The inaugural working meeting of the Steering Committee of the Higher School of Performing Arts, chaired by the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Sophia Zacharaki, and in the presence of the Deputy Minister, Nikos Papaioannou, was held today, Wednesday, at the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports.

The subject of the meeting, which marked the activation of the ASPT Steering Committee, was the planning of the first actions for the start of the transitional operation of the School.

According to the relevant press release of the Ministry of Education, the formation of the academic bodies and the Artistic Council, the preparation of the CAA for the temporary organisation of the School, the elaboration of the curricula, the launching of the programmatic contracts with the five institutions, as well as the first issues of administrative support, staffing and staff secondments were discussed.

It is worth noting that the present Steering Committee is taking over the transitional phase of the ASPT, with the aim of planning the necessary administrative, organizational and academic actions for the full operation of the new institution.

“The Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports will provide all necessary support to the Steering Committee and the new institution, so that the transitional operation of the ASPT is organized in terms of quality, credibility and academics, drawing on the experience, history and artistic capital of the institutions that have served the performing arts in the country for decades,” the press release concludes.

S. Zacharaki: Persons of renowned prestige, with a track record, knowledge and strong symbolism for the performing arts

“The Steering Committee that takes office is composed of persons of renowned prestige, with a track record, knowledge and strong symbolism for the performing arts sector. Its composition expresses precisely the philosophy of the new School: academic prestige, respect for the history and long tradition of the institutions, connection with living artistic practice and belief in the power of creation.” This was stressed by the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Sophia Zacharaki, in a statement.

Ms. Zacharaki noted that the establishment of the ASPT “gives the performing arts the institutional position they deserve” and noted that its operation is a “bet that will be won” “for children who want to study, create and stay in their country with prospects, for young artists who need clear educational paths and open horizons, for a space with breath, vision, ideas and enormous power, which honours Greece and makes us proud”.

“Greece has always had great creators, important institutions and a strong artistic tradition. As of today, it has a public university that will be the academic home for the next generations of artists,” he said.

“Transplanting” a wildflower into a pot

“For three years we have been fighting the ‘good fight’. Through a creative and bona fide dialogue, we have reached today that the Higher School of Performing Arts has become a reality,”

said the president of the Steering Committee, Dio Kagelari, who recalled that it all began with the mobilizations of students of the Drama Schools for the recognition of their degrees.

“We have undertaken a very difficult task that I could liken to ‘transplanting a wild flower into a pot’. We have to maintain the character of art studies and at the same time give them university status. The responsibility is enormous to young people, to the art world and to the long history of these five state schools that will now be colleges,” she added.

The ASPT Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is constituted as follows:

-Chairperson, Demot Kagelari, Assistant Professor of the Department of Theatre of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Director of Studies of the Drama School of the National Theatre,

-Vice-Chairman, Christos Galileias, Associate Professor of the Department of Music Studies of the School of Music Studies of the University of Ioannina,

Members.

-Nikolaos Hatzopoulos, Director, Actor, Teacher of Acting at the Drama School of the National Theatre, Graduate of Architecture of the NTUA and graduate of the Veaki School,

-Georgios Matskaris, Director of Studies of the Higher Professional School of Dance of the National Opera,

– George Matskaris, Director of Studies of the National Opera’s Higher Professional School of Dance,

-Asterios Peltekis, Artistic Director of the K.TH.V.E., Teacher of the Drama School of the K.TH.V.E., Thessaloniki State Conservatory,

-Georgios-Jules Papadopoulos, Professor of Music History and Director of the Thessaloniki State Conservatory,

-Michael Elpidoforos, State School of Orchestral Art, Professor of Dance, Professor of Physical Education, Physiotherapist,

– Michael Elpidoforos, Professor of Dance, Professor of Physical Education, Physiotherapist,

– Aikaterini Arvanitis, Professor of the Department of Theatre Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras,

– Professor of Physical Education, Professor of Physical Education, Professor of Physical Education, Professor of Theatre Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras,

-Christina Hadjivassiliou, Assistant Professor, Department of Theatre, Faculty of Fine Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,

-Thanasis Trikoupis, Associate Professor, Department of Music Studies, School of Music Studies, University of Ioannina,

-Dimitra Trypanis, Professor of the Department of Music Studies, School of Music and Audiovisual Arts, Ionian University.