The challenge
The deep connection between the sea and the local communities of the Cyclades is a true heritage treasure strongly linked to the respect of the environment. Yet, traditional small-scale fisheries, maritime heritage, and sustainable practices are fading due to modernization, the economic pressures of profit-driven development, and environmental challenges.
The solution
CPF supported Cycladic Arts to raise awareness about the sea’s cultural and ecological significance by fostering dialogue, artistic expression, and community engagement. Through film screenings, site-specific installations, and interactive discussions, Cycladic Arts created spaces for locals and visitors alike to reflect on maritime traditions, sustainability, and the challenges faced by coastal communities.
Integrating past and present narratives, and encouraging a deeper appreciation and a more responsible approach to the marine environment, is part of a larger solution we all seek for Cyclades.
Activities
On August 29, 2024, Cycladic Arts screened Express Skopelitis in the gardens of Cycladic Arts, followed by a Q&A with director Aimilia Milou. The event drew a diverse audience of over 100 attendees, sparking meaningful discussions about island connectivity and off-season challenges in the Small Cyclades.
Additionally, a Site-Specific Installation has been placed at the entrance of Cycladic Arts featuring pieces of a sunken 1955 wooden fishing boat (caique), once owned by a lifelong fisherman from Alyki. This powerful artwork, visible to all who enter or leave the village, serves as a bridge between generations, honoring small-scale fishing traditions and sparking year-round dialogue on maritime heritage, sustainability, and cultural preservation.
About the Grantee
Cycladic Arts is an artist-run space which aims to facilitate artistic creation in a newly renovated traditional Cycladic space in Alyki, a picturesque fishermen’s village in the southwest of Paros, an island in the Aegean Sea, Greece. Its mission is to support the dialogue and exchange of experiences, knowledge and skills between people from diverse geographic and ethnic backgrounds, ages, and forms of art and culture.