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YouthWiki

EACEA National Policies Platform
Greece

Greece

8. Creativity and Culture

8.4 Promoting culture and cultural participation

Last update: 28 November 2023

Reducing barriers to young people's access to culture

At a national level, authorities facilitate young people's access to cultural environments and ensure their participation in cultural activities and experiences. Based on article 2 of the Official Gazette 2666/B/01-07-2019, regarding the right of entry to individual monuments, organized archaeological sites, historical sites and museums belonging to the public, a reduced entry ticket (50%) is provided from April 1st until October 31st, at:

• Children and young people aged 6-25, from countries outside the European Union, upon presenting their passport

A reduced ticket of 50% of the prescribed price is also provided for all visitors between November 1st and March 31st of each year.

Specific dates are also set, with free entry to archaeological sites, monuments and museums, which are the following:

• 1st Sunday of every month, from November 1st to March 31st

• The National Holiday of October 28th  

• Anniversary and international convention dates – April 18th (International Memorial Day)

• May 18th (International Museum Day)

• The two-day European Cultural Heritage Days (The last weekend of September each year)

• March 6th (Melina Merkouris Memorial Day)

Entitled to free entry are the following categories of young people:

• Children and young people up to the age of 25 from the member states of the European Union, upon the presentation of their identity card or passport

• Those over 25 years of age studying in secondary schools of the country, upon the presentation of their police ID and confirmation of the school unit of attendance

• The participants in the Social Solidarity Income (SSI), by showing their ID and certificate of free entry due to participation in the SSI program.

• Holders of a national unemployment card, upon the presentation of their ID and the O.A.E.D. Unemployment Card.

• People with disabilities (50% or more) and one of their companions

• Parents of large families in the country until the children reach the age of 25 or regardless of age if they have a disability (with a percentage of 50% or more), with the presentation of their ID and certificate of multi-child status

• Parents of three-children families in the country until the children reach the age of 25 or regardless of age if they have a disability (with a percentage of 50% or more), upon the presentation of their ID and family status certificate from the Municipality

• Parents of single-parent families in the country until the children reach the age of 25, or regardless of age if they have a disability (with a percentage of 50% or more), upon the presentation of their ID and family status certificate from the Municipality

• Refugees, upon presentation of an International Protection Applicant Card or Convention Travel Document of July 28th, 1951 (passport of a recognized refugee) or Alien Travel Document (passport of a recognized beneficiary of subsidiary protection) or a residence permit

• Those serving their military service, upon the presentation of a valid Hoplite Identity Card

• The Greek Olympians, by showing their ID and membership card of the Hellenic Olympians Association

The International Organization BJCEM (Biennale des Jeunes Créateurs de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée), one of the nine founding members of which is the General Secretariat of Vocational Education, Training, Lifelong Learning and Youth, aims to strengthen and support young creators and promote young artistic creation at a national and international level. A leading activity of BJCEM is the organization every two years of the Biennale of Young European and Mediterranean Creators in all fields of contemporary art, which includes exhibitions, discussions, forums, literature, performances, concerts and various artistic events in the host city each time.

The General Secretariat of Vocational Education, Training, Lifelong Learning and Youth of Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, through the Department of Culture and Youth Artistic Creation of the Youth Directorate, informs young people about art and culture programs implemented between the members and BJCEM.

Dissemination of information about cultural opportunities

Digital Culture is the digital platform of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. It is an updated portal aimed at informing the public about cultural actions, classified by category:

• Music

• Movie theater

• Theater

• Book

• Museums

• Archaeological sites

• Visual Arts

At the same time, it provides visitors with information about educational programs aimed, but not exclusively, at students and young people.

On this website, there is a digital calendar, which informs the public about cultural events and actions, by month and day. Alongside, a classification is made based on the organization or host of the respective event, providing a very user-friendly website.

The educational programs organized by various institutions, such as the Athens Concert Hall, the Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens, etc., are aimed at students and teenagers, but also at adults.

Regarding funding opportunities, the institution of Cultural Sponsorship is an institution of the Greek state that aims to finance culture from resources coming from the private sector. Recipients of the sponsorship may be public services, but also any non-profit organization that pursues cultural purposes. The legislative framework of Cultural Sponsorship is described by Law 3525/2007, simultaneously with its amendments. Specifically, the recipients of the sponsorship are the State, Local Government organizations, legal entities under public law, legal entities of the wider public sector, legal entities of private law of non-profit nature, as well as joint-stock companies of the Code of Municipalities and Communities, which are established for hosting the "European Capital of Culture" institution.

In the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Sponsorship Office has been established, which operates at departmental level and reports directly to the Minister of Culture. A necessary condition for submitting a funding request is the organization's registration in the Register of Cultural Organizations of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. All non-profit organizations that have, by virtue of their statutes, a cultural activity, can register in this digital portal.

An important institution of the Ministry of Culture and Sports is the "All Greece One Culture" program. The institution's activities and events take place in the summer and include theatrical, musical, dance performances, visual art exhibitions/performances, as well as events for children and teenagers in ancient theaters in Greece. The events join together with the historical sites and create a connection between the past and today's modern culture. The cooperation with the local bodies in the actions contributes to the strengthening of the region and the development of its cultural identity, as one of the priorities of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

Knowledge of cultural heritage among young people

The Ministry of Culture and Sports participates in the Cultural Routes program of the Council of Europe. It has been a member of the Extended Partial Agreement since 2011 and participates in its Board of Directors through the Directorate of International Relations and the European Union of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

The Routes of Olive Tree are to this day the only certified Cultural Route of the Greek initiative, while Greece is interconnected with the following Routes: Routes of the Phoenicians, European Routes of Mozart, IterVitis, European Route of Cemeteries, European Route of Historic Baths, Destination of Napoleon, Routes of Impressionism, European Industrial Heritage Route, Iron Curtain Route, European Historic Gardens Route, Aeneas Route and Cyril and Methodius Route. Alongside, efforts are being made to strengthen the Greek presence on the existing Routes and at the same time the possibility of submitting new proposals of Greek interest is being explored.

The certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe put into practice the fundamental principles of the Organization such as human rights, cultural democracy, cultural diversity and identity and are important tools for the development of intercultural dialogue, mutual exchanges and cultural richness beyond borders.

At the same time, the Hellenic Committee for UNESCO actively promotes the implementation of UNESCO's Conventions and Programs. Among UNESCO's priorities is the implementation of pilot actions, which aim to make young people capable of facing more effectively the challenges of a complex and constantly developing world, utilizing innovative educational approaches, methods and materials. The individual programs are implemented in close cooperation with the 6 co-competent Ministries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education & Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture & Sports, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Ministry of Environment, Energy and Ministry of Development and Investments).

Moreover, at the Institute of Historical Research of the National Research Foundation, research activities/programs are developed that aim at historical documentation and interpretation, dissemination of new knowledge, as well as the training of new researchers, contributing to national self-awareness and international scientific presence.

The programs concern the following areas:

Greek and Roman Antiquity

Byzantine Research

• Modern Greek Research

Furthermore, Creative Europe is one of the financial instruments of the "Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027" and is a unique initiative for coordinated and constructive support in the cultural, creative and audiovisual sector across the European continent. Its main objective is the promotion of European Culture and the contribution to the formation of a European cultural identity. Public, private, NGOs and other organizations and companies participate actively in the creative, audiovisual and cultural sector. The coordinating body of the Creative Europe Desk in Greece is the EU Department of the Directorate of International Relations and European Union of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.