GNO Learning & Participation Lead Donor

Donor of the educational programmes in Penitentiaries

The GNO Learning & Participation, with support from the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, is continuing its artistic workshop cycle for another year in four Penitentiaries across Greece, aiming to transform these penitentiary spaces into environments that foster free expression, creativity, and meaningful communication.

The workshops are not limited to teaching artistic skills; they aim to serve as tools for empowering participants, providing psychological support, and promoting social cohesion. Through music, dance, singing, and collective experiences, participants have the opportunity to discover new ways to communicate, build collaboration and discipline skills, boost their self-esteem, and strengthen their mental resilience against everyday challenges within a penitentiary setting. At the same time, by engaging with people from different cultural backgrounds, these groups become spaces for fostering intercultural dialogue, getting to know one another, and practicing mutual respect.

During the 2025/26 season, four workshops are scheduled: a music workshop at the Penitentiary of Agiá in Chania; a dance workshop at the Eleonas Women’s Penitentiary in Thebes; and music and singing workshops at the Penitentiaries of Diavata and Nigrita, respectively. Each of them draws inspiration from its participants’ experiences, cultural backgrounds, and personal stories, creating an environment where artistic action motivates personal growth, social interaction, and hope for the future.

• Rural Penitentiary of Agiá in Chania

Music workshop

October 2025 – March 2026

Using string and percussion instruments, participants will embark on a journey through the traditional music of the wider Mediterranean. Through a melodic trip to their homelands, they will remember, discuss, and work together.

The workshop starts on: 20 October 2025

Designed and conducted by: Dora Margatiti (musician), Giannis Papatzanis (musician), Stelios Sykakis (musician)

• Eleonas Women's Penitentiary in Thebes

Dance workshop

November 2025 – April 2026

In Eleonas, female prisoners will have the chance to be introduced to ancient Greek drama's chorus odes and connect them to their own narratives and experiences. Through the three key elements of a chorus ode – movement, voices, and speech – participants will work both individually and together, discovering the power of the group, enriching the process with elements from their multicultural identities. Thus, dancing becomes a means of expression and a lever for social reintegration, allowing participants to redefine themselves through creativity.

Designed & conducted by: Katerina Spyropoulou (dancer, choreographer), Margarita Trikka (dancer, choreographer)

The workshop starts on: 19 November 2025

• Diavata Penitentiary in Thessaloniki

Nigrita Penitentiary in Serres

Music and singing workshop

February – June 2026

In Diavata and Nigrita, participants will be introduced to the process of music composition through singing. The material will emerge from themselves, through writing lyrics and melodies inspired by their personal traditions and memories. By using their voices and natural expressiveness as a starting point, they will develop skills in self-expression and collaboration, learn new techniques, and create collective songs that represent a mosaic of diverse sounds, rhythms, and languages. This journey will culminate in a final performance in which the group will present their artistic result, affirming the power of art to unite and heal.

In this way, these workshops serve not only as creative outlets but also as bridges to reintegration. The development of artistic and communication skills, the cultivation of trust, and the experience of collective effort lay the foundations for a smoother return to society.

Designed & conducted by: Natasha Tsakiridou (singer, performer), Stamatis Pasopoulos (composer, musician)

Workshops at the Diavata Penitentiary in Thessaloniki start on: 2 February 2026

Workshops at the Nigrita Penitentiary in Serres start on: 5 February 2026

GNO Learning & Participation Lead Donor 

Intercultural education projects sponsor

After a five-year creative journey, the intercultural opera hub for teenagers Co-OPERAtive is returning for a sixth season, opening up a space for coming together, imagination, and artistic freedom. Continuing to harness the power of art as a bridge for communication and co-existence, this programme invites teenagers aged 14 to 18 from various schools and neighbourhoods in Attica, both local Athenians and minor asylum-seekers, to participate in a series of weekly workshops led by distinguished artists from the fields of music, theatre, and dance.  The programme’s goal is to create an original music theatre piece to be performed in May 2026 at the Greek National Opera Alternative Stage in the SNFCC.

This year, Co-OPERAtive draws inspiration from Gabriel García Márquez’s short stories and magical realism—a world where the ordinary blends with the imaginary. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with music, speech, and movement, cultivate collaboration and communication skills, and co-create a multilevel stage universe that gives them voice.

Activities will include dramatized music games, improvisations, experimentation with musical instruments, physical exercises, and ensemble work, gradually leading to the creation of a piece that combines the richness of collective imagination with the power of artistic collaboration.

