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Conference Programme
Friday 30 June 2023 - at Serafio City of Athens
17:30 - 18:00 Arrival - Registration - Coffee
18:00 - 18:30 Welcome:
Betty Giannnouli, Conference Coordinator
Eugenia Zagoura, President of Hellenic Theatre/Drama &Education Network
Katie Sweeney, Representing Tralee Education Centre, Lead Coordinator of the Erasmus+ I-TAP-PD Project
18:30 - 19:30 Keynote speech:
“Developing sustainable systems of teacher-artist partnerships: Is it worth the trouble?”
Dorothy Morrissey, Lecturer in Drama Education at Mary Immaculate College of Education and the Liberal Arts, University of Limerick, Ireland
19:30- 20:00 Performance:“The string of Music”, by Antamapantahou
20:00 – 21:00 Reception event - Wine, finger food & networking
Saturday 01 July 2023 - at Serafio City of Athens*
09:30 -10:00 Arrival- Coffee
10:00 -11:00 Presentation of the Erasmus+ European Project: Ιnternational Teacher Artist Partnership-Professional Development (I-TAP-PD),
The I-TAP-PD team
11:00- 12:15 Invited speakers, Arts and Education programmes
“NATIONAL THEATRE 2018-2023: Theatre in a new school, 5 years of endless discovery and endless hope”
Sofia Vgenopoulou, Head of the Young peoples' stage at the National Theatre of Greece, theatre director
“EK-PLIXI/SURPRISE
An interdisciplinary action of Kinitiras to bring dance into schools”
Antigoni Gyra, choreographer/artistic director of Kinitiras Network for Performing Arts
“Empowering Collaboration and Inspiring Learning - Olympia International Film Festival and Camera Zizanio as a Meeting Ground for Artists and Educators"
Manolis Melissourgos, General Coordinator of Camera Zizanio
12:15 - 13:15 Light Lunch
13:15 - 15:15 Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in parallel sessions
15:15 - 15:30 Coffee break
15:45 - 17:45 Workshops**
18:00 - 18:30 Coffee break
18:30 - 19:30 Conclusion of SIGs - Main hall
19:30 - 20:00 Video - Photos, Closing of the day
20:00 - 20:30 Farewell event - fruit and dessert
* At Echelidon 19 & Pireos str. 144, 11854
** At Echelidon 19 & Pireos str. 144, 11854 (Serafio City of Athens) & at Orfeos str. 58, 11854 (87th Experimental Intercultural Primary School of Athens)
Sunday 2 July 2023 – Site Specific Events in Athens
10:30 - 12:30“When monuments reveal women stories “*
Despoina Mitsiali, artist, theatre pedagogue, adult trainer, Hara Tsoukala, teacher, theatre pedagogue
11.00 - 13.00“Constellations of Practise“**
Katerina Kataki, performance artist, researcher, educator,
Chloe Aligianni, choreographer, artistic director of Third Planet performing arts company, Gian Aggelos Apostolidis Isaac (Fuerza Negra), dancer, choreographer, dance teacher
*Meeting at the entrance steps of Odeon of Herodes Atticus
**Meeting at Geronta 12, 105 58 Plaka, Flux Laboratory Athens
Short profiles of Conferences’ contributors
Chloe Aligianni. With a background in dance and visual arts Chloe Aligianni is a choreographer andmultidisciplinary artist. She has studied visual arts at Middlesex University and choreographyat Trinity Laban Conservatoire. Her work has been supported by the Hellenic Ministry ofCulture & Sports, Arts Council England, Flux Laboratory Athens and other public and private bodies in Greece and abroad. Since returning to Athens in 2020, she set up her own performing arts company - Third Planet - through which she produces, creates and delivers a wide range of projects relating to movement and its synergy with arts, sciences and community. Chloe has been supported artist at Chisenhale Dance Space and Free Space Artist at Studio Wayne McGregor in London. Alongside her choreographic practice, she movement directs for theatre & visual arts, curates, produces and occasionally creates sound & music. Chloe was part of Gary Clarke's (DV8) first LUSTRUM project in London (Greenwich Dance Agency) and has trained with David Zambrano in flying low and passing through techniques. She has taught dance extensively for the Step Into Dance Program of the Royal Academy of Dance (England), in secondary education, and to professional and amateur dancers. www.thirdplanetarts.com
Gian Aggelos Apostolidis Isaac (Fuerza Negra) was born in Havana, Cuba in 1991 and after two years he moved to Athens where he is currently based. His first contact with dance was in 2004, practicing dance style Krump (Kingdom Radical Uplifted Might Price) since he was deeply influenced by the documentary “RiZe”. Since 2006 he has been intensively involved in Hip-Hop Dance, while developing other street dance styles (Poppin, Breakin,Lockin). Equally important has been the experience he gained through his attendance in seminars by renowned dancers from all over the world. He has received significant distinctions both individually, as well as with the various dance groups he represents. In 2017, by creating the professional dance group “A Move Called Mess” (A.M.C.M.), he actively participated in the creation of professional dance cinema videos, such as “Noon Mess”, where he was the director and choreographer. He has collaborated with director Giannis Skourletis, with the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and with Aerites Dance Company among others. Last but not least, he has many years of experience as a dance teacher.
