PRESS RELEASE Art project : I Got it Tho
"And yet I've got it"
An Inclusive Artistic Initiative by the En Dynamei Ensemble and the Okay Initiative Space
From 20 November to 21 December | Okay Space Initiative
The collective of artists with and without disabilities En dynamei, in collaboration with Okay Initiative Space in Athens and with the support of Public Power Company, presents an inclusive modular artistic initiative that focuses on enhancing inclusivity, diversity and creative expression. The initiative aims to promote a cultural narrative that focuses on the empowerment, resilience and unifying power offered by contemporary art.
As an integral part of the country's social and economic fabric, PPC actively supports talent, passion and fair play, while promoting equality and inclusion. Adhering to the principles of responsible entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development, PPC respects and values diversity, incorporating the principles of inclusion in its culture, giving equal opportunities to all.
The project is structured in three phases, with the third and final phase being the culmination of the group's vision for sustainable social change through art.
Specifically:
First phase
20 November - 7 December | Solo exhibition/live performance of painting by Loxandra Lucas
28 November | Exhibition Opening
The project starts with a solo exhibition/ live painting performance at Okay Initiative Space by Loxandra Lucas, an artist and performer with Down syndrome. For a week Loxandra Lucas creates with her materials in the Okay space transforming it into a vibrant and personal world, exploring the possibilities of color and form through her unique, proprietary method and thinking. Her work presents the everyday world through her own perceptual prism and encourages us to question our own, entrenched and often closed to meta-interpretations, perception of our environment. During the live transformation, the space will be open to the public and LLoxy will perform the metherapeutic performance of her universe.
The idea of creating a variation of our world, or even the birth of a new one, evolves and evolves throughout the project, in all its phases.
Second phase
8 - 15 December | Workshops
16 - 20 December | Open House / Final Collective Exhibition
Experiential workshops
The second phase includes a series of experiential seminars and workshops in the same space that LLoxy will have created. The workshops will be conducted by professional artists and curated by Stavros Kapetanios. The workshops will be open to the public of Athens and invited groups from organizations and institutions of the city dealing with social rehabilitation and reintegration, disability and social minorities. The workshops will approach the respective applied materials and practices in a broad, experimental and inclusive way, creating a new narrative environment in the already existing world that will have been created. At the end of the workshops, the final collective creation will remain open to the public.
The project will be filmed in order to create a documentary that will capture the whole evolution and outcome of the action throughout its duration. Also, the whole action will be monitored and documented by an academic team in the field of occupational therapy, which conducts research to study the impact of art on vulnerable and marginalised social groups and its contribution to the developing fields of occupational therapy and therapy through art.
The project is structured on a system of inclusive collaboration "co-creators", where each contributor (in production, editing, photography, graphic design, social media, lighting designers, etc.) will work closely with co-creators with and without disabilities from the En Dynamei team. This initiative encapsulates at the core of the whole project a practical effort to include people with disabilities, and proposes a different creative - professional perspective. At the same time it aligns the project in a pioneering way with our vision of inclusion and equal rights in work, education and art.
Credits
Artistic Supervision: Stavros Kapetanios - Michael Dolopoulos - Loxandra Lucas
project management: Nelson Lucas - Sofia Kyrina - Margarita Kainada
Production: Elektra Ellinikioti - Kotoula Tsampika - Maria Tarshi Chela - Thanos Nanasis
Communication - Public Relations: Evangelia Skrobola - Eleni Dimopoulou - Miriam Sofia Arzanidou - Theano Konta - Dimitris Lyras
social media: Dimitra Paraschou - Christina Aslanidou - Theocharis Bairaktaridis - Anthi Koutsoubeli - Maria Dahlythra
Graphic Design: Io Papadatou - Panagiotis Majiris - Alexandros Hatzios
Photography - Video - Audio: Frank Holbein - Maria Tarshi Chela - Myrto Costa - Theano Papavassiliou - Nikos Kyparisis
With the cooperation of ελc productions
The programme is implemented with a grant from the Ministry of Culture
With the kind sponsorship of PPC
Contact details
Photos
A Collaboration Between
En Dynamei Ensemble
OKAY Initiative Space
Team LLoxy
Inclusive Art Project in Three Phases
Our program was a collaboration between En Dynamei Ensemble, a collective of artists with and without disabilities, and the Okay Initiative Space, an innovative gallery in Athens. The program was funded by the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Capital of Eleusis, and the generous sponsorship of PPC.
This initiative, implemented in three phases, was designed to explore and celebrate themes of inclusivity, diversity, and creative exploration and expression.
Overview
I Got It Tho highlights the success of an innovative inclusion program that combined art, collaboration, and social integration. Through workshops, co- productions, and exhibitions, we managed to create a safe and creative space where individuals with and without disabilities worked together as equals, expressing their unique voices. The outcomes include impressive artworks, the activation of local and international communities, and the promotion of a message of acceptance and equality through the power of collective creation.
PHASE ONE
The project began with a solo exhibition and live painting performance at the OKAY Initiative Space by Loxandra “LLoxy” Lucas, a visual artist and performer with Down syndrome. Over the course of a week, LLoxy worked with her materials in the OKAY space, transforming it into a vibrant and personal world. She explored the possibilities of color and form through her unique method and perspective. Her work presented the everyday world through her perceptive lens, encouraging us to challenge our own rigid and often closed interpretations of our environment. The idea of creating a variation of our world, or even birthing a new one, evolved and was enriched throughout the project's phases. During this live transformation, the space remained open to the public, and LLoxy performed the interpretative act of her unique universe.
