Giorgos Tserionis: AFTER
2026-05-05 11:00 - 19:00, 2026-05-06 11:00 - 19:00 (Europe/Athens) | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
Through his works, Giorgos Tserionis captures the life cycle of homo urbanus, using a diverse array of materials such as clay, marble, metal, and latex. The artist creates a contemporary “archaeology” from ruins, building skeletons, and debris, highlighting the daily struggle for survival and the eternal search for a better life.

Set within a historic neoclassical building in Metaxourgeio, his work functions as a memento mori that, while underscoring human fragility, is not devoid of hope.

By juxtaposing darkness with light and “hazard yellow” with earthy tones, the creator leads us beneath the surface of things, offering a compassionate look at the hardships of modern man and giving a wink to the future with his own version of “and they lived happily ever after.

Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday: 11:00–19:00; Sunday: 10:00–16:00. Closed on Monday.

Panos Charalambous: COLUMBIA
2026-05-05 11:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-06 11:00 - 16:00 | CITRONNE Gallery, 19 Patriarchou Ioakim, Athens, 106 75, Greece
At CITRONNE Gallery, Panos Charalambous invites us to step into a “sonic room” that speaks directly to the memory of the city. The journey begins in 2006, the year the historic Columbia vinyl record factory in Rizoupoli was demolished, symbolically closing a massive chapter of Greek music history. Columbia was a place where the voices, songs, and moments that shaped our collective soundscape were once etched into wax.

Charalambous transforms the gallery into a visceral, immersive installation. Here, you are invited to walk across a “sound floor,” literally treading on the echoes of a memory that refuses to fade. It is a haunting reminder that music doesn’t vanish with the buildings that once housed it; instead, it survives through emotion, shared experience, and our collective imagination.

In a city that is constantly evolving, COLUMBIA is a profound meditation on decay, remembrance, and our deep-seated need to keep our shared history alive.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:00–20:00; Wednesday, Saturday: 11:00–16:00. Closed on Monday & Sunday.

Costas Ordolis: Cities Made of Paper
2026-05-05 11:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-06 11:00 - 16:00 | Ikastikos Kyklos, Akadimias 6, Athens, Athens, 106 71, Greece
As part of the This is Athens City Festival 2026, Eikastikos Kyklos DL presents “Cities Made of Paper”, a solo photography exhibition by Kostas Ordolis. Through a series of deeply atmospheric works, the artist composes a personal map of cities that ignores conventional geography, following the lines of internal experience, memory, and fleeting impressions.

His images possess a fragile, almost transparent quality, appearing to hover between the real and the dreamlike. Here, the urban environment is stripped of its everyday bustle, presented instead as a realm of silence, poetics, and contemplation. The exhibition serves as an invitation to a different kind of city stroll, one where time slows down and architecture takes on a sense of vulnerability, memory, and emotion.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:00–14:30 and 17:30–20:30; Wednesday, Saturday: 11:00–16:00. Closed on Monday & Sunday.

Constantine Xenakis – Dimitris Chiotopoulos: Writing and Trace Two Journeys into the Labyrinth
2026-05-05 11:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-06 11:30 - 20:30 | Gallery Ersi, Kleomenous 4, Athens, Athens, 106 75, Greece
Ersi Gallery hosts a deep and unexpectedly poetic dialogue between two masters of the symbolic: Constantine Xenakis and Dimitris Chiotopoulos.

Writing and Trace explores the moment when a mark, a symbol, or a simple gesture transcends its everyday use to become a language of its own. Dense with meaning and open to endless interpretation. The internationally acclaimed Xenakis employs codes, hieroglyphs, and signals from modern communication to offer a sharp commentary on how meaning is constructed in our digital age. In contrast, Chiotopoulos brings a more interior, tactile search to the gallery, weaving in archetypal shapes and calligraphy elements.

Together, they transform the “Labyrinth” into a space of discovery. This isn’t just an exhibition; it’s an invitation to stroll through a maze of signs and silences, losing yourself in the traces of culture only to find your own way back.

Opening hours: Monday–Friday: 11:30–14:30 & 17:30–20:30; Saturday: 11:30–15:00. Closed on Sunday.

Inna Orlik: The Permanent Collection
2026-05-05 12:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-06 12:00 - 18:00 | Orlik Gallery, 3 Palaiologou Benizelou, Athens, 105 56, Greece
Orlik Gallery invites the This is Athens City Festival audience to a distinctive encounter with the visual universe of Inna Orlik. This exhibition brings to the fore a world where contemporary painting enters into a dialogue with mythology, nature, and the human experience, creating an environment rich in symbolism and layers of interpretation.

