The Animathesis education platform is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture in the context of digital culture actions.

The Animasyros International Animation Festival was born from a small group of friends with a vision and ideas on September 19, 2008. Thirteen years later, it has evolved into a modern and ever-growing cultural body of reference on the international animation scene. With its cultural headquarters on the cosmopolitan island of Syros, the art of “animation” has found the right ground to flourish, creating an international pole of attraction, meeting, exchange of views and networking with award-winning professionals of the genre.

Animasyros is structured in three main pillars: 1) animation film screenings (International, Student Competition Program, TV and Commissioned Films, Hellenic Competition, European Award Values, K.ID.S. Competition, Animapride Competition, and thematic tributes), 2) media literacy animation workshops addressed to different target groups (children, teenagers, seniors, people with disabilities and young professionals, 3) the Agora (Market) section, in the framework of which a Pitching Forum is organized with a presentation of animation films from Greece and the rest of the world that are under development, presentations and lectures are held, in collaboration with institutions on international contemporary and key issues in the field of animation, but also networking activities for professionals from the field of animation. In addition, Agora includes parallel artistic activities such as exhibitions, music concerts and parties. As part of its development, Animasyros has expanded its activities, carrying out organized activities of informal audiovisual training in the form of media literacy workshops and animated film screenings in every corner of Greece as part of the annual Animasyros#tour.

With over 2,700 animated film screenings from around the world, 68 animated short films, the results of educational workshops, 25 projects within the Agora and over 1,000 guests, the Animasyros International Animation Festival has become the top animation event in Greece today, while at the same time it is one of the biggest festivals of the genre in the world.

The implementing body of Animasyros, International Animation Festival is PLATFORMA Urban Culture Company, a non-profit company, based in Athens that aims to promote the work of Greek and foreign artists, as well as to organize cultural promotion activities. An independent initiative based solely on the physical and moral support of volunteers, supporters, private sponsors as well as the artists and professionals in the field.

INFORMAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

Informal education activities are optional educational programs that aim to broaden the horizons of the participants through an experiential, open and intercultural educational process. Informal education provides participants with the opportunity to work in groups, organize a project and cultivate their creativity, as well as a spirit of teamwork and cooperation between them.

One of the main areas of activity of Animasyros is the informal education animation programs that are organized, both in the context of the annual Festival and in the framework of the Animasyros #Tour action, as well as through Animasyros synergies and collaborations with various organizations.

The educational programs are addressed to different target groups, having as primary goals the familiarization of the trainees with the basic principles of the art of animation and the cultivation of free artistic expression that are achieved through their participation in the creation of an original animation film. In addition, participants are given the opportunity to experience up close the production process of a film as they take on the roles of creator and cinematographer, living the experience of shooting a film.

For the implementation of the educational programs, Animasyros collaborates with a significant number of experienced coordinators-educators from Greece and abroad. These are renowned and emerging creators who, with their tools of appetite and imagination, successfully guide the target groups in the field of informal educational activity.

All films that are the fruit of Animasyros media literacy workshops, are uploaded on the vimeo (https://vimeo.com/animasyros) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtdcopnqTCFIguEyOObWxfg/featured) official channel of the Festival, composing a rich archival library with artistic interest as well as teaching significance.

This action is implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture in the context of the call for grants for digital cultural activities.