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In one study on Athens’ destination image, tourist responses showed lessened perceptions of security, welcomeness, and safety at the onset of the Greek economic crisis in early 2009. Athens, which holds one-third of Greece’s population, was hit the hardest. Public morale and well being declined as unemployment bolstered, food security diminished, and depression rates skyrocketed. Young people in Athens grabbed international attention for their violent protests on University campuses over social injustices and corrupt politicians. In response to the social unrest and severe economic hardships, many solidarity movements developed including volunteer soup kitchens, free health clinics, study groups for children, homeless shelters, and most notably- collaborative arts projects.

Athenian Art came to be heavily connected to social issues and resistance because of the recent support and diversification of artistic and cultural outlets by the Greek state since the mid-1990’s. This was in the form of additional museums, galleries, journals, and even independent spaces. Aims were initially focused toward classical art but later made way for contemporary artistic tools put to use for political rallying when the recession hit a decade later. The Greek government had previously discriminated against and suppressed contemporary art on the basis that tourism is bolstered by outsiders seeking to experience Greece’s ancient heritage; however, due to the increased art spaces, affordable art studios for rent (relative to other European capitals), and the interest and success of activist art, tourists and tourism became more interested in contemporary art.

After the Crisis, the poor state of the country attracted scholars and tourists alike which in turn altered Athens’ cultural economy. The hosting of the 2017 Documenta 14 in Athens as well as Kassell, Germany, the city it was created in, sparked debate about the organization profiting off of Athens as the scene of the Crisis. Documenta aims to canonize contemporary art and would therefore be beneficial for the blooming, new art scene of Athens, however many saw it as an act of colonization and the stealing of cultural capital.

Activists in Athens have taken many innovative public initiatives in response to the recession, including the repurposing of abandoned buildings into solidarity-driven artistic spaces. One such is Embros Theatre, a historic building in the center of Athens. The space had been utilized for newspaper production, as an arts school, a theatre, and since 2011 has been primarily used as a community artistic space with the aim of social cohesion and engaging the public with major political issues and demonstrations. The Mavili Collective initiated the project and was successful in making Embros a worldwide symbol of creative resistance, political art demonstration, and participatory citizenship. It’s first major appearance in the public sphere consisted of a large festival put on with no funding and by many different kinds of contributing members: academics, actors, artists, as well as those who lended their services to cooking and cleaning to support this public discussionary event. Embros Theatre has been vacated several times by authorities in the course of its existence, but community members are continuing to reoccupy and garner public support.

Despite politically charged art by the citizens, much has been said about governmental funding and involvement since the Crisis. Plans for the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center were unveiled in June 2011 and the building (which housed the National Library of Greece, the Greek National Opera, and a large space dedicated to Stavros Niarchos Park) was erected in 2016. The project undoubtedly shows an interest in Greek arts and was intended to be put to use a joint venture of public and private spheres to ultimately boost the economy.

Additionally, graffiti art has burgeoned in Athens as a form of cultural and political communication during the Crisis, namely from a younger generation expressing few hopes and numerous fears. This new generation is unique in that it missed the Second World War, the Greek Civil War, the military junta, and political unease and violence in the 1980’s. The current Crisis is the first turmoil and large-scale uncertainty this generation has experienced, and for this a major protest and street art culture has emerged as tactics for the artists and young citizens to be heard. The art employs words and images to draw connect between money, political violence, and the consequent disintegration of society. Street art and graffiti has become so important to the developing identity of modern day Athens that academics and artists have taken dedicated efforts to preserve street art for study.

Opera
Seville is the setting for two of the most famous operas written: the Barber of Seville and the Marriage of Figaro. Both are considered to be among the greatest pieces in the cannon of comic opera or opera buffa. Many operas coming out of Italy and Germany were set in places considered oriental, connected with arabia so that an immoral topic like sex could be included and it would be considered exotic and not associated the Christian operatic cannon that produced the works. Seville seems to be an ideal setting for these two works in the 17th century in so far as it is considered exotic and under the colorful influence of arabic culture, but also containing a fair bit of higher culture and aristocracy necessary for the characters of Rossini’s and Mozart’s operas.

Bienal de Flamenco (Festival)
The Bienal de Flamenco is a music festival that takes place every other September in Seville. It is the city’s oldest festival dedicated to the art form, and is the inspiration for the New York Flamenco Festival. The first Bienal took place in 1980 as a direct response to the end of Spain’s dictatorship.

Flamenco Tourism
As the Franco dictatorship waned, Spain embraced cosmopolitanism and began to embrace other musical cultures and fusion styles. Flamenco has evolved to suit the tastes of an expanding audience since entering into the public sphere in cafes in the 19th century in cities like Seville and Jerez and the Bienal de Flamenco festival since the 1980’s. Flamenco is a globally celebrated music and generates an estimated €300 million in the tourism industry annually just in Seville.