Director Michael Marmarinos was appointed artistic director of the Organization “Hellenic Festival”.

Under the founding law of the Organization, the term of office of the artistic director is three years.

Michael Marmarinos succeeds the current artistic director Katerina Evangelatou, who leaves, after 6 years of term. The tradition of artistic direction will take place at the end of Katerina Evangelatos’ term at the end of August.

The Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni made the following statement:

“The “Greek Festival”, the leading cultural institution, closes seventy years of irreplaceable contribution to our artistic things, having established itself as a domestic and international reference point. All these years, the Conservatory of Herod Atticus and Epidaurus have, one of the main contact channels, of the Greek public with the dominant tendencies of the world art scene. For every Greek and Greek artist, their presence at the Festival is a highest sealing of their course. This solemn occasion, with which a circle ends, is indicated to pass the baton by a renowned creator to a very worthy successor. Saying goodbye, with warm thanks for her six -year work, Katerina Evangelatou, at the same time, with great pleasure, welcome Michael Marmarinos, a creator with international recognition and offering decades to our “Greek Festival”. The bar at the “Hellenic Festival” has already been high. Katerina Evangelatou, in six years, in two consecutive terms, leaves a very positive account: a festival drastically refreshed, extroverted and dynamic, which costs many new friends next to his loyal audience. I would like to thank her for her tireless work and our excellent cooperation. I wish her every success in her new plans with which she will confront. Michael Marmarinos needs no recommendations and credentials. It cures art with dedication and constantly renewed inspiration for four decades. Known deep of the stage, in constant communication with its worldwide tendencies, it has given us high-level directors, leaving a distinct personal stamp to our artistic things and adding, to its rich experience, positions of responsibility, with its recently successful artistic direction. He has all the guarantees for a fruitful term- in his particularly demanding position- to contribute to the further extroversion of the festival, his opening, in broader and pioneering currents. We all accompany him for success for success“
Deputy Minister of Culture Iason Fotilas said:

“In the context of the upcoming completion and the second term of Katerina Evangelatos, in place of the artistic director of the Athens Festival Epidaurus, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, we express our gratitude for the fruitful work he has offered, both to the artistic planning.
The cooperation has been efficient and consistent, which is also underlined by its intention to stand by the new head of the festival to ensure a smooth transition.
The director, playwright and actor, Michael Marmarinos, is the new artistic director of the Athens-Epidaurus Festival. His long artistic journey and recognition in Greece and internationally, as well as his artistic vision, are elements that will give the Athens Epidaurus Festival even greater prestige and performances that the public will embrace with even greater enthusiasm.
We thank Katerina Evangelatou for her contribution and work and we wish you a fruitful and creative term for Michalis Marmarinos. “

Who is Michael Marmarinos

Michael Marmarinos was born in Athens and studied biology, acting and theater. As a director, he has presented his works in Greece- including the Epidaurus Festival- in Europe and North America, drawing both from the classic and contemporary repertoire, as well as from literary texts, as well as composition texts, products of a process that he has made as “the drama”.
He has directed performances by the “Double Eros” theater company he founded in 1983-1984 and evolved into “Theseum Ensemble”.

He has also collaborated, in key roles, with renowned filmmakers and, with selective entries, in feature films. She has been teaching theater since 1994 at the University of Peloponnese and, from 2006 until today, as a regular professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

At the same time, he has directed workshops and presented suggestions in dozens of seminars, in Greece and abroad.
His works have repeatedly been honored with domestic and international awards, receiving most discrimination in Greece and abroad. From 2006 to 2009, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. of the UNESCO International Institute of Theater (Greek Department), while in 2020 to 2024 he was General Artistic Director of “Eleusis 2023-Cultural Capital of Europe”.