Defined by bold colours, complex textures, and a singular painterly language, Orlik’s works move between the visible and the suggestive, the personal and the collective. The artist transforms the canvas into a space for narrative and exploration, inviting the viewer to discover forms, symbols, and underlying connections. It is an exhibition tailored for those seeking not only aesthetic intensity in contemporary art but also a substantial, resonant depth.

Opening hours: Daily: 12:00–18:00.

Andreas Spiliotopoulos: Heroes of Today
2026-05-05 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-06 12:00 - 20:00 | Astrolavos Art Gallery, 11 Xanthippou, Kolonaki, 106 75, Greece
Astrolavos Art Gallery presents the solo painting exhibition of Andreas Spiliotopoulos, titled “Heroes of Today”—a body of work that brings classical art into a direct dialogue with contemporary pop culture. Drawing influence from the allegorical and monumental traditions of painting, as well as the kinetic energy and narrative drive of comic books, the artist creates dense, multi-layered compositions teeming with parallel action.

On his canvases, joy coexists with fear, irony with drama, and the mundane with the hyperbolic. These modern-day “heroes” are not supernatural figures, but characters of contemporary life navigating fragility, intensity, and humour. The exhibition offers a vivid and penetrating look at our world, suggesting that the comic and the tragic are, ultimately, two sides of the same narrative coin.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 12:00–16:00 and 17:00–20:00; Saturday: 11:00–15:00. Closed on Sunday & Monday.

Vera Stavrinadi: Pop-Up Frequencies
2026-05-05 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-06 12:00 - 20:00 | Astrolavos Art Gallery, 11 Xanthippou, Kolonaki, 106 75, Greece
Astrolavos Art Gallery hosts “Pop-Up Frequencies”, a striking sculptural intervention by Vera Stavrinadi that occupies the gallery space with undeniable presence and style. Monumental sculptures in the form of contemporary totems alternate with smaller floor and wall-mounted pieces, all bathed in the vibrant, fluorescent hues of pop culture and comic- book aesthetics.

With a sarcastic yet playful approach that draws on the world of children’s toys, the artist opens a fragmented dialogue regarding the values of modern society. By casting a critical eye on consumerist tropes and contemporary superficiality, Stavrinadi successfully marries a sharp perspective with an irresistibly joyful dimension. This experience invites us to view the “idols” of our everyday lives through a new, luminous, and subversive frequency.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 12:00–16:00 and 17:00–20:00; Saturday: 11:00–15:00. Closed on Sunday & Monday.

Marilia Fotopoulou: Iconostases
2026-05-05 15:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-06 12:00 - 20:00 | Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre, 48 Armatolon-Klefton, Athens, 114 71, Greece
The Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre presents “Iconostases”, a solo exhibition by Marilia Fotopoulou. This visual proposition turns its gaze toward a subject that is deeply familiar yet often bypassed in our daily lives: the roadside shrines encountered across the Greek landscape. The artist approaches these small, metallic markers of memory and faith not merely as elements of the scenery, but as vessels for personal histories, collective sensitivity, and profound cultural continuity.

Using the language of contemporary fine-art photography, the exhibition illuminates the relationship between the individual and the road, exploring themes of loss, memory, and the urban environment. Fotopoulou’s works do not simply document a characteristic Greek sight; they transform it into a field of observation and reflection. This is a show that invites us to look again at what we pass by every day, discovering within these shrines a unique weight of emotion, tradition, and silent witness. The exhibition works well the Eugenia Grigoraki’s exhibition, also on view at the gallery, giving you a broader perspective on this distinctive symbol of the Greek landscape.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday: 15:00–20:00; Wednesday, Friday: 12:00–20:00; Saturday: 12:00–16:00. Closed on Monday & Sunday.

Evgenia Grigoraki: Roadside Shrines
2026-05-05 15:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-06 12:00 - 20:00 | Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre, 48 Armatolon-Klefton, Athens, 114 71, Greece
The Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre presents a solo exhibition by Evgenia Grigoraki titled “Roadside Shrines”, a photographic series focusing on a familiar yet often overlooked element of the Greek landscape. Through a personal and direct lens, the artist approaches these shrines not merely as markers of memory and faith, but as small, paradoxical presences that persist in inhabiting public spaces—alongside roads, around bends, and throughout our daily commutes.

The strength of the exhibition lies in this experiential, almost tender observation. Under Grigoraki’s gaze, these shrines are transformed into objects of artistic exploration, highlighting their enduring stability and the specific meaning they continue to hold within Greek society. It is an exhibition that bridges the everyday gaze with folk tradition, inviting us to pause once more before one of the most characteristic and poignant sights of the Greek roadside. Presented alongside Marilia Fotopoulou’s exhibition, the show will offer you the chance to explore two different yet complementary photographic interpretations of the same subject.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday: 15:00–20:00; Wednesday, Friday: 12:00–20:00; Saturday: 12:00–16:00. Closed on Monday & Sunday.