The support for the GNO’s Intercultural Education Projects is part of Piraeus Bank’s diverse Corporate Responsibility programme, “EQUALL – For a Society of Equal People.” Piraeus Bank aims to help the younger generation and socially vulnerable groups access and engage with culture by encouraging their creative and critical thinking, as well as the development of their skills.

The program was awarded the 2019 Education Prize of the European Οrganization FEDORA

GNO Learning & Participation Lead Donor 

Intercultural education projects sponsor

The GNO Intercultural Choir continues its creative journey for another year, updating its repertoire and broadening its artistic exploration. Central to its efforts are the exploration of diverse musical traditions and the experimental use of voice. Simultaneously, the GNO Intercultural Choir seeks to further connect the voice with the body and movement through the exploration of body percussion practices.

 Since its foundation, the Intercultural Choir has given numerous concerts and performances, introducing audiences to a polyphonic world of diverse languages and cultures.  During the previous season, it collaborated with Co-OPERAtive, the intercultural opera hub for teenagers, becoming involved in both the programme’s creative process and its final performance, and enriching the young participants' experience with its own sound imprint.

This year, the choir, guided by the spirit of togetherness and live exchange, continues to forge new paths, evolving its vocal vocabulary, and harnessing the creative power of interculturality.

A few words about the Intercultural Choir

 The Intercultural Choir began its journey in 2016 by bringing together a diverse group of Athenians from various backgrounds and musical traditions. Since then, the members of the Intercultural Choir have joined their voices through concerts and artistic collaborations, consistently emphasizing the immediacy and power of singing and music.

 During its run, the Intercultural Choir has hosted members from Poland, Slovakia, Tanzania, New Guinea, Ukraine, Cameroon, Syria, Cyprus, the UK, France, the USA, Canada, Iran, Kenya, Congo, Iraq, Egypt, Serbia, Turkey, Georgia, Algeria, Hungary, and Greece.

The Intercultural Choir has performed at numerous venues, including the GNO Alternative Stage at the SNFCC, various squares in Athens, Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, and the SNF Nostos Festival organized by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). Last season, it took part in the performance of (Another) Winter Journey at the Stavros Niarchos Hall in the GNO at the SNFCC, as part of the intercultural opera hub Co-OPERAtive. Furthermore, it has collaborated with the Gothenburg Opera Chorus, under the direction of composer Trevor Grahl, performing his pieces.

The support of the Greek National Opera’s Intercultural Education initiatives is part of Piraeus Bank’s comprehensive Corporate Responsibility program, EQUALL – For a Society of Equal People.
Piraeus Bank aims to promote access to and engagement with culture for the younger generation and vulnerable social groups, fostering their creative and critical thinking as well as the development of their skills.

GNO Learning & Participation Lead Donor 

Intercultural education projects sponsor

Following a highly successful seven-year journey filled with creative encounters and artistic growth, the GNO Intercultural Orchestra concluded its first cycle with a grand concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, in collaboration with Jordi Savall and the musical ensemble Hespèrion XXI.

 In the current artistic season, a new cycle will begin, inviting new members to join its musical endeavors. An open call for auditioning musicians from various backgrounds and with diverse experiences will be announced in November 2025, while the new artistic phase for the Orchestra will start in January 2026.

 Remaining an open space for creative encounters, the Orchestra continues to pursue the goals that defined it: fostering participation and active engagement among musicians of diverse backgrounds and experiences, encouraging exchange and dialogue through world music, promoting mutual understanding and intercultural co-existence, and continuing the pursuit of new forms of artistic expression and growth.

From 2018 to this day, the Intercultural Orchestra has carved out a remarkable path, highlighting the power of music to serve as a bridge that connects diverse cultures. Its repertoire has included world music traditions alongside contemporary works and improvisation, while its collaborations have paved the way for international artistic dialogue. Among its milestones are its collaboration with Jordi Savall and the musical ensemble Hespèrion XXI at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the encounter with the quintet of the Orchestre des Jeunes de la Méditerranée at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, as well as its performances at venues such as the GNO Alternative Stage, the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, the Acropolis Museum, and the Byzantine & Christian Museum.

Led by composer and ney virtuoso Harris Lambrakis, the Orchestra continues its journey, ready to welcome new musicians and share its next steps with the audience through world music tunes and traditions.

The support of the Greek National Opera’s Intercultural Education initiatives is part of Piraeus Bank’s comprehensive Corporate Responsibility program, EQUALL – For a Society of Equal People.
Piraeus Bank aims to promote access to and engagement with culture for the younger generation and vulnerable social groups, fostering their creative and critical thinking as well as the development of their skills.