Theodora Asteri (Doretta), Educational Consultant of Special and Inclusive Education at Piraeus has been working in public education for more than 30 years, born lives and works in Athens, Greece. She holds a PhD thesis on Systemic Tools for Evaluating Learning Difficulties. She has been participating in several working groups for inclusion policies and practices such as standardizing SEND curricula (2003), Differentiating Teaching and Learning (2014, 2016 & 2022, Individualized Educational Programming (2016), Transforming Education and 21 st Century Skills (2020-2022) and as trainer at in service teachers training programs from 2003. Recently published work Books: Asteri (2022). Discussing Human Rights with Prisoners. Aparsis Articles: Asteri (2022). «Skills Labs’ transformative and inclusive power: lessons learnt form the pilot study» in Vidaki et al (editors): Transforming the 21st century School», pp 66- 75. Chapter in Book: Asteri (2020). «Vulnerable Groups and Education Accessibility During Covid-19: What We Need to Do?» in Amnesty International Greece: Fighting in Times of uncertainty, Human Rights and Pandemic crises pp 99-12 , AI Gr editions Editing: Verdick, E. & Reeve, E. (2022). A Survivor Handbook for kinds with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and their parents. (Asteri Theodora: scientific editor and conclusions for the Greek edition). Metechmio
Jenny Buggie works with the Department of Education & The Education Centre, Tralee as an advisor for Arts and Creativity in Education and is seconded from Holy Family Junior School, Portlaoise. She is a member of the Teacher Artist Partnership Design Team and I-TAP-PD Erasmus+ initiative. Her Masters thesis explored teacher identity in practice during change. Jenny is passionate about supporting teachers, artists, and children in working together in partnership and relationship to create arts rich learning in arts rich spaces.
Nassia Choleva is a PhD holder of Drama/Theatre Pedagogy (in-service drama training of teachers on human rights), by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has completed Theatre Studies at the same University (BA, MA), as well as Applied Drama studies at Exeter University (MA). She has been creating and implementing Drama & Education programs and research since 2006 (European Union, High Commission of the UN for Refugees, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, ActionAid Hellas, Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network). In 2010 she was an experts’ team member to create national curricula in culture and the arts, for the Institute of Educational Policy.
Caroline Conway is a Visual Artist and Arts Worker she has many years’ experience in primary and post primary schools as part of the Artist in Schools Scheme and with Creative Engagements. As well as being a lead tutor with the Artist Teacher Partnership, Caroline is an Arts Council Creative Associate for Creative Schools. As a visual arts maker she has an interest in creating and showing work outside the traditional gallery, with a particular focus on work in the public realm.
Nikoletta Dimopoulou. Based in Greece, working as theatre and performance maker. I enjoy creating environments of participatory theatre and performance practices for people with no, little or more experience in this kind of practices. The target group is usually children, teenagers and adults, focusing on their intergenerational communication. Devised Theatre, Forum Theatre and Applied Theatre techniques have been so far the main tools for participatory and interactive practices. So far, I have cooperated with private organizations and NGO’s such as the British Council Greece, ActionAid, Hellenic Theatre/Drama and Education Network, Lesvos Solidarity. I graduated from School of Drama, Faculty of Fine Arts in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and I hold a Master of Arts in International Performance Research (Universities of Arts in Amsterdam and Belgrade). I have contributed in collective publications, organizing conferences, seminars and so on. I am member of the “Boalitaria” activist Forum Theatre Group in Athens.
Dunja Đjokić is a Belgrade-based producer and manager in culture and media. She is currently engaged as a coordinator of projects regarding drama education, as part of CEDEUM. She graduated from Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade – Department of Management and Production in Theatre, Radio and Culture and is experienced in theater and radio production, as well as organization of various cultural events, including concerts and exhibitions.
Manja Eland is a visual artist, graphic recorder, designer of art education and trainer. She specializes in mindset and the potential and needs of gifted children. Storytelling and (enhancing) the power of imagination are driving forces in her work. Sparking creativity and curiosity in participants, it is a great way to kickstart a creative process. Manja tries to lead by example, embracing both the playfulness, vulnerability and grit involved in a creative endeavor, and encourages teachers to do the same, recognizing that actions speak louder than words when it comes to imparting knowledge. She believes the core of facilitating a creative process is igniting curiosity, then taking a step back to allow the child to make their own journey. Manja represents the Dutch partner Stichting Kopa where she is Head of Education.
