An exploration of contemporary Hellenic diversity and innovation.

Events

Greek Fringe is all about unveiling independent artists who are not afforded the attention they deserve. Our mission is to curate events that do just that! Keep an eye on our page for upcoming events in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Nicosia, Athens and who knows where else?!

What's on

NIKOTEINI [ATHENS/ ISTANBUL]

Greek Fringe and Melisma Ensemble join forces to bring NikoTeini, Greek musicians who now call Istanbul home, to audiences down under!

NikoTeini, a living testament to a shared cultural heritage, features Niko Papageorgiou on the lavta (long-necked fretted lute) and Foteini Kokkala on the kanonaki (qanun, zither). These virtuosos draw on the exquisite traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean, expanding their repertoire through collaborations with modern luminaries like Antonis Apergis, Apostolos Sideris, İsmail İlgün, Alexia Mouza, Efren Lopez, and more.

This tour promises an intimate celebration of a shared cultural legacy, featuring young and fresh talent that artfully strikes a balance between tradition and innovation.

This event is powered by creative forces Dimitris Koubaroulis and Melisma Ensemble.

NikoTeini [Athens/ Istanbul]

Artist Callout

What we’re looking for?

We’re after work that represents the experience of modern Hellenic diversity from emerging artists and creatives living and working in Sydney and Melbourne. We also wish to extend this callout to artists living abroad whose work can be included in a digital capacity.

Our curatorial ethos is broad and inclusive and we’re open to all types of media.

We give preference to work that:

Represents the experience of the modern Hellenic diversity

Is new, surprising, subversive, inventive and different

Uses traditional elements in unconventional ways

How to apply

Make sure your work is a good fit for our platform (and that we’re a good fit for you). Take a look at our About section to get a feel for what we do.

About

OUR VISION

It is time for the celebration of Greece, its people, history and art to shift to a new level. The Greek Fringe will attract talent that represents the experience of the modern Hellenic diversity. The Greek Fringe will shift beyond the folkloric representation of migration to explore the contemporary Hellenic diaspora throughout the Globe and the dynamic arts scene of mother Greece.

CLAIMING THE NOW

The financial crisis in Europe has led Greece to emerge as a hub of creativity and innovative thinking. The Greek Fringe seeks to promote and celebrate contemporary culture, which can often be overshadowed by a glorified notion of the past.

The Greek Fringe is a movement that will expose Greece and its booming arts scene and promote diasporic art across various forms of media. Though the theme is Greek, the festival aims to attract people who appreciate contemporary art and culture, regardless of their heritage.

As humans evolve, so too does language, culture and influence. If we don’t engage with the evolving artscape of Greece and communities abroad, the risk is that Greek culture can become stagnant and obsolete. We are here to facilitate new and emerging interpretations of Greek culture. There is an appetite among younger generations of the diaspora to explore and connect with not only the Greece of their Grandparents but the Greece of now.

We are here and we are claiming the now.

OUR TEAM

Con Kalamaras

Co-founder & Director

Professional insomniac, Con spends every waking hour thinking about Greek Fringe and is constantly throwing ideas at Christina (his partner in crime) as they shape and mould the Festival into something exciting, fresh and evolving. Con is a first-generation Greek events producer/ curator/ practitioner based in Melbourne. His world circulates around art projects, concerts, and festivals including the Melbourne Rebetiko Festival. He lives and breathes music, producing radio and is seen to obsess over records and rare recordings. When not playing music, he juggles his life between the city and the country and is the proud owner of two chickens both called Greg and his cat, Minion Sassy Pants.

Christina Bacchiella

Co-founder & Director

Founder of Sydney Greek Jam, Christina is big on community engagement and providing a platform for underrepresented artists. This concept was the genesis for Greek Fringe and exposing hidden talents is what gives her a real buzz. She is an innovative coordinator of projects and people and has worked on a stack of indie events, including the Melbourne Rebetiko Festival. She plays percussion in a rebetiko band and strums the tzoura strictly in the confines of her loungeroom (much to her dog’s torment).

Michael Alexandratos

Content Producer | Words

Michael Alexandratos is a writer, researcher and publisher based in Sydney. Taking a lead on literature, he will shed light on burgeoning writers in the Greek scene and conduct interviews with our featured artists. Michael runs the blog Amnesiac Archive, which is dedicated to research into music and recorded sound, and Cycladic Press, which publishes books and zines on aspects of Modern Greek cultures. He can often be seen rummaging through dusty boxes of records in junk shops, swearing that he will not end up as a hoarder.

Vasilki Tsouka

Content Producer | Performance

Vasiliki Tsouka is an arts manager and a dramaturg based in Melbourne. We are thrilled to have her on board as she has her finger on the pulse of performance art throughout the world. Since she was a young girl growing up in Athens, Greece, she has always loved art, literature and theatre, passions that she carries into her professional career. Though having lived in Melbourne the past five years, she keeps her connection to Greece by listening to Rebetiko while cooking her Grandmother’s recipes.

Niko Plaskasovitis

Audiovisual Production

Niko Plaskasovitis is an emerging artist and creative producer who lives and works on Gadigal Land. He’s responsible for the editing of all the slick videos you see on our site. You’ll occasionally find him mixing music in intimate settings or experimenting with sweet ingredients for a cake conspiracy. Niko is currently completing his Bachelor of Media Art at UNSW Art and Design.

Overdue Studio

Visual Design / Web Development

Overdue Studio is a visual design studio creating thoughtful design solutions digitally and physically. From concept and design to realisation, the studio offers a full creative service in photography, branding, print, digital, object and exhibition design. It is Overdue Studio’s honour to collaborate with Greek Fringe, together they promote music and culture with creativity and authenticity.
Contact Overdue Studio for design enquiries.

Support

We LURVE our sponsors! They are the force that enables us to shed light on the obscure, the underrepresented and the mega-talented. Its thanks to them that we can explore what contemporary Hellenic culture can bring to the table beyond cuisine.

If this strikes a chord with you, get on board and…

Greek Fringe is powered by

© 2019 Greek Fringe Fest Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.