The programme for the 2012 Festival Hellenika in South Australia, has been announced with a line-up of culture, song and film.
The South Australian Council for the Greek Cultural Month Inc. have presented a festival that features something for everyone. Events are accessible to a wide audience of both Greek and non-Greeks to foster, coordinate and promote Hellenic connections in Australia through the arts. Stamatiki Kritas, President of the SA Council for the Greek Cultural Month – the organising body of Festival Hellenika – told Neos Kosmos “Festival Hellenika is a dynamic event which has a twenty year history in Adelaide dedicated to the development, promotion and celebration of Hellenic links in the Arts, and their exciting Australian manifestations”.
Formerly known as the Greek Cultural Month, it was established in 1991 with the assistance of the general Secretariat for Greek Abroad. The festival programme is facilitated and coordinated by a team of volunteers from the SA Council for the Greek Cultural Month Inc. (SACGCM) which is comprised of members of local community organisations and administered by an elected executive council of their representatives.
Kicking off the month-long events will be a screening of the documentary Smyrna’s Tragedy – a 90 year tribute at the Marion Cultural Centre on Wednesday 29 February and Thursday 1 March. “Music Hellenika our main concert is celebrating 10 years in the Adelaide Festival centre this year,” says Kritas.
“In 2012 we will be presenting ‘Greek sounds of the 70s with a selection of songs made popular in the 70s.” The concert will be directed by Con Dalagirogos and will be held on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 March at the Festival Centre.
“The annual Young Musicians event which is gaining momentum with more participants this year than ever – a way to foster and encourage the new emerging musicians being mentored by Adelaide’s prominent Greek musicians in Adelaide,” says Kritas. Other events of the festival include: classical Greek columns walk, classical archaeological museum tour; voices and visions; journey to the island of the sun; preparing family trees with Hellenic roots; the accidental archaeologist; Cleopatra’s dream and the young musicians concert.
“We are proud of our past achievements,” says Kritas of the strong history and community involvement of the festival.
“Examples of past events are The Oud Project which was funded by Arts SA and developed in partnership with NEXUS Multicultural Arts Centre, involving local musicians with backgrounds from Afghanistan, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Ireland, and Lebanon and special guest Joseph Tawadros from Sydney. This exploration of common musical heritage culminated in three very special concerts in 2004, 2005 and 2006.”
People can get involved by attending the events, participating as artists or even through sponsorship. For information, email festivalhellenika@hotmail.com or visit festivalhellenika.org.au