Clio Fanouraki, Αssistant professor in Theatrology–Theatre Didactics (Theory &Praxis), Department of Theatre Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Director, Writer, Performer. Her scientific interests and research focus on theatre/drama education, contemporary theatre and digital theatre/drama, language arts, multicultural drama education, writing, teaching and directing drama and theatre for children, teenagers and adults. She has conducted multiple research training workshops on the didactics of theatre. Clio Fanouraki has been active in teaching, writing and directing theatre and film for children, young people and adults. (Feature film: Xamou (2016). Short films: Medea (2012), Ftou! Freedom for All (2010), theatre performances etc.). She has worked in the field of research, production and performing for documentaries, film, theatre and art festivals. See: https://en.theatre.uoa.gr/el/human_resources/faculty_members/fanouraki_clio/
Panagiota (Betty) Giannouli is a theatre-pedagogue and sociologist. Since 2017 she teaches Theatre/Drama in Education at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Early Childhood Education. Her research interests since 1998 lie in the use of theatre as an educational medium and as a means of social intervention. Her PhD field-research focused on how theatre/drama can have a positive effect on learning, on the cooperation among students, the development of critical thinking and the role of the teacher-facilitator. She facilitated seminars for women empowerment at Action Aid’s Center in Athens (2019-2020). And for reconciliation through the Arts participating in Festival with young people. She is a founding member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama and Education Network (TENet-Gr); she held the position of the President (2008-2011) and of the Vice President (2017-2020). Her work also includes planning, organizing and delivering teacher training seminars, national and international conferences on Τheatre/Drama in Education, as well as European projects. She worked in Upper Secondary Education for 25 years as a teacher and as a Head Teacher. She has been teaching Theatre/Drama in Education in Post Graduate Programmes at Athens University and the University of the Peloponnese since 2013.
Antigone Gyra is a choreographer and the artistic director of Kinitiras Artistic Network for Performing Arts (www.kinitiras.com). She has been choreographing and teaching at professional schools for the last twenty five years in Greece and abroad. Antigone established and directed for ten years Kinitiras Studio, the first residency centre for performing arts in Greece. With her company KINITIRAS CHOROTHEAMA she has received manytimes grants from the Greek Ministry of Culture in order to create new dance theatre work. Additionally, she organizes residencies, community danceprojects and develops the action “Ek plixi” which brings dance in primary and secondary education. She also works as a freelance choreographer at the theatre where she has choreographed more than 40 productions. Antigone apart from her dance studies (1st Class Honours Laban Centre) has followed a three year seminar on Basic Principles of Leading a Group and she is qualified as a Doula, from the Greek community of Doulas. She never stops getting to know new movement and devising techniques that will allow her to develop and elaborate her crafting skills and teaching methods.
Georgina Kakoudaki is a director in professional theatre performances for adolescence/ young audiences since 2009-2020 and site specific walking and site specific performances such as “Traces”/ Swharz Foundation/Αthens Conservatory, Samos, “Public Signal: an old dilemma in contemporary times”/ Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, Ancient Keramikos Cemetery, “On the way”/ Municipality theatre of Corfu, as well as theatre walks under the title “A walk in the park” with various topics and artists inspired by the park of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre. She has worked as a visiting professor in theatrepedagogics in Theatre Studies Dpt, Universities of Patras, Nauplion and Athens and in Pri-primary Education Dpt, Pedagogic Universities of Volos and Athens, Greece. Has taught drama and theatre education in Primary schools, Athens Art High school and professional drama schools since 1993 as well as in a series of workshops for the “Net for the theatre in Education”, Greece. Author of books: Theatre Education/course book for Adult Education/KEE, Teaching History through Drama/Kedros pbl., High school Textbook “Theatre Direction”, “Film Direction and Cinematic Aesthetics” published by the Institute of Higher Education. She has worked as chief Achive/ librarian in the National Theatre of Greece (1997-2004) and has collaborated and/or created educational programs. Co-curator of educational programs in the Athens and Epidaurus Festival and Artistic director of the international school for actors in Ancient drama “Lyceum Epidaurus” (2016- 2019), focusing on a multicultural approach of Ancient Drama as contemporary Performance. www.georginakakoudaki.org
Polyxeni (Jenny) Karavitou is a theatre pedagogue, a Greek Language and Literature teacher and a writer. She holds a BA in History and Archaeology from the School of Philosophy - University of Athens, and an MA in Theatre - Contemporary Practice from the University of Essex, UK. She is a founding member of the Hellenic Theatre and Education Network (TENet-Gr) and has been contributing to its life and development as a member and Chairman of the Board, a founding member of the Northern Greece branch, as well as co-designer, coordinator and trainer at various teacher training programmes. From 2017-2019 she represented TENet-Gr in the “Europe in perspective: International Co-operation in Cultural Learning” project, a joint initiative of BKJ, CCE and further partners across Europe. From 2015 until 2020 she was involved in the “it could be you – it could be me” awareness raising programme on refugees and human rights, implemented by TENet- GR and UNHCR Greece, as a Northern Greece coordinator, training consultant, teacher trainer and youth facilitator. From 2016 -2018 she was a coordinator in the “Caring and acting: Volunteerism – Solidarity – Civic Engagement” programme, run by the Lambrakis Foundation. In 2020-2021 she was a member of the Scientific Team of “Womentors”, a program aiming at multifaceted empowerment of young women, through education and capacity building, run by the Lambrakis Foundation. She has written on theatre and education, translated various educational resources, as mwell as fiction and poetry.
