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Reinventing Placemaking
in Arcadia
1 - 10 July
Unleash your deeper creative self to help foster sustainable development & bring to surface innovative skills to share
with rural communities
The uniqueness of the poetic / real / mythical environment of the chosen region of Arcadia, coexists
and nurtures the distinctive nature and resilience of its inhabitants. This becomes clearly evident in
the characteristic stone-built villages, in the deep cultural and educational paths opened in the past
by its people and in their creative coexistence with the natural forces of the surrounding land. In the same time being now among the regions of Greece with the greatest population reduction and aging, as a result
of which it is constantly deprived of the necessary public infrastructure.
Exploit introducing the tools of design & the arts, for the construction of unifying positive interfaces
between human needs and nature. Enjoy the potential of experientially approaching unconventionally
handmaking techniques. Help local society support pioneering craftsmanship manifestations and
sustainable micro-entrepreneurship, thereby maintaining its identity and singularity.
Take active part into giving this territory visibility as a living laboratory, open to new thinking capable
of playing a key role in changing the social fabric and bring about new ways of doing and being.
This workshop is an intersection between design, crafts, art, material experimentation & innovation curation for the social good, as well as a fearless exploration of the synergy that may be empowered from Arcadia’s treasured environment and rich history traditions.
Immerse yourself in a unique
and intense "creative only" voyage
Participants will have the opportunity to develop a main creative project, a design prototype or artwork. Objects and daring proposals that speak of new and strong functional and cultural values. Promoting sustainable development through inventive innovative approaches, in conjunction with the environment and the local folklore culture.
Being encouraged to find original perspectives through explorations in various aspects of material’s behavior, the natural environment and timeless history narratives, questioning the rules and pushing the boundaries of creativity. A number of inventively approached technique studios are used as introduction to unlock creative confidence and then delve into the main workshop theme challenge.
The workshop’s outcome will be openly presented in an exhibition staged by the participants at the Dimitsana Cultural Center, next to the traditinal village center, and for all sides of local stakeholders to attend. A professionally registered video distilling the full workshop experience, will be afterwards send to all participants.
The spirit of wild improvisation and finding unexpected ways to deal with complex thinking through basic means, is a must for the workshop’s philosophy.
During the workshop, participants work alternatively on their own individual tasks, or in small groups building interactive experiences. The workshop’s nurturing and playful atmosphere will purposefully embrace this togetherness, which finally enhances individual originality.
All the necessary tools and materials to turn ideas, design, art and craft concepts into reality, will be provided in the specially prepared and fully equipped facilities or will be available to be carried on the field if required.
The carefully built holistic approach of the whole period experience, completes with a continuously changing variety of body activities, local culinary culture introduction and acts open to improvisation.
Being located next to the village center, provides a generous opportunity of directly meddling with locals of all sides and activities and talk first hand about the topics that are important for their community. There is also the potential for the participants themselves, to plan short experiential labs, following their interests and skills, in order to creatively inspire selected local groups such as school students.
Book workshop
Workshop tuition : Early bird* (until 30th April 2025) : 1550 €
Normal Price*: 1780 €
10 days – 9 nights
All-inclusive price per person
*Please inquire for applicable discounts (eg. in case of educational institutions).
To reserve early one of the strictly limited places available and be part of a life changing experience,
please go to the Booking page.
What is included in the price
Tuition
Each workshop is a unique hands-on experience, initially comprised of various trying and learning, mainly technique focused studios, such as unusual materials’ and techniques labs, custom kiln building or impromptu molding on location, specially intended to unlock new competencies. Approached in totally fresh and unconventional ways. Progressing to the main theme, which follows as an intense and continuous workshop, closely interwoven with all the other period's experiences (related to mind, body, culinary, environment, fun). Some experiential tasks are done individually while others will be interactively collaborative. A variety of inspiring places will be used as locations for the activities to take place. An intense and holistic experience is guaranteed through learning by doing, giving totally new meaning to the concept of creativity fun.
Also, a full day tour will take place, to selected places in the wider area of Arcadia, such as the Popular Culture and the The Open-Air Water Power museums, a local craftsmanship traditional workshop etc. Along with a walking visit to the local Historical Library and Museum of Dimitsana.
Tools and materials
All the necessary tools and materials to turn ideas, design, art and craft concepts into reality, will be provided in the specially prepared and fully equipped facilities or will be available to be carried on the field if required.
Accommodation
Participants are accommodated in shared spacious dormitories, in the hospitable Dimitsana Cultural Center. It’s breathtaking view towards the Lousios river valley and traditional/modern character, deeply influenced by the stony village architectural style and it’s natural environment, makes it a truly unique experience. All bathrooms are WC/shower. Plenty of surrounding recreational and mind relaxing spots.
Culinary experience
We meticulously take care so that a delicious culinary experience, tied to the healthy and rich mediterranean and Greek treasury of local ingredients and nutritional traditions’ history, is an essential part of the Periplus Workshops experience. In Arcadia every small village is blessed by having its own culinary customs and recipes deeply rooted to long traditions and what the local environment had to offer. You will therefore only enjoy the best that local small scale producers have to offer, and the family type cooking which made the area gastronomically famous.
Extra activities as sensory experiences
The carefully built holistic approach of the workshop's long experience, completes with a continuously changing variety of daily activities such as recreational and fun body wandering sessions, narrative stargazing and group sound making. All targeted in the stimulation, regeneration and participation of all layers of the senses and of their possible correlations and combinations. A brain-body-imagination involving program where everything is a world of its own and at the same time everything is connected. More seductive surprises to be revealed on location.
Local social impact and international networking
For a whole and intense ten days period, enjoy living together with a group of individuals, commonly sharing the thirst for creativity. Through constantly searching for the unexpected, connect with people from all over the world and with different backgrounds of studies, work and life experience. All with an indisputable common ground, the urge to meaningfully and creatively enrich their lives, and the one of others by becoming new agents for introducing positive interventions. The workshop’s experience and the relevant regional material culture's revealed potential, will be further and extensively communicated to many directions through “the PERIPLUS project” future activities. The nonprofit organization running the workshops and whose scope is to explore and promote the power of creative potential for optimizing human life, society and the environment. All workshop participants are welcomed, if they wish so, to get involved with the future PERIPLUS platform of activities and its international collaborative creative network.
Throughout the workshop period, and as we are located next to the central area of the village, freely meddling with locals of all sides and activities will provide a generous opportunity of talking first hand about the topics that are important for their community. There is also the potential for the participants themselves, to schedule improvised short experiential labs, following their interests and skills, in order to creatively inspire selected local groups such as school students.