Filenews 29 December 2025 - by Giorgos Savvinidis
With culture at the center and art as a tool for meaningful political intervention, Cyprus is preparing to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026, presenting, according to staff, one of the most ambitious and strategic cultural programs that the Republic of Cyprus has ever implemented.
The Cultural Programme of the Cyprus Presidency was officially presented today at the Presidential Palace, at a press conference marking the launch of a multi-level cultural project of national scale and European scope. It is an extensive, systematic and consciously planned cultural presence, spanning 31 countries, involving hundreds of artists and the collaboration of leading international cultural institutions, combining ancient heritage with modern creation and new technologies.
During the presentation, the competent Deputy Minister, Lina Kassianidou, classified culture not as an accompanying element of the Presidency, but as one of its central pillars. As he stressed, this is a conscious political choice with institutional depth, a European footprint and a long-term vision. "Culture does not function as a regional element of the Cyprus Presidency. It is emerging as an essential tool for cohesion policy, dialogue and European self-awareness. Through art and creation, Cyprus addresses Europe and the world with a unified, modern and value-based discourse," he underlined.
More than 500 artists, curators, technicians and cultural professionals participate in the formulation and implementation of the Program. The total budget for the implementation of the cultural program amounts to 4.4 million euros.
This amount is one of the largest and most strategic investments of the state in Cypriot culture and is expected to have a multiplier benefit, highlighting Cyprus internationally as a country with a rich cultural reserve. In addition, these costs are treated as a strategic choice with long-term benefits for the cultural development, economy and international visibility of Cyprus.
This budget acts as "fertilizer" in a cultural garden, ensuring that the actions will not only flourish temporarily during the Presidency, but will leave a lasting legacy for the future.
With the participation of hundreds of artists and the organization of iconic exhibitions in international centers, Cyprus aims to serve as a cultural bridge between peoples. This initiative is a strategic investment that seeks to leave a lasting legacy in the country's international image. The historical heritage of Cyprus is linked to contemporary artistic creation through a unified and dynamic cultural narrative that aims to bridge the past, present and future.
A single cultural narrative
The presiding country constitutes a coherent cultural narrative, which does not treat culture in a fragmented way, but as a living and continuous process. The historical heritage of the place is organically linked to contemporary artistic creation, research, innovation and new technologies, composing a single ecosystem.
The central metaphor of the Program is that of "weaving": the threads of memory, tradition and contemporary creation are woven together, creating a cultural weave that ensures continuity through time. Like the visual identity of the Cyprus Presidency, the Programme has the thread at its centre – fragile on its own, but strong and cohesive when woven together with others. A metaphor for uniting people, states, ideas and cultures.
The connection of cultural heritage with the present is achieved through multiple and creative paths. Contemporary art is placed in direct dialogue with antiquity, as in the emblematic exhibition "Picasso and Cyprus" in Barcelona, where ancient Cypriot ceramics are exhibited next to authentic works by Pablo Picasso, highlighting the timelessness of artistic expression. Similarly, at the Louvre, Cypriot antiquities will "converse" with modern digital applications.
The exhibition "Beauty in Question" in Berlin revisits the myth of Aphrodite through the works of contemporary Cypriot artists, while Alexia Vassiliou's musical performance in Washington, D.C., entitled "Cypriote", draws her material from Cypriot antiquities, creating a soundscape that connects memory with language and dialect.
At the same time, traditional techniques are being reinterpreted and evolving. In the exhibition "Crafting Nature" in Copenhagen, artists revisit ancestral forms of craftsmanship, adapting them to the needs and challenges of the modern era.
Technology is used as a tool for storytelling and an experiential approach to historical memory. The immersive virtual reality (VR) experience "Lost Spaces" attempts to approach the history of the Green Line and the Dead Zone through modern digital media, turning memory into a personal experience.
Historical research is also transformed into an artistic act. In Sweden, the action "Performing collections, performing archives" is based on the findings and archives of the Swedish Archaeological Mission in Cyprus (1927–1931), which are "brought to life" through a theatrical performance.
Thematic exhibitions, such as "Agropoiki", explore the timeless relationship of the Cypriot with the earth and matter, while contemporary photographic testimonies, such as the exhibition on Nicosia International Airport, open a dialogue about memory, division and trauma.
Actions in 31 countries
The international part of the Programme includes actions in 31 countries: 11 countries host flagship large-scale interventions, while in another 20 a parallel programme is being implemented through the Embassies of the Republic of Cyprus. Exhibitions, performances, concerts and digital experiences place Cyprus at the center of the European cultural dialogue.
Events take place in iconic and highly visible venues – from Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC – with the aim of maximizing visibility and audience attendance. The international institutions that co-organize the actions, such as the Louvre and Bozar, actively contribute to the promotion.
Regarding the presence of the Cyprus Presidency in France and especially for the scientific curation of the prestigious archaeological exhibition "Cyprus at the Louvre", the Deputy Minister of Culture clarified that the scientific participation of Professor George Papasavvas, who happens to be her husband, is carried out exclusively under his institutional role as Director of the Archaeological Research Unit of the University of Cyprus and without any remuneration. The Archaeology Research Unit, the largest and most specialized research center for Cypriot archaeology in the country, was selected by the University of Cyprus itself and not at the level of a natural person.