Katerina Kataki is a performance artist and theater pedagogue specializing in Theater in Education & Community. Her main artistic media are body, voice and writing. The orientation of her work is directed towards the creation of original content by combining the art of performance, participatory art, devised theatre and poetry as well as the empowering of social & communal experiences. She is particularly fascinated by merging the artistic practice and theoretical research within the field of philosophy, anthropology and sociology while examining questions such as the communication of passers-by in public space, contemporary rituals and body in space. Her performances designed for public space (Δημόσια Ημερολόγια // Public Diaries, Οδοιπόροι_City Steps) have been supported by the Culture Office of the City of Athens and also have been hosted in the Athens City Festival. Over the past years, she has been part of exhibitions and performances collaborating with various artists [ETCH INK Gallery, Victoria Square Project, Kessanlis Exhibition Center - Athens School of Fine Arts, etc.]. Katerina also seeks to create social projects in the field of Applied Performing Arts. Since 2019 she has been a partner of People Behind Organization, facilitating theater workshops for adult groups 65+ and a member of the Hellenic Network for Theater in Education working with young people and teenagers. Since 2014 she has been working in the field of Culture in Greece and abroad, as a performer, assistant director, curator assistant, and coordinator of various artistic-educational programs. She was born in 1989 in Athens, studied History and Theory of Art in the Fine Arts School of Athens (2012) and Drama & Physical Theatre in Archi Drama School (2015). She is an honors graduate of the MA program "Drama and Performing Arts in Education and Lifelong Learning" of Fine Arts Peloponnese - Department of Theater Studies (2019). https://www.katerinakataki.com/
Fotis Kolokithas graduated from the School of Fine Arts of Florina in 2014 with a major in painting and multimedia. In 2019, he completed with a scholarship the postgraduate program of the Ionian University, in the department of Audiovisual Arts, with a focus on interactive installations and video art. He has participated in various art exhibitions and festivals in Greece and abroad.March 2023/" No Hope, No Worries " Solo Exhibition, Its a Vilatz, Athens. April 2019/ "Espacio Enter", at Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Tenerife, Canary Islands. April 2019 / "Videolands" at MOMus (Thessaloniki Experimental Arts Centre). July 2017/ Video Art Festival "Miden", Kalamata. July 2014 / Group Exhibition of Graduates at the Gallery of Contemporary Art and Balkan Art, Lemnos, Greece. December 2012/ Group exhibition "SPECIES INDUSTRIALISM" at "BOOZE Cooperativa" Athens. May 2012/ Participation in the Athens Video Art Festival, Athens. December 2011 / Group Exhibition of the workshop "3D Applications" of the School of Fine Arts - Working in a local blacksmith shop for the creation of sculptures in public space, Florina. May 2011/ Participation in the Group Exhibition "Agios Andreou Street", Patras. Since 2017 he has been working as an educator in adult education classes.
Dimitra Koniari (PhD) is a Music Education and Music Psychology researcher, and member of the Laboratory Teaching Personnel of the Department of Music Science and Art of the University of Macedonia. She worked as music educator in public primary education in Greece, from 2000 to 2017. She is a member of the Greek Society for Music Education (GSME), of the European Association for Music in Schools (EAS) and of the International Society for Music Education (ISME). She served as elected president of the GSME’s board of directors (2018-2021) and she is editor of the GSME’s educational journal “Music Education”. Her primary research interests lie in music education, music psychology, and music neuroeducation.
Vassia Kossiva studied Chemical Engineering in the National Technical University of Athens. She has worked for many years as a project developer and project manager in the field of Adult Education and Non-formal Education, having participated in the project teams of various European collaborations in the context of different programmes (Erasmus Plus, Lifelong Learning Programme, et al). She also works as a translator of books/ articles on sociopolitical issues from English and Italian to Greek. She is a long-time organiser of non-formal, grassroots groups, events and initiatives in the issues of feminism and social/political rights. She is a founding member and President of the Board of Directors (2018-2023) of the adoptive parents’ association “Pelargos - association of friends of the mixed family”. She is currently TENet’s General Manager and she act as project manager in “it could be me - it could be you” (in cooperation with UNHCR Greece) and other European projects run by TENet.
Sanja Krsmanović Tasić. Theatre director, choreographer, actress, teaching artist, producer. Acclaimed international expert in the realm of drama/theatre education, devised theatre and dance, Sanja is the author of an original methodology called “ecology of the soul”, based on developing creative potentials of each individual through an artistic process. Together with her theatre group and individually, she tours performances and conducts workshops around the globe, also giving lectures and keynotes. A core member, actress and choreographer of the the first Serbian theatre laboratory DAH Teatar for more than two decades, and the Program Director of Dah Theatre Research Centre (now DAH Theatre Centre for Culture and Social Change). She is one of the founders and artistic director of Hleb teatar, and the umbrella association for arts Artistic Utopia as well as founder and director of the Children and Youth Theatre Festival Mater Terra and a dance festival Days of Smiljana Mandukić, dedicated to one of the pioneers of contemporary dance in Yugoslavia. She is the initiator and author of various artistic and education projects, and is developing new forms in theatre, such as an “essay in movement”, and documentary dance. President of Centre for Drama in Education and Art-CEDEUM, and the president of the International Association of Drama/Theatre and Education-IDEA.
