Xenios Festival The Host Festival

XENIOS FESTIVAL - The Host Festival

Innovative Action of Cultural Tourism

How the Xenios Festival started:

This is an original idea and innovative cultural multi-thematic action created in 2012. It still operates today as a pilot b

XENIOS FESTIVAL - The Host Festival

Innovative Action of Cultural Tourism

How the Xenios Festival started:

This is an original idea and innovative cultural multi-thematic action created in 2012. It still operates today as a pilot by the Melody Spirit Institute of Art & Culture and the award-winning composer George Voukanos (Tourism Awards 2020, 1st price ICE - Innovation Culture & Creativity for a new Economy 2015) as a separate section of festival events at the International Festival of the Municipality of Andravida - Kyllini and at the International Festival of Ancient Ilida in which George Voukanos also served as Artistic Director (2012 - 2020). We have created in collaboration with the official Festivals and large Hotel Units of the Prefecture of Ilia (Grecotel, Robinson, Olympia Golden Beach Resort, Aldemar and the Tourist Association of Ilia as well as the Tourist businesses of the area), an Original Institution at the local level, operating cultural activities and an artistic programme of the Festivals. From 2012 to 2020, more than a 1000 artists were hosted, promoting their work with great success through the Xenios Festival.

Why we named it XENIOS FESTIVAL - The Host Festival:

From ancient times right up until today, Greece has been the conceptual mother of Hospitality. The ancient Greeks gave their highest preeminence to the hospitality of foreigners and travelers. Zeus protected hospitality and for this reason he was called a foreign (xenios) Zeus. This tradition continued throughout the centuries and was the dominant element that helped with the emergence of Greek Tourism as one of the most important sectors of our economy. Together with our vast Cultural Heritage this created a very strong duality of development and promotion of our country. This inspired us to create Xenios Festival, a pioneering International Cultural Event that develops in a modern and original way the concept of Cultural Tourism, promoting cultural exchanges internationally and promoting the history and culture of our country through the arts.

Logo Symbolism:

Xenios Festival has Spira as its Logo. The Spiral is one of the most ancient symbols and has been used since the Paleolithic era in Greece. This complex but powerful symbol is found everywhere as well as in many ancient civilisations around the world. Especially in Greece there was a sign and symbol of the ubiquitous Ancient Hellenism and a symbol of Life with the eternal power of creation. Creation has no end - is created through the new deriving from the old, while the new becoming old again.

What is the Xenios Festival - How it worked:

The idea of the institution is based on the philosophy of the need for creative and artistic expression. The Institution allows artists to interact with their experiences and environment; especially during the holiday season as a tourist or visitor. Artists and bands who came to Greece for their holidays at their own expense (Tourism Vacation Programmes, Educational Programmes, European Programmes), also had the opportunity through the Festival to present their work in its official programme and in historical areas and monuments. At the same time, they had a special opportunity to get to know the history and natural beauties of the area, with hospitality from both official bodies (Municipalities, etc.) and from local cultural bodies. We have organised trips and guided tours from our visitors’ place of residence. More specifically, a visitor or tourist who has an artistic inclination, either as a professional, as an amateur or student visiting our country will have this special opportunity, if they so wish and always with the appropriate conditions that we set in the organisation of this Institution. An opportunity to express their talent and to present their artistic work in an organised cultural institution and in unique cultural spaces. As a result, they will carry this forever as a unique cultural experience on their return to their homeland. At the same time, the Festival will have the opportunity to present talented artists in its programme to the public and to enrich its programme with a variety of different cultural nuances, creative expressions in every art form (music, theater, dance, art, cinema, etc.).

Operation of the Xenios Festival from 2021 - New Technological Era (App - Live Streaming):

Our goal is to lead Xenios Festival to a new multimedia digital era. A unique Cultural and Touristic Product with its own Mobile Application and Live streaming of events. Together with events in physical spaces (real live space) it will have digital recording and mapping as a unique choice for guests. We have already created the appropriate channels of communication and cooperated with cultural Institutions in Greece and Abroad, with Festivals, cultural organisations and University institutions.

Greek National Tourism Organisation is one of the main organisations promoting our Institution for the new era of Cultural Tourism activities.

We are in the process of sponsorship and support of Xenios Festival by EOT - Hellenic Tourism Organisation. We have already had a great and positive response to embrace and promote this prototype cultural institution including it in its actions as a new product of cultural Tourism and that its promotion and organisation will bring exceptional benefits to our country. As an original and pioneering institution for the promotion of cultural thematic tourism in Greece at an international level.

Development Pillars of the Festival

1) Creation of a Cultural Tourism network involving Cultural Institutions and Festivals in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.

2) Cooperation with Tourist Units, Tourist Enterprises and Travel Companies, Travel Agencies, Tour Agents, Airlines.

3) Cooperation with the European Union and the Institution of European for the creation of cultural exchanges.

4) The creation of channels to host similar Greek artists at festivals abroad.

5) Xenios Festival is a Greek Cultural Institution that embraces the cultures of the world.

Expected results

1) A channel of expression and artistic interaction of visitors - tourists.

2) Promotion of the cultural monuments and areas presented by Xenios Festival.

3) New Themes and enrichment of the programmes of the Greek Festivals.

4) New travel package for travel agents and hotels.

5) Exchanges of Foreign and Greek Artists.

6) Creation of new jobs and Startup Companies in the field of Cultural Tourism.

7) Cooperation with Cultural Institutions around the world.

8) Attraction of artists and friends of Art in the places where the Xenios Festival takes place.

9) Development of creativity and promotion of young artists by hosting their works.

10) Connecting and promoting the programmes of the Festival that strengthens the interest of foreign visitors in each region.

11) Creation of a digital platform and application for Mobile - Tablet.

12) Cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Municipalities and Regions throughout Greece.

13) Promotion of actions aimed at promoting each area.

14) Creation of an independent Internet Participation Platform with connection to both Tourist Offices, Hotels, Festivals etc.

15) Publications, creation of Web TV - Radio for the promotion of events.

16) Possibility of Extending the Festival to other countries in the network of collaborations.

Goals of the Xenios Festival

The main goals of the Xenios Festival are:

1) The creation of new visitors and the increase of Tourists who want to experience unique cultural experiences in our country.

2) The development of cultural tourism and the creation of a new tourism product that will attract artists and friends of art and culture.

3) The promotion of Greek Festivals that are organised throughout Greece.

4) The creation of an original tourism-cultural product at an international level.

5) The cycle of Xenios Festival to operate all year round.

6) The creation of a network of Festivals that will host the institution.

7) The development of synergies with cultural exchanges that will eliminate all forms of racism and social exclusion from creative expression and communication.

Types of Arts:

The Xenios Festival ambitiously embraces all kinds of arts: Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Dance, Cinema, etc., as well as poetry and speech at special events that will give the opportunity for expression and creation.

How the Xenio Festival works:

Firstly, the network of Festivals and Cultural or Tourist Agencies will be created, which will function as places of culture that will host and operate the Xenios Festival. Hotel and Tourist Units that have a theater or event space other than Festivals can participate in the institution.

The Xenios Festival is divided into two sections

In the first section "Golden Act Events" there will be the participation of professional artists, art students, or amateurs with a high level. They will have the opportunity to present a complet