organisation of a traditional dance festival, the need was evident for a trusted collaborator who would be by his side in every step of this event. The real challenge in this idea was to reshape an event with its own distinct identity, to ensure continuity and to embody tradition in a modern way. We respond to this need with the tools and methodologies that characterise our work, thorough field research, participatory planning and classic project management.
In the context of the International Achaic Festival, we work closely with the Folklore Dance Group Achaioi. The services we provide:
- Conception and co-creation of the Achaic Festival’s identity
- Design and implementation of the sponsorship campaign
- Festival production and project management
- Coordination of the honoured invited group
- Development of promotional material and communication
The International Achaic Festival – Identity & Vision
The International Achaic Festival is a celebration of the traditional and intangible cultural heritage of Greece with a special characteristic; the local community’s participation and the hosting of cultural groups from abroad.
In 2021, the honoured country was Ukraine, which was represented by the dance group of the Branch of the Hellenic Cultural Foundation in Odessa. The dance group was accompanied by a delegation from the Municipality of Odessa seeking the development of long-term relations between Aegialia and Odessa.
In 2022, the honoured country was Italy, and specifically, the music-dance group Agrikò from the Greek speaking villages of Salento – Lecce, in S.Italy. The music-dance group was accompanied by the Mayor of Zollino, Mr. Edoardo Calò, as well as representatives of the Greek – Italian association GRECIA GR and the Italian association Apsec – Lecce.
The vision of the International Achaic Festival is to be established as a regional festival with an international scope, for folk culture and traditional arts.
We design the International Achaic Festival, with the aim of developing into an institution of activation of the local society and extroversion of both the organising entities and the region. Respecting the identity of Aegialia, the Festival encourages the enjoyment of dance and music, introduces people and regions to each other and constantly explores ways of preserving and developing intangible cultural heritage and tradition.