Eirini Marna is kindergarden teacher, a drama teacher, a facilitator and an adult's trainer. She holds a degree in Preschool Education of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/Greece, an MA in Applied Drama, in the University of Exeter and a DEA in Theatre studies in the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris III. She has participated in various Theatre-in-Education programs, has organized seminars of Drama in Education, in primary and secondary education and has collaborated with drama groups. She teaches various theatrical techniques and she direct amateur theater groups of adults She has participated in storytelling seminars, and she organize storytelling performances. She is a member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama and Education Network.
Vera McGrath is a qualified as a primary teacher who attended the National College of Art and Design NCAD, Dublin part-time. In 2001, she left teaching to work full time as an artist. In 2006, she undertook a half-time teaching post in Special Education while continuing in art. Returning to NCAD, she was awarded an MA in Visual Art Education (2011). Vera has been active in teacher Professional Development (PD) for 15 years and she was one of the original cohort who piloted TAP in Ireland, 2014. She remains a core member of the TAP development team, presenting at conferences and facilitating training. In 2018, she wrote a research report for Dublin City Arts Office on the impact of artists-in-residencies on Early Childhood education and trained as a Visual Thinking Strategies facilitator. Retired from teaching, she has returned to her art practice and works as a TAP artist in schools.
Manolis Melissourgos is a dedicated cultural festival manager, fueled by a profound passion for the arts and equipped with extensive experience in event organization, production and management. With a notable track record of major film festival events since 2004, Manolis collaborates with the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People since 2011, and now serves as the General Coordinator of Camera Zizanio since 2021. In these roles, he curates extraordinary experiences that celebrate cinema and the arts, while empowering young filmmakers. With a Master's degree in Cultural Policy, Management, and Communication, Manolis possesses a solid foundation in the strategic and operational aspects of festival management. He firmly believes in the transformative power of arts and cultural events as dynamic meeting places between youth, artists, and educators, fostering the growth of future cinephiles and politically minded individuals.
Despοina Mitsiali has studied Philology in Athens and acting in Nelly Karra’s “Arhi” Drama school. She holds an MA in “Theatre and Education” from the Department of Primary Education of Athens. She studies Social Policy in Panteion University. She has attended seminars on Human Rights, as well as workshops on Educational Drama, Dramatic play facilitation and Acting techniques. She works as a drama pedagogue in groups of children and adolescents and as a trainer in adult workshops. She is a member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network (TENet-Gr). She has collaborated with various institutions and groups, such as the Hellenic Theater/Drama & Education Network(TENet-Gr), the National Theater's Youth Stage, the theater group Syntehnia tou Geliou (“Laughter’s Guild”), Action Aid Hellas, the UNHCR Greece, the Network for Children’s Rights, the group for the promotion of healthy and active aging People Behind and the European Wergeland Centre. She has participated in a voluntary role in travels abroad (India, Russia, Germany) with regards to intercultural education and promotion of human rights.
Dr Dorothy Morrissey is a Lecturer in Drama Education at Mary Immaculate College of Education and the Liberal Arts, University of Limerick. She has been researching and writing about teacher-artist partnerships for over 10 years and has published widely on the topic. Dorothy identifies as a teacher/researcher and regularly teaches and researches with an artist/researcher and with artists-in-residence in the College. She is co-author of a Government of Ireland, Department of Education commissioned report on teacher-artist partnership: Exploring teacher-artist partnership as a model of [Continuing Professional Development] CPD for supporting and enhancing arts education in Ireland and is currently compiling a report on a pilot teacher-artist partnership initiative in special schools: I am creative. Her other ongoing research projects include ‘The Wonder Project’ – a sensory theatre project for children with special needs – and a feasibility study into the development of an All of Ireland Theatre for Young Audiences Archive at Mary Immaculate College. Dorothy is a founding member of the All of Ireland Talking Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network and is a member of Ireland’s National Council for Curriculum and Assessment Primary Arts Education Development Group.
Olga Orphanidou has studied Political Science, Pedagogy, Social Anthropology and Theater. She has completed postgraduate studies in Gender and New Technologies in Education. She has attended and participated in many experiential seminars, workshops, conferences and working groups. She is a member of the Hellenic Theater/Drama Education Network and a founding member of "Initiative for Article 12" (InArt 12) of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. As a teacher, she has worked in Primary and Secondary Education, General and Vocational High schools, at Second Chance School, as a Coordinator of Refugee Education as well as in the Therapeutic community of KETHEA Exodos. In education, she has designed and carried out many projects and has coordinated multilateral school partnership within the framework of a European Comenius program. Her educational and research interests concern the primary prevention of addiction and violence, as well as the role of education in fighting social exclusion.
