FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Cyprus
Address
Apostolidou 21, EKOLYSI BLOCK, Floor 6, Flat/Office 62 6021Country
City
LarnacaMobile Phone
+35799895701Telephone
+357 99895701Year of Establishment
2024Contact Person1
Christina EvangelouContact Person 2
Konstantinos LysiotisOrganisation Type
Non-Governmental OrganizationFields of Activity
Arts, Heritage, International/Cultural relations, Youth and educationGeneral Information
- Antama Koultoura Paradosi is a non-profit cultural organisation founded by a group of young Cypriot cultural workers with the mission of safeguarding and revitalising Cyprus’ intangible cultural heritage while promoting traditional and contemporary interpretations of folk arts and practices from Cyprus and around the world.
Based in Cyprus, the organisation works primarily through its flagship initiative, Antama Festival, a festival bringing together music, dance, crafts and education through community-centred cultural practices. Antama aims to create spaces where cultural heritage can be experienced by different generations, while fostering connections between wider Mediterranean and international cultural networks.
Antama Festival was established in 2024 and has grown from a one-day event attracting over 1,000 people to a two-day festival attracting over 1,500 people in 2025. The organisation is currently developing its organisational capacity and international partnerships, with a particular focus on cooperation across the Mediterranean, Europe and neighbouring regions.
Mission and Objectives
Antama’s mission is to safeguard, revitalise and promote intangible cultural heritage while creating opportunities for cultural participation, exchange and contemporary artistic expression.
Its objectives are to:
- support the transmission of traditional knowledge between generations;
- promote both traditional and contemporary interpretations of folk arts;
- create accessible and community-centred cultural experiences;
- support artists and cultural workers in sustaining and developing their practices;
- and encourage cultural exchange and collaboration between Cyprus and other communities and cultural ecosystems.
In the longer term, Antama aims to develop its festival and wider programme into a platform for intercultural dialogue in the Eastern Mediterranean, contributing to Cyprus’ role as a hub for cultural heritage, folk arts and contemporary cultural exchange.
Main Projects / Activities
Antama’s main activity is the annual Antama Festival, which combines live music and dance performances with participatory workshops, educational activities and family programming. The festival brings together artists, craftspeople, cultural practitioners and audiences from Cyprus and abroad, creating opportunities for participation, knowledge-sharing and cultural exchange.
The first edition of Antama Festival took place in September 2024 at the Nicosia Municipal Gardens as part of the Parallel Programme of the Nicosia International Festival, attracting over 1,000 attendees. The programme included performances by young Cypriot ensembles alongside workshops in traditional crafts and practices, including pithkiavli-making, caning, palouze preparation and traditional dance.
The second edition, held in September 2025 in collaboration with Lefkosia 2030, expanded to two days and attracted over 1,500 attendees. It featured artists and ensembles from across Cyprus and Greece, workshops connected to intangible cultural heritage practices, collaborations with cultural organisations and music ensembles, performances by students, and activities designed specifically for families.