PHASE TWO
WORKSHIPS
The second phase included a series of experiential seminars and workshops in the space LLoxy had transformed at the OKAY Space. The workshops were curated by Stavros Kapetanios and led by artists and collaborators of the OKAY Initiative Space. Participants included members of the public in Athens, members of En Dynamei, and guests from organizations focused on social rehabilitation, disability, and minority communities. The I Got It Tho SAGA consisted of sequential and interconnected art-making workshops where participants explored materials and experimental practices. Under the guidance of four visual mentors, they created a collective, multi- narrative environment titled A New Universe, which was presented to the public after December 14th.
ORIGINS
Origins
Mentor: Zisis Bliatkas
The first workshop in the series focused on painting, both analog and digital. Using a unique digital painting program combined with playful experimentation, we imagined and composed the origins of the world that would take shape throughout the workshops. In a calm and familiar environment, we used various representation tools to design rudimentary shapes and forms. These digital attempts (MS Paint) were printed and reworked using analog methods such as painting, coloring, and folding.
At the end of the workshop, the creations were placed in the gallery space, forming a "map" guide for the creation of this new world. These "maps" served as a compass for the subsequent workshops.
TERRAFORMING
Terraforming
Mentor: Fani Skoulikidi
This workshop focused on clay as its primary material. With a vast quantity of clay, processed with our whole bodies, we created a unique landscape within the gallery space.
The resulting landscape resembled both natural earthly geographies and fantastical terrains born from our creative imagination. As a "select team," we shaped a new world exactly as we envisioned it—a landscape that combined the freedom of creation with our personal visions of an ideal world.
The Tribes: Prehistoric
(The tribes: prehistory)
Mentor: Flora Vavoula
This workshop revolved around storytelling and myth-making, using handicrafts as its tool. Within the landscape created during the previous workshop, imaginary tribes took residence. These tribes had their own stories, myths, customs, rituals, and objects. Like a game of reverse archaeology, sacred objects belonging to these fictional tribes were buried, their territories were mapped, and their stories were visually represented.
The tribes: History
(the tribes: history) Mentor: Flora Vavoula
This workshop explored the connection between movement, sound, and the conceptual roots of conflict. Drawing inspiration from martial arts, participants engaged in a creative process that culminated in an improvisational performance. The result: a "battle" between two fictional tribes, where the dynamics of their bodies and movements gave rise to a unique sound installation.
Endless Battle
"Pulse and Battle: From Movement to Sound" (The Eternal Struggle)
Mentor: Philip Vassiliou
This workshop explored the connection between movement, sound and the conceptual root of war. Drawing inspiration from the martial arts, participants moved through a creative process that led to an improvisation. The end result: a "battle" between two imaginary tribes, with the dynamics of their bodies and movements giving rise to an original sound installation.
The workshop sought to reframe how we perceive conflict and cooperation, demonstrating that through interaction, difference, and rhythm, something harmonious and creative can emerge.
The Celebration
(The celebration)
Open Party for all...
We gathered to celebrate the completion of the workshops and share the experiences of this new world with the public. The universe created in the gallery space now radiated peace. Visitors could explore the space and imagine what had come before—the performances, battles, gatherings, and collaborations that together had shaped this unique, small universe.
WORKSHOP INVITATIONS
The I Got It Tho program excelled in bringing together diverse minority communities, leveraging the transformative power of creativity. Each workshop united people from various backgrounds, fostering collaboration among individuals who had never met before. Through the collective artistic process, participants transcended their differences and worked together, discovering and creating as one. Over 100 workshop slots were filled by members of eight different organizations, as well as the general public, reflecting the program’s core values of inclusion and collaboration. Each workshop left behind a creative legacy for the next groups, culminating in the collective transformation of the venue into a dynamic, evolving art piece—a powerful testament to the ability of creativity to bridge divides and strengthen connections.
Groups/Organisations involved:
EXIS Dance Company, Theama Inclusive Theatre, Margarita Special Education Workshop, Iliachtida Panhellenic Association of Support & Assistance for Paraplegics & People with Special Needs, Arsis Social Organization for Youth Support, Evrinomi Day Care Center for People with Mental Retardation.
RESEARCH DOCUMENTATION
The project was filmed from its inception to DOCUMENTATION create a documentary that captured its entirety—the beginning, development, and profound impact on all participants. At the same time, it was closely observed and documented by the Department of Occupational Therapy at UOWM, which conducted research on the project. This provided a unique opportunity to study the impact of art on marginalized communities and contributed to the fields of occupational therapy, art therapy, inclusion, and social change. Their involvement not only enhanced the academic rigor of the project but also gave students and faculty the chance to engage with real-world applications of their research.
Co-Creator Program
The project was developed comprehensively using a "Co-Creation" model, where members of the En Dynamei team, both with and without disabilities, had the opportunity to take on new roles, receive training from professionals, and experience the work required to develop such a project. Every professional collaborating with the OKAY Initiative Space and En Dynamei team worked alongside two co-creators from En Dynamei, both with and without disabilities. From the artistic curator, filmmaker, and graphic designer to the production company, catering team, and guest hospitality group, all professionals worked closely with team members. This collaboration offered participants a fresh creative perspective and practical experience. This initiative placed a tangible effort toward inclusion and professional development at the heart of the project, giving contributors a unique creative perspective. Simultaneously, it aligned the project with our vision for inclusivity, showcasing the importance of collaboration and equality in professional and creative fields. The project was completed after four months of intensive, creative work and collaboration.
Thank you
Nikos Ververidis
ελc productions
"Camiros"
Kobatssiaris Bros. SA
TEMPERA
Conito Cafe