Martha Papadogianni graduated from the Department of Music Studies, NKUA in 2008 and has an M.Sc. Degree from the Institute for Speech and Communication- Audiocommunication Group, Technical University of Berlin. In 2009, she was employed as a music teacher at the secondary state education. Currently she works as a music educator in primary state schools in Athens. At the same time, since 2016, she is a doctoral student, co-supervised by the NKUA and TU Dresden. Her inquiry focuses on auditory-tactile beat perception and sensorimotor synchronization. As a cellist she is a member of the Intercultural Orchestra of the Learning and Participation Department of the GNO. Her research interests fall in the area of acoustics, auditory-tactile music perception, music cognition and new technologies in music education.
Maria Papadopoulou graduated from the State School of Dance (2014) and holds a degree in early childhood education from the Department of Early Childhood Education (2016). Additionally, she completed the postgraduate program "Education and Human Rights" at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2023). She has collaborated with various contemporary choreographers such as Antonis Foniadakis, Athanasia Kanellopoulou, Ioanna Angelopoulou, Androniki Marathaki etc. Alongside her performance career, she has been teaching movement and improvisation to both children and adults since 2015. In recent years, she has been actively engaged in designing and implementing educational programs that utilize dance as a pedagogical tool, with a particular focus on inclusive learning. Notable programs she has been involved in include "A Thousand Languages of Dance" and "Dancing the Difference." She also collaborated with Sonia Ntova and Vera Karavakou on the inter-generational educational program "Bodies as Garden" as part of Moving Ground, held at the I. & R. Duncan Dance Center in 2022. Her research interests revolve around analyzing pedagogical practices in dance and exploring the education of minority groups.
Elissavet Perakaki belongs to the Specialized Education Staff of the Department of Music Studies (NKUA). She is a post-doc researcher with a Ph.D. (2009), and a degree from the above University. She has taught music in public primary and secondary schools and conservatories since 1998. She cooperates with the Greek Institute of Education and the Music Library of Greece “Lilian Voudouri.” She has also published papers in conferences and journals in Music Education. She is the author (Fagotto: 2008, 2009) and co-author (Fagotto: 2018 and Ellinoekdotiki, 2021) of books in Greek. She is a member of the board of the Greek Society for Music Education (GSME) and the International Society for Music Education (ISME). She serves as chair-elect commissioner of ISME’s Music in the Schools & Teacher Education Commission (MISTEC) for 2020-2026. Her primary research interests include innovative ways of teaching music in formal, non-formal, and informal contexts and ages.
Myrto Pigkou-Repousi is assistant professor of Theatre in Education in the School of Drama, Faculty of Fine Arts, of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has taught at the Open University of Cyprus and at the University of Thessaly. She is a research collaborator in the multi-sited project “Global Youth (Digital) Citizen-Artists and their Publics: Performing for Socio-Ecological Justice” coordinated by Pr. Kathleen Gallagher (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto) and funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Her previous research collaborations include the project “Towards Youth: Youth Civic Engagement and Theatre” of the same team and institution and the cross-media project “Solidarity Made In Greece: The Rebirth of Citizenship in the Era of Crisis”.
Iro Potamousi studied Sociology at Panteion University and Drama/ Theatre Education at the University of Warwick, U.K. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Department of Pedagogy of the University of the Aegean. She has been an active member of TENet-GR since 2008 (and also a member of the board of directors 2009-2012). She has worked in formal and non-formal education focusing on group dynamics, cooperation and group empowerment as well as social intervention and change. As a researcher and practitioner, she has worked with various organizations and universities in Greece and abroad. Since 2019, she is the general manager of Learn Inn EKPA, a Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning Entity of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (www.learninn.gr).
Bríd Ní Raghallaigh is a graduate of St. Patrick’s College of Education, Dublin (B.Ed.) and University of Galway (formally N.U.I.G.)(LLB and LLM in Public Law.) Bríd has facilitated at Galway Education centre since the inception of Teacher Artist Partnership CPD there in 2015 and on the development of I-TAP, the international model. She represented teachers in Connacht/Ulster on the Teaching Council. As a native Irish speaker, songwriter and children’s drama enthusiast, her passions lie in the development of the Irish language and the integration of the Arts in Education.
Linda Rosink is a versatile designer, creating in a wide range of creative disciplines, like art education, concepts, graphic design and jewelry. In art education and training, she focuses on facilitating individuals’ exploration of their creativity and fostering a sense of playfulness. In experiencing your own creativity, Linda believes, you can find the power to give direction to your own life. If you can imagine it, you can make it. She specializes in areas such as Deep Democracy, inclusion and co-creation, connecting people, ideas and projects. Guided by the belief that each person brings a unique perspective and is an expert of their own experience, she invites people to share their opinions and ideas when working together in innovative projects. Linda represents the Dutch partner Stichting Kopa where she is Director.