Athina Pappa: Angel Energy
2026-05-05 15:00 - 21:00, 2026-05-06 12:00 - 16:00 | Art Zone 42, Vasileos Konstantinou 42, Athens, 116 35, Greece
Art Zone 42 Gallery presents “Angel Energy”, the latest body of work by Athina Pappa. This exhibition marks a poignant transition from organic matter to the ethereal, shifting from recognisable forms toward a more internal, abstract experience. It is a natural evolution of her previous artistic explorations, this time carving out a more spiritual path where imagery is liberated from traditional shapes, operating instead through the interplay of colour, light, and rhythm.

In “Angel Energy”, figurative references recede, making way for expansive colour fields, rich textures, and repeating motifs that encourage the eye to move freely across the canvas. Rather than following a strict narrative, the exhibition offers a visceral experience; viewers are invited to find their own personal connection to themes of elevation, energy, and spiritual fluidity. It is a thoughtful artistic proposition that brings a sense of stillness, light, and internal shift to the heart of the city.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 15:00–21:00; Wednesday, Saturday: 12:00–16:00. Closed on Monday & Sunday.

Natassa Metaxa: Light is Life
2026-05-05 17:00 - 19:00 | Art Project Space, 66 Falirou, Athens, 117 41, Greece
At the Art Project Space, Natassa Metaxa presents her solo exhibition, “Light is Life”. A collection that explores the profound, almost existential bond between light, nature, and the human form. In Metaxa’s work, light is far more than a visual detail; it is the vital force that sculpts each form and reveals a quiet, interior dimension of our existence.

Through compositions of striking emotional depth, the artist allows light and water to coalesce, embracing the body and transforming it into a vessel of sensitivity, warmth, and strength. Her figures seem to emerge from a place of stillness and inner reflection, inviting the viewer to engage not just with their eyes, but with their soul.

This is an exhibition that illuminates the hidden sides of the self, reminding us that, in the heart of the city, light truly is life.

Opening hours: Tuesday 17:00–21:00, Thursday & Friday 12:00–20:00, Saturday 11:00–15:00. Closed on Sunday, Monday & Wednesday.

Christina Paraskevopoulou: Symbioses
2026-05-05 17:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-06 12:00 - 15:00 | Artshot – Sophia Gaitani, 11 Lempesi, Athens, 117 42, Greece
Christina Paraskevopoulou invites us to look at the world around us as if through a magnifying glass. In her latest body of work, titled “Symbioses”, the artist paints the hidden stories unfolding on the ground, in the seas, and along the shores where life continues quietly and magically.

Using ink and fine markers on paper, she creates intricate shapes and patterns that resemble living organisms or endless threads woven together. Her works are more than just images; they are an “ecological message” about the resilience of nature and the beauty of the microscopic life we so often overlook.

It’s an invitation to pause for a moment and lose yourself in a world full of colour and detail, discovering how everything in nature coexists, blooms, and renews itself.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 17:30–20:30; Wednesday, Saturday: 12:00–15:00. Closed on Monday & Sunday.

Fitness Sessions
2026-05-05 18:30 - 20:30 | Eleftherias Park, Eleftherias Park, Athens, Athens, 115 21, Greece
Parko Eleftherias is being transformed into a sprawling open-air hub of energy and well-being for this year’s This is Athens City Festival. At Fitness Sessions, movement is a celebration; here, exercise isn’t about competition—it’s about self-care, community, and recharging your batteries right in the heart of the city.

Set within one of Athens’ most refreshing green spaces, you’re invited to rediscover the joy of physical activity in a welcoming and supportive environment. Expert instructors and their teams will lead sessions for everyone, ranging from Yoga and Pilates to more high-energy workouts, offering a programme tailored to all fitness levels and needs.

Participation and good vibes are the order of the day, turning this event into a true festival for the body and the city alike. It’s a cracking opportunity to get moving together in one of Athens’ most beautiful outdoor settings.

ATHENS: AM Extended - Beyond the Lens
2026-05-05 20:00 - 23:30 | metacosmoi, 44 Geraniou, Αθήνα, 104 31, Greece
A high-tech, multi-sensory deep dive into the city’s midnight soul with photographer Thanasis Karatzas and multimedia director Byron Nikolopoulos teaming up to breathe life into 88 iconic black-and-white shots of Athens captured between 2008 and 2022. Hosted at the cutting-edge METACOSMOI space right in the heart of the city, they’ve turned static images into a living, breathing digital playground.

Using Augmented Reality (AR), VR, and sleek video projections, the exhibition takes classic street photography and adds movement, sound, and a splash of colour. The project is fresh off international acclaim at Paris Photo and Photo London, so we’re thrilled to bring it back to the very streets that inspired it. You’ll see Athens as a “palimpsest”, a city of layers where ancient history, gritty urban vibes, and the digital future all sit at the same table.

