THE AGORA PROJECT
With a steadfast commitment to continued collaboration and the empowerment of underrepresented groups in public spaces, a mission we’ve passionately pursued for 5.5 years at the Kypseli Municipal Market, we once again center 2023 on the values of equity and sustainability, two intertwined principles.
Equity stands as a cornerstone of sustainability, actively dismantling inequalities and championing cultural diversity. It ensures the involvement of all within a society that operates fairly for everyone and respects our environment.
We leverage our expertise to cultivate dynamic communities united by a shared vision and purpose through innovative ventures! Moving even closer to the heart of Athens, next to the Varvakeio Market, we are creating a festive space to celebrate inclusivity and diversity, breathing new life into the Olympias building. It will be home to “The Agora Project,” the city’s inaugural conscious mall!
What is “The Agora Project”? It’s an innovative initiative focused on fostering a community of individuals and organizations dedicated to sustainability and actively promoting eco-conscious consumption. Their collective commitment aims to contribute to the creation of a better world for both humanity and the planet.
The project is advancing with numerous pop-up markets in the upcoming months, in parallel with the establishment of collaborations for the “residency” of the Marketplace. This will be the inaugural commercial hub featuring stores, services, and spaces purposefully designed to bolster and endorse sustainable production and consumption practices that play a pivotal role in environmental preservation and enhancing the quality of life. The areas within the Market have been meticulously crafted to cater to the needs of its new “inhabitants” and to serve as event spaces.
✔️Do you offer a product or service that aligns with the principles of conscious consumption?
✔️Do you wish to become a part of this large community committed to ethical and sustainable production and consumption?
Send an email to [email protected] to get more information, or sign up through the vendor application form: https://athens.impacthub.community/book/room/.
Coming soon at the Agora:
Expect a significant surprise market in November, along with two inclusive artistic workshops. We will also offer photography classes that encourage “seeing with closed eyes” in collaboration with Liminal Access and Angel Ballesteros. Additionally, there will be inclusive improvisational dance classes.
Keep an eye on the Agora Project‘s channels for further updates!
We gained our initial insight into the new Agora through the Elevate Queer Festival, a conference festival designed to shed light on issues of accessibility and inclusion in the realm of culture, coinciding with the TENACITY European Gathering 2023.
Our commitment revolves around being agents of change, advocating for culture as a hub of innovation, equality, and resilience. We’re in the business of forging spaces, curating content, and fostering communities that center around accessibility and inclusivity. Our mission is to advance activities and offshoots within the realm of culture that significantly contribute to people’s livelihoods through entrepreneurship and self-employment. We strive to cultivate skills and ensure comprehensive and dynamic engagement from individuals belonging to underrepresented communities, all within a society that operates equitably for all and in harmony with the environment. Inclusion, accessibility, and participation stand as top-tier priorities not only for Impact Hub Athens but on a global scale.
Impact Agora
The festival commenced with the “Impact Agora”, a 3-day eco-conscious pop-up market situated on the ground level of Agora. This event featured the participation of over 20 environmentally-oriented vendors, creative individuals, and artists representing underrepresented groups. They presented a diverse selection of sustainable fashion, jewelry, ceramics, illustrations, and accessories, reflecting the rich diversity of their creators.
Co- creation Workshops- let’s talk about it!
Over the course of the three days, a workshop was curated to facilitate our understanding of the diverse projects and challenges encountered by professionals and artists. This workshop featured a “Speed Dating” session, during which artists collaborated with members of the Impact Hub Athens team to craft a space brimming with Polaroid photographs. These images served as a portal into their realm, provoking contemplation and comprehension of their work processes and aspirations.
Art Exhibitions and more…
We curated three artistic exhibitions:
Gallery Margarita: Presenting an array of artistic works encompassing over 25 pieces, including striking silk-screen prints, tapestries, and jewelry crafted by talented painters and engravers. The gallery stands as an inclusive art hub, accessible not only to workshop attendees but also to art aficionados.