Catherine Sheridan is a drama lecturer, facilitator, director, playwright, actor, producer, project manager, arts consultant, and mentor. For over two decades Catherine has created, designed, and implemented a wide range of Arts in Education programmes for both primary and secondary schools as well as private facilitation work. Catherine is the National Trainer for Creative Clusters, Tutor & Facilitator of TAP, Creative Associate with Creative Schools works in various capacities for a number of national organisations and government agencies
Dimitra Skempi is an actress and performer based in Athens. She trained in devised theatre and performance at the “London International School of Performing Arts” (Lispa) and in acting at the drama school “Contemporary Theatre Vasilis Diamantopoulos”. She has participated in multiple training workshops in contact improvisation, in contemporary dance, in movement and improvisation, and also voice and acting. She performed in and co- created the site-specific performances “Bittersweet reptile” in Pedion Areos park (2019), “Everything Once…or what can an intellectual say to a dragon?” at Chimeres Space (2018), “Joy Break” on Lycabettus hill (2016), directed by Angela Delichatsios. She performed in the intergenerational theatre performance about adolescence “My Backpack as a Pillow. A Tragic Case” at 104 theatre (2019), created by Nikoletta Dimopoulou and Virginia Kehagia, “Iraq, 9 parts of desire” written by Heather Raffo and directed by Maria Tsaroucha at Ergotaxion space (2016-2018), and “What do we call love?” directed by Anastasia Golema at Fournos Theatre (2016). She was the assistant director for “Alice in Wonderland is NOT a book” at Bageion Hotel (2022) and “ 8΄19” (2018-2019) at Mpip Theatre, directed by Stella Magana. Currently, she is performing in “Fights in Aesop’’ created by Mikros Notos theatre group at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation (2023).
Yorgos Spyrou was born in Athens in 1979. He has studied History in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Yorgos has participated in the organization of the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People since its very early days in 1997, working in various technical and production positions. From 2001 to 2004 he participated in the organization of the Olympia International University Theater Meeting. From 2002 to 2008 he was responsible for the organization of film screenings for schools, as part of the educational activity of the non-profit media literacy organization, Youth Plan. Since 2018, he has been working full-time for the Olympia International Film Festival as a Film Programmer and Head of the yearlong film education activities of the festival.
Christina Stouraiti is a graduate of Preschool Education from the University of Ioannina, Greece. She has a Master's degree in "Applied Theatre" (Drama in Education and Theatre in the Community), from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, UK. She has been working in educational projects and programmes, drama and puppetry workshops in a variety of school, theatre and cultural institutions, within education and community settings in Athens. For more than a decade she has been creatively involved in Playback Theatre, \which is an interactive improvisational genre of theatre, as a conductor and playbacker in the field. She is an active member of the Panhellenic Network for Theatre in Education.
Dr Katie Sweeney is National Director for the Integration of the Arts and Creativity in Education with the Irish Department of Education. She was appointed National Director by the Minister for Education to represent the Department on the Arts in Education Charter High Level Implementation Group in 2013. Her role includes the co-ordination and implementation of the Arts in Education Charter and Creative Youth and is a member of the Creative Ireland (2017-2022 & 2023-2027), Creative Youth Working Group. She has played a pivotal role in the implementation of many of the Department led national arts and creativity in education initiatives since 2013. She is the Irish Department of Education representative of ACEnet which is a network of EU policy makers, civil servants and academics working in the fields of arts and cultural education. She began her career as a Genetic Engineer and Research Scientist. She has worked as a Senior Lecturer in Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology, Trinity College Dublin and the Karolinska Institute of Health Sciences in Sweden. She was a former Head of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Mayo. Before moving into the Department of Education she was Chief Executive of MSLETB.
Margarita Trikka was born in Greece in 1984. She graduated from the Professional Dance School “Rallou Manou” and the Theatre Studies department of National and Kapodestrian University of Athens. As movement consultant at theatre, she collaborated with many festivals, directors and companies: National Opera (Alternative Stage), National Theater, Onassis Cultural Center, Megaron Athens, Rafi Music Theater Company, D.Maramis, V.Koukalani, E. Fanarioti, K. Papakonstantinou, S. Karagianni, Halkida 's Theater etc. In 2017 she founded Prolet OCD dance co. and choreographed "Trajectory:a Tragedy of a Victory" (2016) and "Delenda est" (2018) which toured in several festivals in Greece and Europe and "a Punch of Losers" (2019) as a co -production of Greek Ministry of Culture and Onassis Cultural Centre. As a performer, collaborated with festivals and companies in Greece and Europe: La Fundicion Bilbao, Masdanza International Contemporary Dance Festival, Athens Video Dance Festival, MIR Festival, Dimitria, Bread and Puppet Theater, Chto Delat, Synthesis 347/ Spyros Kouvaras, Aerites Dance Company, Stella Spirou Cie, Artemis Lampiri, Apostolia Papadamaki, Yelp Dance Company, Antigoni Gyra & Kinitiras a.m. She has been teaching since 2005 contemporary dance, improvisation and History of Dance at dance studios, drama schools, and social institutions: Professional Dance School Maro Marmarinou, Duncan Cultural Centre, studio Trajectory, DAN.C.CE, Theatre Of Changes a.m. She run workshops in collaboration with National Opera’s program for women prison at Thiva and Hellenic Theater/Drama & Education Network.
