Pioneering summer residency on creative research, direct making & social involvement, within an inspiring mediterranean natural scenery in rural Greece - July 2026

Dear Professor,

I truly hope my email finds you well.

I thought your students would like to know about this, there’s now an exciting opportunity in Greece to take part in a pioneering program of design & art residencies in the run up to the Athens Design Festival. A platform of intense genuine creativity, involving all social groups, the first ever manifestation of its kind in the whole country.

The 2026 residencies’ program, Periplus* Workshops, offers the unique opportunity for emerging creatives to respond to nature in a small isolated rural village, in the middle of the legendary Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark area on the island of Crete, in Greece. A land of myths, which through a myriad of powerful historic changes is characterized by its strong environmental physiognomy and genuine agricultural character, along with a multifaceted folk heritage. With inhabitants of an exceptionally independent nature, that form a distinctive society and with long-lasting rooted traditions regarding material culture.

In a carefully structured period of twelve intensive days, a selected determined group of multidisciplinary participants use limited resources to create individual and collaborative responses, culminating in a local exhibition which is open to the wider local community and encourages an outward-facing conversation about the value of experimental creativity in context.

As well as learning from and working alongside local people, participants in Periplus Workshops foster sustainable development through skill sharing, introducing new approaches to problem solving and storytelling. At the same time, learning about the traditional forms of handicrafts and local material culture, they are looking for new ways of better preserving and innovatively including them. They take active part into giving the selected territory visibility as a living laboratory, open to new thinking capable of playing a key role in positively improving the social fabric and bring about new ways of doing and being.

Spaces are limited and following the amazing response created in the previous years, there are expectations for significantly high-quality responses. We think that your students have a good chance of getting selected.

We encourage them to apply!

Coming Summer, July 2026

You may find more information on : https://www.periplusworkshops.com/

A short key points introduction to the residency is also following in this email, as well as an attached pdf.

Looking forward to your valued and hopefully supportive response, I'm always eager to answer any questions arising. Hoping that at the end of the day we shall welcome your selected students/graduates/academic members in Greece, in order to share and enjoy the unique Periplus* experience in summer.

With kind regards,

Dimitris Skourogiannis

Designer (F.O.E.D.)

Periplus Workshops & Athens Design Festival (ADF), Director

www.periplusworkshops.com

info[at]periplusworkshops.com

dskourogiannis[at]gmail.com

*Periplus: a Greek word of ancient origin, means sailing around. A periplus is a voyage around something, like an island or a coastline. A circumnavigation.

A periplus was also, since ancient times, the record of such a voyage.

Periplus Workshops 2026

 towards a new MATERIALITY / towards a new MATEREALITY

 Reinventing placemaking / Revealing matter’s potential on the island of Crete,Greece

 Twelve days residency on creative research, direct making & social involvement, for designers, artists, architects, creatives & performing artists, working across all cultural fields.

Periplus Workshops offers selected creative and cultural students, graduates, tutors and

professionals from all over the world, the time and space to delve into a constantly open lab, where thinking through making, direct experiential access to local identity and a deeply humanizing relationship with nature may develop into a new approach to immense creativity.

Gathering knowledge that may subsequently help local communities better deal with their existing and future multifaceted challenges. Powerfully reengaging them with the wealthy but frequently neglected potential of their local natural and cultural environment.

When: July 2026

Where: Rethymno region, Crete, Greece (Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark)

Who can apply: designers, artists & creatives, architects, innovation engineers, future material & sustainability researchers, performing artists, culture curators

Duration of residency:

One 12 days (11 nights) period (19-30 July)

Accommodation:

Shared ensuite rooms at the hospitable Anogeia Environmental Education Center, at the edge of a traditional village, with all bathrooms WC/shower.

Disciplines, work equipment and assistance:

Design / Arts / Crafts / Architecture / Material Innovation / Curating / Visual Arts / Media Arts / Sound Art / Sustainability practice / Social Innovation / Exhibition Design / Food Experience

Studio / Workspace:

Shared indoor & outdoor studios

More info, fees and support at:

https://www.periplusworkshops.com/

Application information at:

https://www.periplusworkshops.com/bookings

=========================================

Application deadline:

2026-5-31 (for early bird only)

Residency starts:

2026-07-19

Residency ends:

2026-07-30

Location:

Anogeia village [Rethymno region, Crete - Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark] Greece

Link to more information:

https://www.periplusworkshops.com/