The two-day international meeting on Arts in Education, titled “Dialogues, Creativities and Collaborations in Arts Education,” was successfully held between March 12–13, 2026, at the central building of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
The workshop functioned as a follow-up (post-event) initiative to the international conference of the World Alliance for Arts Education (WAAE Athens Summit 2024), held at NKUA in October 2024, reaffirming the organizers’ commitment to continuously strengthening dialogue and collaboration in the field of Arts in Education.
The event was organized by the Departments of Music Studies and Theatre Studies of NKUA, in collaboration with the Master’s Programmes “Greek and World Theatre: Dramaturgy, Performance, Education” and “Music Education in Formal and Informal Environments” the Hellenic Association for Music Education (EEME), and Amusic FREEater. The workshop was sponsored by the University of Athens Property Management and Development Company.
Focusing on the importance of arts-based research, the conference event served as a dynamic space for meeting and creative dialogue among researchers, educators, artists, and students. Participants from diverse fields and levels of education had the opportunity to exchange ideas, share practices, and explore artistic practice both as a research methodology and as a field of knowledge production.
The event was particularly honored by the presence of two distinguished keynote speakers, Professor Pamela Burnard (University of Cambridge) and Professor Claire Hind (York St John University), who generously shared their knowledge, experience, and creative thinking, inspiring the audience through their presentations and workshops.
The opening ceremony included an address on behalf of the Council of Administration of NKUA by Professor Achilleas Chaldaiakis, who warmly welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of the event in strengthening the role of the arts across all levels of education. The ceremony was attended by the directors of the collaborating postgraduate programs, Professor Smaragda Chrysostomou from the Department of Music Studies, and Professor George P. Pefanis, Chair of the Department of Theatre Studies.
This was followed by greetings from Ms Polina Bithara, Head of the Education Sector of the Hellenic National Commission, representing the President of the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO, Ms Aikaterini Tzitzikosta. Greetings were also delivered by Ms Sanja K. Tasić, former President of the World Alliance for Arts Education (WAAE), as well as by Professor Smaragda Chrysostomou (Department of Music Studies, NKUA) and Associate Professor Clio Fanouraki (Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA).
The Athens Declaration was also presented in Greek, accompanied by an open invitation to all participants to actively contribute to its dissemination, with the aim of promoting its principles and values more broadly within the field of Arts in Education.
The opening ceremony culminated in the keynote speech by Professor Claire Hind (York St John University), titled “Field Day – Night Tone,” chaired by Associate Professor Clio Fanouraki. In her talk, Claire Hind explored artistic research methodologies through walking practices in natural environments, with particular emphasis on nighttime walking in low light-pollution areas. She highlighted ways in which artistic practice can function as a research tool, examining the relationship between humans, nature, and the cosmos. The presentation also included references to practice-led doctoral research, where artistic creation is combined with critical reflection.
The second day of the workshop continued its dynamic, experiential, and collaborative character, focusing on active participation through thematic workshops and artistic practices.
As part of the programme, a presentation of UNESCO’s Guidebook for Arts Education was delivered by Ms Sanja K. Tasić, highlighting key directions and priorities for the advancement of arts education at an international level.
This was followed by the keynote speech by Professor Pamela Burnard (University of Cambridge), titled “Making Possibilities Happen that Unlock the Power and Plurality of Arts Creativities,” chaired by Assistant Professor Angeliki Triantafyllaki. In her talk, Pamela Burnard critically addressed artistic creativity in contemporary education, emphasizing the need to move beyond narrow conceptions toward a more plural and inclusive framework. Drawing on examples from the UK and the European Union, she examined inequalities affecting access to the arts and creative career pathways.
Throughout the two days, a series of experiential workshops were conducted by the invited keynote speakers, as well as by experienced educators, researchers, and artists: Chrysanna Diamanti, Nikos Ziazaras, Sotiris Karamesinis, Angeliki Konstantakopoulou, Konstantinos Marougas, and Maria Filianou. In addition, a workshop was led by Sanja Krsmanović Tasić, former President of WAAE and President of the International Drama/Theatre and Education Association (IDEA).
The workshops offered participants the opportunity to explore qualitative and artistic methodologies in practice, experiment with creative approaches, and exchange experiences and good practices. Particular emphasis was placed on interdisciplinarity and the interaction between different art forms, reinforcing collaborative creation and experiential learning.
As part of the two-day event, an additional specialized seminar was also delivered by Professor Claire Hind (March 11, 2026), addressed to postgraduate students and doctoral candidates, further strengthening the research-oriented dimension of the event.
The workshop highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, as the Departments of Theatre Studies and Music Studies of the Faculty of Philosophy at NKUA continue to jointly shape and redefine the future of Arts in Education in Greece. It confirmed that dialogue, creativity, and collaboration are fundamental pillars for transforming education through the arts.
On behalf of the Organizing and Scientific Committee, warm thanks are extended to all participants and invited speakers for their valuable and inspiring contributions.
The Scientific and Organizing Committee would like to express its sincere thanks to all participants, as well as to the invited speakers, for their valuable contributions and active participation in the conference. Special thanks are also extended to the University of Athens Rectorate Authorities and the The Property Management and Development Company of the University of Athens for hosting and supporting the event, as well as to the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO for its valuable contribution.
Organizing / Scientific Committee
Smaragda Chrysostomou
Clio Fanouraki
Angeliki Triantafyllaki
Ilia Lakidou
Elissavet Perakaki
