Photo: Ronny Skevis

Onassis AiR DNA

Our founding principles

What if we took the artistic practice, the craft, the process of creating, the process of research and each individual trajectory that artists, curators, researchers and other art professionals go through as our starting point towards a process-oriented arts ecosystem?

Α program that offers time and supports artistic process

LOCAL & (INTER)NATIONAL

This program is very much rooted in the city of Αthens. It is for those who live & work in Greece, as well as for international artists, researchers, and art professionals from anywhere in the world who are interested in connecting and engaging with the diverse cοmmunities of Αthens and the broader region.

DIWO

This program prefers to avoid the ethos of DIY (do-it-yourself) and instead embraces the logic of DIWO (do-it-with-others). All participants must have an interest in working, thinking, and being with peers. They are also encouraged to engage with the Οnassis AiR Community through an offering, in the form of a workshop, a presentation, a lecture or screening, or any other format they wish to propose.

PEER-TO-PEER & SELF-LEARNING

It is based on the principles of self-learning, learning-by-doing, and learning with others. It is driven by peers who all have their individual practices, methodologies, and questions, and are open to share their knowledge and concerns with each other.

WELCOME BACK

Οnassis AiR is meant to be a place you can return to. Investing in long-term interconnection, it wishes to remain open to anyone who has been part of our programs. Our Fellows are always welcome to use the space, the equipment, and the resources..

ACCORDING TO YOUR NEEDS

Onassis AiR is an open and flexible program that develops according to the needs and urgencies of its artistic community. Each Residency and Fellowship is shaped based on the participant’s needs, while the program offers the tools and a robust support network for each project to thrive and expand across diverse mediums. All Onassis AiR Fellows (past and current participants of our program) are invited to contribute to the development of Onassis AiR by participating in the design of future Open Calls, by proposing events and activities to be included in our daily planning, and by participating in the committee that selects future participants.

A SPACE OPEN FOR ALL

From September 2022, Οnassis AiR is located in the lively neighborhood of Neos Kosmos, right behind the Οnassis Stegi. Meant to be shared and used collectively by all participants, Οnassis AiR is a modular space that transforms according to the needs of those using it each time, seeking to establish a safe and inclusive collaborative working environment. It offers two large coworking spaces equipped with projectors and a sound system, a shared office and events space, a rehearsal studio that can be used upon availability (pre-booking required), a fully equipped kitchen for preparation of light meals, a library, storage spaces, a beautiful patio that can be used for open-air screenings and events, and a small vegetable garden in our terrace with seasonal herbs and vegetables that can be used for our lunches.

As our community grows, so is the need for access to an extended network of venues that serve as the playground of our Fellows within the city and beyond. Therefore, in 2024 we expand our activities to Onassis Ready, the brand-new incubation space of Onassis Foundation that will function as an experience factory for Onassis AiR and Onassis ONX Fellows, a place where immersive and new media art is being challenged, shaped, experienced, and presented. Based on their research needs, participants can benefit from access to rehearsal spaces, individual workspaces, recording studios, and sound and video editing studios, among others. All spaces are wheelchair accessible.

Between September 2019 and June 2022 Οnassis AiR was housed in a historic neoclassical building in the center of Αthens, that became the home of more than 100 artists and practitioners who participated in its various programs or used it as a space to present and exchange work.