This year’s Philippi Festival seeks – like all of us – a meeting with the light, with the radiance that will warm and illuminate it, briefly dispelling the darkness of everyday life. It borrows its title from Vassilis Vassilikos‘s poetry collection, thereby linking its harvest with Him; with the great writer, born in our city, who managed to let it travel all over the world through his work and life.

And since this year he decided to travel to the Beyond, we cannot but bid him farewell on this journey with a celebration of creation. Placing his work and spirit at the centre, we dedicate this year’s festival to his memory and we let him inspire us. In the six new productions of the Philippi Festival, the new texts that will emerge will incorporate elements of his work or stand opposite them, engaging in a dialogue.

Continuing our habit of staging performances Outside the Walls, this year the new productions will attempt to awaken buildings in the city that are dormant. A former mosque, an abandoned pumping station, a fortress from another era, a derelict factory, a picturesque tavern, and of course, the iconic archaeological site of Philippi, will become the locations that will form our map this year. And they will create a path to the light that will pass through 21 unique stops, 21 meeting points of people and stories.

With two atmospheric concerts, thirteen significant guest performances, six of our own productions, and the presentation of the experimental ancient drama workshop, the 67th Philippi Festival aims to chart its own bright course.

Eva Oikonomou – Vamvaka
Artistic Director