Where are we? Where do we stand today?

(As an aesthetic. As a shared course. As a trailblazing force. As a capacity to question. As a political entity. As a society. As a body of citizens. As a notion of collectivity. As an act of chorality. As a polis. As a constellation of narratives. As a prayer before nightfall. As silence. As a country.)

 

The Athens Epidaurus Festival, as part of its preparatory phase for the 2026 artistic programme, announces an Open Call for Proposals. Independent artists, artistic ensembles, cultural organisations, and institutions of art and culture are invited to submit proposals for new works and initiatives.Applications may be submitted exclusively via the online form available on the Festival’s website.The submission period runs from 5 September 2025 to 25 September 2025, at 18:00 (EET).

The Artistic Directorship of the Athens Epidaurus Festival particularly welcomes proposals that place research and a spirit of renewal at their core – whether in conception, dramaturgy, stage language, aesthetic direction, themes, methodology, performativity, performing techniques, and the foregrounding of the theatricality inherent in all things. It actively encourages collaboration among artists, groups, and institutions, seeking to foster a creative engagement with the urgent questions of our time and humanity itself through the means of art.

The Athens Epidaurus Festival remains steadfast in its mission to serve as a critical hub of creativity and in open dialogue with contemporary society. It supports artists, providing them with the necessary tools to work freely and unfettered within their discipline, while proposing and setting in motion: new ideas and forms, new modes of collaboration, and new ways of engaging and redefining the relationship with audiences

By submitting their proposal, applicants acknowledge and accept the following:

  • Proposed productions must not have been previously presented in Greece.
  • Submission of a proposal does not guarantee inclusion in the Athens Epidaurus Festival.
  • The Athens Epidaurus Festival Artistic Directorship is under no obligation to justify its rationale behind its selections regarding rejected proposals.
  • All submitted information is binding. The Athens Epidaurus Festival Artistic Directorship reserves the right to reassess a proposal should fundamental changes occur, such as major alterations in casting and/or key contributors, substantial divergence from the original concept, or deviation from the initial submitted budget.

All queries regarding the submission process should be directed exclusively to:questions@aefestival.gr

Detailed Information

1. VENUES
a. Official venues of the Athens Epidaurus Festival
Due to renovation/restoration works at the emblematic Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the official venues for the 2026 artistic programme are:

  • The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
  • The Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus
  • Peiraios 260 (multiple halls of varying capacities)

b) OTHER PARTNER VENUES
Through its strategic partnership with other cultural institutions, the Athens Epidaurus Festival honours its tradition of presenting performances in additional venues, selected according to the artistic nature and technical requirements of each project. Examples include the Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall, the Athens Conservatoire, and the City of Athens Lycabettus Theatre, while further specially selected venues may also be considered. Where appropriate, the Festival may encourage an in situ approach to productions, should this be deemed a necessary and fruitful condition for the work.

2. PRODUCTIONS

  • Peiraios 260: Priority will be given to Theatre and Dance productions, or other performance-oriented art forms. Special consideration will be afforded to small-scale, low-budget artistic groups with simple and flexible stage requirements.
  • The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus: Open to proposals primarily for Ancient Drama productions – without excluding adaptations of epics or any other themes derived from antiquity.
  • The Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus: Proposals are welcome for productions/initiatives/artistic endeavours that highlight the unique character of the site and its surrounding landscape. (The Festival reserves the right to allocate production proposals to the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus, depending on the scope of the overall artistic programme.)

Additionally:

Proposals for Classical and Contemporary Music productions will be reviewed once the hosting venues have been clarified, due to the forthcoming renovation of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

The Festival places particular emphasis on contemporary music productions, especially welcoming proposals that focus on:

a) World premieres of new works
b) Innovative concert formats, new media, and explorations of contemporary aesthetics
c) Contemporary composers at the crest of today’s musical momentum
d) Landmark works of the contemporary repertoire

In the field of contemporary music especially, the Festival encourages and supports creation, research, and experimentation, seeking to highlight artists and works – both from Greece and abroad – that contribute to the international dialogue on musical creation today.