Filenews 16 December 2024 - by Dora Christodoulou
Following the completion of the works for the creation of the Lemba Cultural Village, envisioned by its inspirer, Stas Paraskos and the then Minister of Education, Akis Kleanthous, the effort of the Deputy Ministry of Culture is now focused on ensuring the proper utilization of this infrastructure, which was entirely financed by the state budget, with the aim of developing a cultural ecosystem, where artists, students from Cyprus and all over the world will create, train and interact with each other and with the environment.
With proper utilization of the infrastructure, whose capabilities are multilevel, the vision of the State and Stas Paraskou, who operated the "Cyprus College of Art" in the same place, is promoted and continues effectively, as pointed out, speaking to "F", the general director of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, Emmanuella Lambrianides.
With the works completed and provisionally received, and with the final acceptance of the project set for January 2025, the state is preparing to issue tenders for the selection of the contractor who will undertake the management and promotion of the project internationally. The Deputy Ministry's goal is to launch the open call for interest around March 2025.
The only "shadow" around the procedure followed, according to Lambrianidi, comes from the heirs of Stas Paraskou, who reject the idea of an open call for interest for a contractor of the project, essentially asking for it to be assigned to them due to the kinship with its inspirer. The general director of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, however, clarifies that this is impossible to happen, based on the very clear instructions of the State Legal Service.
Entrusting the project directly to the heirs, he stressed, cannot be done and this was made clear at the legal level. However, accepting the specificity of the case and the fact that the whole project is due to Stas Paraskos, we proposed a kind of "credit" for the candidate contractors who would accept to include the artist's heirs in their proposal. This is something, however, that is up to the contractor, we do not have the legal capacity to impose it on him.
Ms. Lambrianidi clarified that the commissioning process will proceed whether the artist's heirs accept this reality or not. It is clear from a legal point of view that there is no other way than an open tender for expressions of interest, he clarified.
The Deputy Ministry will follow a transparent procedure for the disposal of the use and management of the Lemba Cultural Village through the publication of an open call for interest, based on the Regulation of Public Procurement Procedures and Related Matters Law of 2016. During the discussion that took place a few days ago in Lemba, we explained extensively the basic parameters of the terms of reference of the call for interest that will be prepared and useful suggestions for the further development of the process were submitted by the attendees, said the Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
Regarding the award competition that will be implemented in the new year, he stressed that the contractor will submit its proposal with a 10-year horizon, which he clarified will not only include the purely managerial part of the Lemba Cultural Village, but also its plan for contacts and promotion in the international arena, so that the project will gain fame and a steady flow of artists and students that will allow its continuous development.
The goals of the Cultural Village are to become a cultural lung that provides the infrastructure for the operation of artist residency programs, to provide educational programs for primary and secondary school students and to be used as an exhibition space and a space for cultural events.
If this plan is not economically profitable, he clarified, but seems to promote the aims of the project, the state could act as an auxiliary covering some amount of damage, as is the case with the Troodos Starfactory. There, he stressed, the contractor presented a plan that was in deficit by €20,000-€50,000 per year, but it was judged that this plan was in the right direction of the project and that is why the damage is covered in these first years by the state.
Natural environment and architecture are a work of art
Emmanouela Lambrianidi describes the work completed in Lemba as "amazing". Both the natural environment and the architectural construction that was done, he stresses, are a work of art, while the infrastructure that has already been placed in workshops and dormitories, greatly facilitates the work and obligations of the contractor.
The complex of the Cultural Village of Lemba consists of two separate spaces-buildings, with a total area of about 1,800 square meters: The "Neighbourhood of Creation" with painting and pottery workshops, offices and library and the "Neighbourhood of Filoxenia" with rooms that can accommodate 35 people, as well as dining and sanitary areas. The project cost €4 million, an amount allocated exclusively from state funds.
The president of the K.S. Lembas, Thucydides Chrysostomou, expressed his satisfaction with the result achieved in the community. The community has supported in many ways over the years the vision for the creation of the Cultural Village and is today fully satisfied with the result of the works carried out, but also with the procedures followed by the state for its support and promotion.