Giorgos Papasavvas is scientifically co-curating the exhibition together with Artemis Georgiou. L. Kassianidou stressed that transparency and institutional order are non-negotiable principles of the Cultural Programme of the Cyprus Presidency, especially in actions of high international prestige and promotion.
In Cyprus, a focal point of the Programme is the Opening Ceremony of the Cyprus Presidency, entitled "MEMORY – PRESENT – META", directed by Costas Silvestrou, which will take place on January 7, 2026 at the Main Stage of the Cyprus Theatre Organisation. More than 100 Cypriot artists and cultural professionals participate in a production of high standards.
Indicatively, the Program:
- 21 January 2026: Opening Gala of the Cyprus Presidency. Concert by Stavros Lantsias with a five-member musical group, Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Brussels.
- 22 January 2026: Inauguration of Justus Lipsius & Europa building decoration in Brussels with works by Cypriot artists and furniture design. Curated & designed: Michalis Anastasiadis
- 27 January 2026: Opening of a photographic exhibition at the European Parliament entitled "Nicosia International Airport", by Andros Efstathiou
Cyprus is the honoured country at the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts:
- March 26, 2026, Immersive VR Experience: Lost Spaces: Inside Nicosia's Buffer Zone. Curated by: CYENS Center of Excellence
- March 27, 2026: Contemporary dance performances. Choreographers: Lia Haraki and Panos Malaktos
- April 11, 2026: Concert by the band Monsieur Doumani
- April 13, 2026: Contemporary dance performances. Choreographers: Alexandra Weierstall and Elena Antoniou
- 17, 18, 19 May 2026: Contemporary dance performances. Choreographer: Maria Hassapi
Exhibitions abroad:
- 10 February 2026: Archaeological exhibition "Cyprus at the Louvre", Paris. Scientific supervision: G. Papasavvas and Artemis Georgiou – Archaeology Research Unit, University of Cyprus. Technological supervision: Kl. Neocleous and P. Charalambous – ITICA/ Museum Lab and PULSE CYENS Center of Excellence
- 10 February 2026: Cyprus at the National Library of France – BnF, Paris. Co-organizer: Deputy Ministry of Culture, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation and National Library of France. Edited by: Yannis Toumazis and Christodoulos Hadjichristodoulou
- 27 February 2026: Archaeological exhibition "Cyprus and Italy: shared cultural identities", Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome. Co-organizer: Deputy Ministry of Culture of Cyprus & Ministry of Culture of Italy. Edited by: Dr. Anastasia Christofilopoulou
- 10 March 2026: Exhibition "Sector 2: Nicosia", former Public Tobacco Factory – Library of the Parliament, Athens. Curated by: Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia. General Curator: Jenny Lyberopoulou and Maria Patsalasavvi.
- 12 March 2026: Retrospective exhibition "George Paul Georgiou – Cyprus the Eternal", Hellenic Centre, London. Curated by the A. G. Leventis Art Gallery. Curated by Loukia Hadjigavriel and Katerina Stefanidou.
- 17–18 March 2026: Action "Performing collections, performing archives", Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm. Organized by: Department of Antiquities. Curated by: Greece Evangelou and Despo Pasia Organized by
- March 19, 2026: Concert by Alexia Vassiliou "Cypriote", Kennedy Center, Washington. Artistic curator: Alexia Vassiliou
- 21 March 2026: Exhibition "Beauty in Question", Andreas Murkudis Project Space, Berlin. Edited by: Savvas Christodoulidis and Pavlina Paraskevaidou
- 14 May 2026: Exhibition "Picasso and Cyprus: Encounters with Mediterranean Ceramics", Museu Picasso, Barcelona. Edited by: Eftychia Zachariou and Andri Michael
- June 9, 2026: Art exhibition "Crafting Nature", Copenhagen. Edited by: Thalia Stefanidou.
Actions within Cyprus:
- 17 January 2026: Inauguration of the renovated permanent exhibitions of the Cyprus Museum. Curated by: Ephorate of Museums, Department of Antiquities
- 29 January 2026: Art exhibition: "Agropoiesis: Soils / Bodies", State Gallery of Contemporary Art – SPEL. Edited by: Elena Parpa
- Throughout the Presidency: Artistic intervention "Meetings: The Worlds of Cyprus". Edited by: Christina Lambrou.
- Throughout the Presidency: Visual interventions at Larnaca International Airport "Glafkos Clerides". Edited by: Deputy Ministry of Culture.
The aim is for the Cultural Programme to be integrated into the cultural life of the country itself, transforming Cyprus into a multi-center space of cultural experience.
Major temporary exhibitions, art interventions in places of increased traffic, actions in museums, cultural institutions and communities, as well as the main events of the Deputy Ministry of Culture for the first half of 2026, make up a rich cultural edifice.
iNFO: Detailed information on the official website of the Cyprus Presidency, https://cyprus-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/ as well as the special, autonomous digital platform of the Cultural Programme of the Cyprus Presidency -https://cyculture2026.eu/ prepared by the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