Cheimerinoi Kolymvites
2026-05-05 21:00 - 23:00 | National Archaeological Museum, Patission 44, Athens, Athens, 106 82, Greece
The National Archaeological Museum Courtyard is an incredibly “Athenian” setting, an atmospheric, hidden garden that will fill with the unmistakable sound and timeless, bohemian spirit of the legendary Greek band Cheimerinoi Kolymvites (literally “The Winter Swimmers”). They’ll be performing songs that speak of love, solitude, good company, and the quiet magic of the night.

These are tracks that have been etched into the musical memory of generations, now returning in a setting designed for proper listening and reflection, enveloped by the city’s more stunning antiquities. Think of this evening as an encounter with a different side of Greek song—one that is subtle, understated, yet deeply meaningful. It’s a night of poetic simplicity and warmth, reminding us that true artistic power is often found in the finest of details.

Nikolas Klironomos: A Retrospective (1985–2025)
2026-05-06 11:00 - 19:00 | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
This major retrospective is a brilliant place to start looking into the work of Nikolas Klironomos, an artist who has spent decades masterfully blurring the lines between fine art and set design.

Klironomos doesn’t just paint; he “directs” his canvases. Think of him as a visual filmmaker who takes the raw, chaotic energy of Athens, our streets, our faces, our light, and filters it through a lens of memory and emotion.

In this exhibition, the mundane meets the dreamlike. You’ll see the changing seasons of the city tangled up with those small, quirky moments that make life in Athens so unique. By playing with vibrant palettes and some rather unusual materials, he creates scenes that feel like they’re in constant motion. It’s a bit like catching a glimpse of Athens from a moving Vespa—everything is fluid, poetic, and strangely alive.

This exhibition is designed to speak directly to your heart and your memory. What’s truly clever is how Klironomos takes “the bits and bobs” of life, those fragmented, everyday moments, and gives them a sense of grandeur and importance. It’s a proper journey into the hidden corners of time and what it actually means to be human.

Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday: 11:00–19:00; Sunday: 10:00–16:00. Closed on Monday.

Dimitris Rentoumis: Solo Exhibition
2026-05-06 12:00 - 20:00 | Crux Gallery, 4 Sekeri, Athens, 106 74, Greece
Crux Galerie presents the solo exhibition of Dimitris Rentoumis. Through his new series of works, the artist “dialogues” with the transient and fragile nature of paper, experimenting with the transition from a two-dimensional image to a three-dimensional variable materiality. He transforms paper surfaces into sculptural forms that occupy the space.

With a rich journey that includes studies at the Athens School of Fine Arts and the Netherlands, as well as participation in prestigious programmes such as Jan van Eyck and Onassis Air, the creator brings a proposal to Athens that balances the delicacy of the material with the dynamics of the installation.

This is a unique opportunity for the public to discover how paper can “breathe” and develop beyond the boundaries of the frame, creating a living visual environment.

Opening hours: Wednesday–Friday: 12:00–20:00; Saturday: 12:00–16:00. Closed on Monday, Tuesday & Sunday.

Thematic Tour: The Depiction of the Face through the Collections of the National Gallery
2026-05-06 14:00 - 15:00 | National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum, 50 Vasileos Konstantinou, Athens, 116 34, Greece
In the main building of the National Gallery, the public has the opportunity to participate in a thematic tour dedicated to the art of portraiture. The tour explores the timeless need of artists, as well as historical figures, to keep their likeness alive through the centuries, beginning with the simple, and almost ascetic forms of the Saints in the late 16th century.

As the tour progresses towards the present day, visitors observe radical changes in materials and techniques, discovering how the long tradition of painting was transformed to render human psychography with a contemporary perspective. It is a journey into the gaze and the form, illuminating the evolution of identity and artistic expression through the treasures of the country’s most important gallery.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Guided Tour: Nikolas Klironomos Retrospective "1985–2025"
2026-05-06 17:30 - 19:00 | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
We invite you to a series of guided tours of the Nikolas Klironomos retrospective, a tour covering forty years of continuous artistic creation. The tour highlights the creator’s dual nature as both painter and set designer, revealing how he “stages” his canvas to transform images of the city and its people into poetic narratives.

As we navigate through his works, we will discover how everyday life meets the dream and how the changing seasons are captured through bold colours and special materials that provide movement and vitality. This is an opportunity to delve into the unseen aspects of time and human existence, understanding how Klironomos manages to give a monumental character to the small, fragmentary moments of our lives. An experiential tour that speaks straight to the heart and memory, offering a comprehensive look at the work of one of the most versatile creators on the contemporary Greek scene.

This activity is only available in Greek.
