The 2025/26 artistic season welcomes the innovative educational program of music, rhythm and community expression entitled The Art of Rhythm for adults over 18 years of age who wish to explore the art of rhythm through singing and the performance of percussion instruments (bedir). The program, after nine years of continuous presence and development in Crete and other regions of Greece, this year inaugurates its collaboration with the GNO and opens a new cycle of “rhythmic” actions in Athens. During the new season, a series of workshops will be held that will lead to an original musical theater performance in May 2026 at the GNO Alternative Stage at the SNFCC.

The Art of Rhythm is an innovative educational program that integrates rhythm and music, with the Eastern Mediterranean region as its starting point, at the core of a broader artistic and social experience. The methodology of the program is based on experiential knowledge and the establishment of collaborative communities, with the aim of developing the musical perception, rhythmic ability and personal creativity of the participants. It seeks to enhance musicality, personal well-being, mental empowerment, as well as social cohesion and sensitivity. Through artistic practice, it offers tools for self-management of stress, improving communication, developing self-confidence and strengthening collectivity. The Art of Rhythm program is associated with health, well-being, solidarity and respect for diversity, while at the same time operating as an adult education program, which utilizes music and the arts as catalysts for lifelong learning, personal development and social inclusion. Particularly beneficial groups are music, theater and general education students, music and general education teachers, musicians, adults 65+, people with disabilities, caregivers.

No prior musical knowledge is required to participate in the program. It is aimed at adults who wish to explore the art of rhythm both for educational purposes – such as the use of tools in a teaching context and the cultivation of a relationship with rhythm – and with the aim of participating in a musical group, where expression, relaxation and creative composition are the main pillars of a musical creation community.

A few words about the program

The program was designed by Yannis Papatzanis and was implemented for the first time during the academic year 2017/18 in Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion, while it has now been extended to Ierapetra, Agios Nikolaos and Sitia. The program is funded by the Region of Crete and the six Municipalities of the island in collaboration with the Theater-Cinema-Music Laboratory of the Department of Philology of the School of Philosophy of the University of Crete. The scientific director of the program is the assistant professor of Theater Studies, Emmanuel Seiragakis. Of significant importance is the collaboration in a research and advisory framework with the Laboratory of Psychology and Special Education of the Department of Special Education of the University of Crete, with the scientific director being the professor of Psychology at the Department of Pedagogy of the School, Elias Kourkoutas, for his advisory/scientific guidance. In Crete, it is implemented by the Theater-Cinema-Music Laboratory of the Department of Philology of the University of Crete and has completed seven years of continuous and systematic activity. This activity is constantly renewed and expanded to the four prefectures of Crete (Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra and Sitia) and constitutes the most extroverted, massive and successful initiative of the University of Crete to connect with local government bodies (Region of Crete and Municipalities).

More than 3,000 people have already participated in the program, the majority of whom are General and Special Education teachers of all specialties, students of the University of Crete and the Technical University of Crete, as well as health professionals. Furthermore, during the academic year 2023/24, contributing to the strengthening of social structures, it was also implemented in prevention centers, SOS children’s villages, in Community Care – Open Protection Departments for the Elderly, in the Regional Association of the Blind of Crete and in nurses of the Venizelio Hospital.

These cooperation bodies are the following:

“Live Well with Cancer” Association
“Solidarity” Alzheimer’s and Healthy Aging Society of Heraklion in Heraklion
Chania Municipality Social Policy Department
Non-profit organizations in Crete such as the Orizonts Association, KIFAP Megalochari, KIFAMEA, ELEPAP
Day Center for Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders
ASPERGER ASSOCIATION
Synanthropos Support Group and with the Department of the Third Age
Community Center of the Social Service of the Municipality of Rethymno
Social Pharmacy of the Municipality of Heraklion.