For the Government, "investing in culture is an investment in the identity, creativity and future of our country," said the Deputy Minister of Culture, Vasiliki Kassianidou, on Thursday in her greeting at the signing ceremony of an agreement for the management and operation of the Cultural Village of Lempa. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Deputy Ministry of Culture by the General Manager, George Papageorgiou, and on behalf of the Technourgeio Ltd Organization, which won the tender for the Concession Agreement for its management and operation, the Managing Director, Agis Georgiadis.
According to an announcement by the Deputy Ministry of Culture, Ms. Kassianidou said that the Cultural Village of Lempa is an emblematic example of how cultural heritage can coexist with contemporary creation, offering opportunities for expression, education, enhancing the dynamics of participation and inclusion. He added that Lempa is a reference point for contemporary artistic creation and the cultural heritage of Cyprus.
As the Deputy Minister said, the history of Lempa, its connection with the visual arts, the presence of important artists and educational institutions, as well as the creative energy it has hosted over time, make the Cultural Village a living core of culture, research and artistic expression, which is due, first and foremost, to the legacy of Stas Paraskou, the pioneering creator who, with his work, vision and teaching, transformed Lempa after the Turkish invasion into a laboratory of freedom, experimentation and authentic expression.
Ms. Kassianidou referred to the importance of the project since through the project it will promote the development of a cultural ecosystem where artists, students and pupils from Cyprus and all over the world will create, educate, interact with each other and with the environment. He said that possible synergies with cultural institutions, educational and academic institutions (e.g. Universities, Schools of Fine Arts, Drama Schools) as well as with bodies related to tourism and the promotion of the region will be exploited.
Finally, the Deputy Minister said that within the framework of the project, actions will be organized for 4 weeks a year, which will be supported and financed by the Deputy Ministry of Culture and will include one-day museum/art education programs, a Cultural Student Camp, accommodation of students of Schools of Fine Arts of Universities or other similar schools. The event was addressed by the President of the Community of Lempa Thucydides Chrysostomou and the project manager, Yiannis Sakelis, who presented the vision and design of the Technourgeio Ltd Organization.
The Cultural Village of Lempa, which began construction in February 2022, was designed by the architects Spyros Th. Spyrou, Haris Christodoulou, Haris Solomou, who won the First Prize in a relevant architectural competition. The complex of the Cultural Village of Lempa consists of two individual spaces with a total area of about 1800 sq.m., the "Neighbourhood of Creation" with painting and pottery workshops, offices and library and the "Neighbourhood of Hospitality" with rooms that can accommodate 35 people as well as dining and sanitary areas.
The project was undertaken by the Technical Services of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, to which the Cultural Services belonged at the time. The cost amounted to €4 million and was covered exclusively by the state budget. The Deputy Ministry of Culture undertook the project in September 2023, which proceeded with a tender announcement for the Concession Agreement for the operation and management of the cultural village, a cultural lung for the development of artists' residencies, workshops, masterclasses and educational programs, as well as the organization of various types of cultural events.
In addition, the aim of the project is to promote contemporary artistic creation through hosting artists from Cyprus and abroad and organizing related activities, the development of cultural education through the organization of activities for Primary and Secondary Education students as well as students, as well as the organization of exhibitions/cultural events in all areas of artistic creation, the announcement concludes.