Nikolas Tsaftaridis was born in 1956 and has studied theory and composition of music in Athens and in Juilliard School of Music, New York. He has also studied the Kodaly Consept of Music Education in Hungary and he participated in many Orff-Schulwerk seminars in Saltzburg, Austria. He holds a BA in Ethnomusicology, Department of Traditional and Popular Music, now University of Ioannina, an MA in Music education from Reading University, UK and a PhD from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He is founding member of the Greek Society for Music Education and founding member of the Greek Orff-Schulwerk Association. His research interests are Apprenticeship and Tacit Knowledge in Education, Construction of Improvised Musical Instruments as an Educational Tool as well as Musical Instruments as a Cultural Artifact. He was a consultant at the Ministry of Education concerned with Arts & Education issues from November 2016 to July 2019. He is a writer of many books on Music Education and composer of children’s songs. He teaches “music and movement education” and “construction of simple musical instruments” in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dept of Early Childhood Education. nikοtsaf@ecd.uoa.gr
Hara Tsoukala is a graduate of Athens University of Economics and Business, department of Economics. She has also a BA in Economics (Deree College, Athens) and a Master of Arts in Economics (University of KENT, UK). Until 2014 she served in Secondary Education, teaching Economics, Sociology and Politics in Public Lyceums. She is a founding member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama and Education Network - TENet-Gr (1998) and has taken part in numerous theatrical workshops, International Conferences and Summer Camps, organized by TENet-Gr. She participated in the Programme “Theatre Skills and the Multicultural School Environment” at the Central School of Speech and Drama (1999, London). She facilitated the theatre group at Vouliagmeni Lyceum (1997-2014) and directed 16 theatre plays, among which << The Fear of the Other>> with participation of Greek and Swedish students at the 6th International Conference of TENet (2008). She coordinated the project “Monologues across the Aegean Sea” as well, part of the program "it could be me - it could be you", organized by the TENet-Gr in collaboration with UNHCR Greece and NGO "PRAKSIS" (April 2016-December2016). She is the editor of the homonymous book (Greek and English), which was the outcome of theatrical workshops. She designed together with others the program of TENet-gr ‘’Roles in life- roles in theatre’’, implemented in the Second Chance School in Korydallos prison and facilitated the theatre workshops (January 2017-June 2018). From October 2019 to December 2020, she facilitated the workshop "Let's talk about us", a workshop on women's empowerment, at Action Aid's Center in Athens, within the framework of the cooperation of TENet-Gr with ActionAid Hellas. From November 2021 to September 2022, she participated together with other women of TENet-gr in the designing of the programme "Without Patron’’: an educational experiential programme, which is addressing teenagers and aims to explore gender stereotypes as well as other factors that lead to gender violence. From October to December 2022, she (co)facilitated a 12-hour workshop regarding the above programme, at the 2nd Protipon General Lyceum of Athens. She was the President of TENet-gr from April 2017 to February 2020.
Sofia Vgenopoulou in May 2017 she became the Head of the Young People’s Stage at the National Theatre of Greece. She graduated from Medical School in 1991 and left immediately after for the USA, to study Child Psychiatry and acting, drama therapy and directing for the theatre. In the US she worked in various settings and led theatre workshops for high risk and marginalized populations. Since moving back to Greece in 2001, she devoted herself to developing and establishing youth theatre and related educational programs. She founded grasshopper youth theatre company in 2010 and was its artistic director until joining the National Theatre. She has directed more than 30 performances by, with and for young people, either with professional actors or with youth companies, including multicultural companies with young refugees and she has led a number of theatre workshops for marginalized and vulnerable populations in schools, special education settings, institutions, often in collaboration with other organizations. In 2011 she started a Youth Theatre Festival at the OCC (Onassis Cultural Center), and for the following 7 years more than 800 young people from various backgrounds and settings presented their work, using theatre as a means of empowerment, as well as reinforcing the creation of new writing by and for young people, under the guidance of professional actors, directors and writers, creating bridges between the artistic community and schools. And more than 30 new plays by and for young people emerged, creating a significant volume of work. As the Head of the Young People’s Stage at the National Theatre she directs for the main stage, and runs the educational programs. Amongst them, the program THEATRE IN A NEW SCHOOL, a program that fosters the collaboration of artists and teachers in secondary schools, and the program NEW VOICES, that includes training artists in applied theatre and producing new work for young people. Her aim and most important professional aspiration continues to be the creation of a network of artists and educators who support powerful, high- quality, contemporary theatre for young people, who recognize the right of every young person to access to the theatre. svienopoulou@n-t.gr
Ioanna Zioga received her undergraduate degree from the Department of Music Studies, University of Athens (specialty in Music Acoustics and Technology). She holds an MSc in Music, Mind & Brain from Goldsmiths University of London. She completed her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at Queen Mary University of London, fully-funded by a scholarship. Ioanna is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Donders Institute for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Netherlands. She is also a scientific associate at the University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “Costas Stefanis”, Athens. She has published more than 20 papers in international peer-reviewed journals. Her research involves the use of electrophysiology (electro/magnetoencephalography, transcranial electrical stimulation) and behavioural methods to study the neural signatures of cognitive functions, especially of creativity, language, and music, in healthy and psychiatric populations