The HumanRights360: Unveiling an exhibition from their “Mark them X – Athens’ Black Map” campaign, committed to safeguarding and amplifying the rights of all, irrespective of any differentiating factors. The campaign was meticulously designed to discreetly uncover and unveil crimes linked to racial attacks in the public domain of the city. Through visual storytelling, a map materialized, confronting issues of racism, xenophobia, and hate crimes.
Mikrovouti: Showcasing an innovative art creation – a bomber jacket meticulously crafted from a repurposed sea mattress, championing the principles of a circular fashion economy and responsible material usage. Moreover, attendees were encouraged to contribute to recycling efforts by bringing their outdated inflatable sea mattresses.
TENACITY EUROPEAN GATHERING KICKS-OFF!
The festival’s third day marked the official kick-off of the TENACITY European Gathering! 50 collaborators from the local Impact Hub Athens network joined forces with 85 founders and makers representing 35 European Impact Hubs across 27 countries. Together, they engaged in discussions surrounding various challenges related to equitable urban access and the promotion of sustainable production and consumption.
All of these topics were explored through the Business Clinic format, a well-established process within the global Impact Hub community. In this context, specific themes and challenges harnessed the collective intelligence of selected experts with diverse backgrounds, aiming to connect innovative solutions and strategies.
Conscious Consumption Business Clinic
The event kicked off with a performance by the Cool Crips, presenting a stand-up comedy routine centered around the experiences of individuals with disabilities. Following this, the major #ConsciousConsumption Business Clinic took place, featuring 8 Greek conscious brands hailing from the fields of fashion (Pallinea, Swaplanet, Withinne), cosmetics (Drops of Greece, Aura Skin), energy equity (Συνενέργεια), and sustainable consumption and production (ΤenMillion Hands, Agora Project). During this clinic, these brands had the invaluable opportunity to seek advice on various aspects. This included strategies for approaching European markets, community education on environmental concerns, and effective engagement with investment capital to foster their growth and development.
In addition to our esteemed Impact Hub Makers, we would like to express our sincere appreciation for the active engagement of the following individuals: John Kiskipelis, Violetta Xanthouli, Thanos Koulopoulos, Agathonikos Drepanidis, Dimitris Andreadakis, Georgia Koutsoukou, Constantina Chrysanthakopoulou, Antonis Chrysogelos, and, of course, Nikolaos Karydis.
In practice, these initiatives have led to the identification of emerging trends in conscious consumption, the exploration of innovative strategies to advance sustainable production, the utilization of insights from European creators, the establishment of interconnections within our communities, and the engagement in a collaborative, participatory practice. Additionally, we’ve gathered diverse perspectives and knowledge from experts in both the Greek and European markets.
Inclusive entrepreneurship
Simultaneously, at the central location of Impact Hub Athens on Karaiskaki Street, a parallel co-creation process was dedicated to fostering inclusive entrepreneurship. Emerging entrepreneurs shared their valuable experiences, Impact Makers introduced tools and methodologies for inclusive entrepreneurship, and representatives from prominent organizations exchanged valuable insights and experiences with the goal of catalyzing new collaborative ventures. We extend our sincere appreciation to the representatives of organizations such as Action Aid, Mε άλλα Μάτια, Ιn Common, Choose Love, Athens Pride, Humanrights360.org,Ithaca Laundry, Metadrasi, Praksis, AFI, Odyssea, WomenOnTop for their significant contributions.
THE CLOSING PARTY
The festival, a tribute to diversity, communities, and unity, came to a close with an amazing concert by Ody Icons and Ecati. They delivered avant-garde Greek pop music with a queer perspective.
Spanning across various musical genres, from folk to rock, and from pop to electronic, it offered a multi-dimensional exploration of their creative identities.
The concert ensured a safe and inclusive environment, making it accessible for individuals with visual and hearing impairments, and its production was expertly managed by liminal access. Subsequently, the Afrobeat Athens DJ set graced the stage, treating the audience to a global array of music selections.
The festival aimed to cultivate networks and connections among people and communities from various sectors. These communities, frequently underrepresented and facing challenges in finding the space and time to grow, all found a secure space at Elevate Queer!
We extend our warm thanks to the evening’s sponsors, Axia Spirit and Voreia Beer.
