Action Art

The Intercultural Storytelling Festival of Thessaloniki “Days of Tales”, 28 /9 – 8 /10 2024, for the thirteenth year, becomes a meeting place for people, cultures, languages and stories.

Stories that passed from mouth to heart and from heart to mouth, travelling through time from place to place, highlighting the timelessness and power of storytelling. Stories that have shaped our multiple identities on the journey of humanity, telling stories of experiences, hopes , fears, joys. They become the bridge that connects us to our roots, our memories, our hearts, others, in a magical, unique way .

A rich programme awaits young and old, with storytelling performances, myths for the family, legends and stories about the mysterious Middle Ages, object theatre, multilingual storytelling, meetings and discussions. The main performance of the festival is dedicated to “The Mother with a Thousand Faces”. Ten storytellers from Greece and abroad tell tales and myths about woman, mother, the most important relationship in our lives.

Παραμύθια που πραγματεύονται την αγάπη και την αδιαφορία, την αφοσίωση και την αντιπαλότητα, τη σύγκρουση και την ασφάλεια. Εξειδικευμένα σεμινάρια προσεγγίζουν πολύπλευρα την προφορικότητα και το παραμύθι. Απευθύνονται σε επαγγελματίες της εκπαίδευσης, του πολιτισμού, των κοινωνικών-ανθρωπιστικών επιστημών, της ψυχικής υγείας και σε youth workers. Τις παραστάσεις και τα εξειδικευμένα σεμινάρια πραγματοποιούν καταξιωμένοι ερευνητές, επιστήμονες, αφηγητές, φυσικοί αφηγητές από την Ελλάδα και το εξωτερικό.

The Festival is organised by Action Art (member of the Federation for European Storytelling). It is co-organized with the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the Ephorate of Antiquities of Thessaloniki City, the Museum of School Life and Education, in cooperation and with the support of educational and cultural institutions of the city, A.P.L.P.L.P., the French Institute of Thessaloniki, CHANTH, USB (United Balkan Societies), Multilingual City, ESC (European Solidarity
Corps), schools and parents’ associations. It is under the auspices of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, the Thessaloniki Tourist Promotion Organisation (TTO), the Ministry of Culture and the Directorate of Modern Cultural Heritage, which sponsor certain events at the
The programme “Storytelling, fairy tales, myths, legends – The bridges that unite us”.

The programme includes:

28 &29 September. , 18:00-19:00, Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Two performances of ancient myths about Dionysus, the wandering god of joy, narrated by Rodanthi Dimitressi and accompanied with vocal improvisations by the musician Youla Michael, in the “Archaic Temple” and “Augustus Andriada” of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. In co-organization with the Archaeological Museum in the framework of the program “Narration, fairy tales, myths, legends – The bridges that unite us” and the European Heritage Days. For the family and children 6 years and older. Reservations at the Archaeological Museum, tel. 2313310201, Monday – Friday 8:00-14:00.

30 September, 1 & 2 October. 30 September, 18:30, 3rd Primary School Stavroupoli, for children, parents, the neighbourhood/1 October, 18:30 , 20th Primary School of Kalamaria, for children, parents, the neighbourhood/2 October, 18:30 , 41st Primary School of Thessaloniki for children, parents, the neighbourhood. Multilingual storytelling with narrators who tell stories in their mother tongue, at the 3rd Primary School of Stavroupolis, the 20th Primary School of Kalamaria, the 41st Primary School of Thessaloniki for children, parents and the neighbourhood.

3 October, 18:30-20:30, French Institute of Thessaloniki. Masterclass at the French Institute of Thessaloniki on storytelling, fairy tales, teaching and learning a foreign language, with a presentation by the storyteller, educator, archaeologist, Ludwine Deblon (Belgium). In collaboration with the A.P.L.F. Association and the French Institute of Thessaloniki. Reservation by filling in the form: https://forms.gle/trFCAs4mqhbmKUzE6

5 October, 19:00-22:00, Yeni Tzami Thessaloniki. A three-hour night of multilingual storytelling at Yeni Mosque, co-organised with the AMTH and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Thessaloniki City. Ten guest narrators, Katerina Klearchou, Lili Lambrelli, Ludwine Deblon (Belgium), Kristina Hakobyan (Armenia), Linda Zefi (Albania), Nadina Kyriazi, Oxana Vasileiou (Russia), Rodanthi Dimitresi, Stella Tsatsaroni, Smaragda Karasimopoulou, tell stories and myths about the mother with a thousand faces, the most important relationship in our lives. For adults and children 12 years and older. Reservations at the Archaeological Museum, tel. 2313310201, Monday – Friday 8:00-14:00

5 & 6 October, 9:30-17:30, Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Two-day masterclasses, at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Renowned storytellers, scientists and researchers will take a multifaceted approach to orality and storytelling and offer tools for their use. For professionals in education, culture, social sciences, humanities, mental health and youth workers. At the end of the masterclasses, certificates of attendance will be awarded. During the two-day event, extracts from the film “Three apples falling from the sky… Lies? True? That’s what fairy tales say!” The film was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture in 2021. Reservations at the Archaeological Museum, tel. 2313310201, Monday – Friday 8:00-14:00

October 6, 20:00-21:00, Museum of Byzantine Culture of Thessaloniki. Evening musical storytelling performance at the Museum of Byzantine Culture, in the reception area (foyer) of the Museum. A wandering, with the narrator Rodanthi Dimitressi, in the mysterious world of the Middle Ages, familiarizes us with the life of the people and allows us to have fun with their quirks. Elsa Mouratidou and Onur Senturk accompany the narration with song and music. For adults and children, 10 years and older. Reservations by filling out the form https://forms.gle/DBScbG7Pa8wG6goY6 & at Action Art, tel. 2310271978, Monday-Friday 16:30-20:30

8 October, 10:00-11:00, Thessaloniki, Greece. Storytelling performance with the Theatre of Objects, at the kindergarten of YMCA. The storyteller and performer Ludwine Deblon (Belgium), using the language of physical expression and dialogue with objects of everyday life, brings the world of fairy tales to life.

Free entrance – Reservations are essential.