Draft:Onassis Stegi

Onassis Stegi (Greek: Στέγη Ιδρύματος Ωνάση), formerly known as the Onassis Cultural Center (Greek: Στέγη Γραμμάτων και Τεχνών του Ιδρύματος Ωνάση), is a cultural venue in Athens, Greece, owned by the Onassis Foundation.

History
Founded during the period of the Greek economic crisis, its opening ceremony took place on December 7, 2010, in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias and other dignitaries. The first production presented on the Main Stage of the Onassis Stegi, directed by Michael Marmarinos, was inspired by Bertolt Brecht’s poem “Questions from a Worker Who Reads.” and it was a tribute to the workers of the construction. The venue officially opened to the public on December 11, 2010, presenting a variety of concerts and theater performances.

Since 2010, Onassis Stegi has been promoting contemporary culture, presenting new original works in collaboration with artists from Greece, hosting performances by established artists, investing in the integration of works with cutting-edge technologies, and supporting newcomer artists from various fields by granting scholarships and awards. Afroditi Panagiotakou serves as Director of Culture of the Onassis Foundation and Stegi respectively.

Building & Design
The Onassis Stegi is located on Syngrou Avenue and occupies a total area of 18,000 square meters. Its construction began in 2004 on a privately owned three-acre area under the funding of the Onassis Foundation. It was designed by the French architecture firm Architecture-Studio, selected after a competition phase.

It comprises a complex that includes two main halls, with a capacity of 900 and 200 seats, respectively, where various events are held: theater and dance performances, concerts, film screenings, lectures, and conferences. The building also has an exhibition space and a restaurant.

In addition various events under Onassis Stegi are organized in the metropolitan area of Athens. Many of the events taking place in Onassis Stegi are free of charge. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 people visit its premises every year.

In order to minimize its energy footprint, the building has limited lighting and air conditioning to the levels necessary for its operation. A water tank collecting rainwater is installed in the Onassis Stegi building, which is used to water all building plants.

Cultural Activities
Onassis Stegi’s mission is to promote contemporary culture, support Greek creators, develop international collaborations and co-productions, and provide education to children and people of all ages through educational programs. Moreover, it hosts discussions open to the public about human rights, democracy, social justice, and the climate crisis.

Over the years various of artists and authors from Greece and abroad have collaborated with Onassis Stegi, including actresses Tilda Swinton and Isabelle Huppert,   choreographers Dimitris Papaioannou and Akram Khan,  writers Paul Auster and Jo Nesbø,  directors Marjane Satrapi and Steve McQueen,  musicians Brian Eno and Jeff Mills, conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović, visual artists Christian Boltanski, Jeff Koons, DV8 Physical Theatre et al.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece, Onassis Stegi made its archive of performances accessible on YouTube for free.

Performing arts & Concerts
The Onassis Stegi has presented several theater and dance performances, such as Can We Talk About This? by DV8 (2011), Refuse the Hour by William Kentridge (2012), Aristophanes’ The Birds by Nikos Karathanos, The Great Tamer by Dimitris Papaioannou and Akram Khan’s Xenos.

Among the foreign and Greek musicians that performed at Onassis Stegi or appeared on digital concerts Tindersticks, Brad Mehldau Trio, Psarantonis, Lena Platonos, Pavlos Pavlidis, Monika and Nightstalker are included.

Αrtworks at public space
The Onassis Stegi, in collaboration with the Municipality of Athens, has presented a series of large-scale artworks by Greek artists, including Ilias Papailiakis’ The Kiss at Avdi Square in Metaxourgeio, The Talisman of All Beings by Angelo Plessas at Patision Street, She Who Protects by Aristeidis Lappas at Omonia Square and Nikomachi Karakostanoglou outdoor sculptures in Neos Kosmos.

In 2021, Onassis Stegi organized at Pedion Areos in Athens, You and AI, an open air group exhibition dedicated to the presence and impact of artificial intelligence in human everyday lives. The following year, Onassis Stegi organized again in Pedion Areos, the digital art exhibition Plásmata: Bodies, Dreams, and Data, presenting 25 works by Greek and foreign artists. In 2023, Plásmata II was held in Ioannina.

Onassis AiR
Onassis AiR is an artistic research and residency program launched in 2019, which supports research without emphasis on final results. It includes workshops and seminars by artists and scholars, the exchange of skills and constructive criticism between artists, research trips etc.

The “Outward Turn” Program
Onassis Stegi participates in co-productions in Greece and abroad by inviting foreign artists and also by supporting the promotion of Greek culture worldwide. Among the institutions and theaters with which the Onassis Stegi has collaborated through the years are Emilia Romagna Teatro (Italy), Münchner Kammerspiele (Germany), Théâtre de la Ville (Paris, France), Kampnagel (Germany), Théâtre de Liège (Belgium), Almeida Theatre (UK), Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Théâtre de Vidy, and Teatro della Pergola.

Political-Social Stance
Apart from its cultural dimension, Onassis Stegi takes a public stand regarding several social and political issues. On October 4, 2020, while the verdict in the trial of the Golden Dawn neo-Nazi political party was expected, the façade of the Onassis Stegi building was illuminated with lyrics by the murdered musician Pavlos Fyssas. A few days later, to coincide with the commencement of court proceedings for the murder of LGBTQI+ activist Zak Kostopoulos, the victim’s figure was projected on the building’s façade. In December 2022, on the anniversary of the Alexandros Grigoropoulos murder, the Onassis Stegi commemorated the anniversary of another underage victim of police violence with a message posted on its social media. Further on, Olympic champion Sofia Bekatorou made her sexual abuse known for the first time through a seminar that addressed gender violence and was organized by Onassis Stegi, marking the beginning of the Greek #MeToo movement.

Onassis Stegi was the first cultural organization in Greece to conduct "blind" recruitment interviews to eliminate stereotypes.