ARTWORKS

ARTWORKS is a nonprofit organization that aims to create a fertile and nurturing environment for Greek artists and curators through funding and public engagement opportunities.

With the 2018 inauguration of the SNF Artist Fellowship Program, ARTWORKS has been awarding monetary prizes to individual artists and curators in recognition of their artistic skills and qualifications. The purpose of these awards is to empower the Fellows and encourage them to reflect, explore and experiment with their artistic practice. Apart from financial support, the Program offers free seminars and workshops to stimulate dialogue and creativity. The long-term goal is to create a dynamic alumni network, a support system that will promote interaction among artists, communities and institutions.

ARTWORKS was founded in 2017 and is supported by its founding donor, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). Until now, ARTWORKS has supported 390 individuals.

THE TEAM

MARILY KONSTANTINOPOULOU - Cofounder, Program Director

Marily Konstantinopoulou studied engineering at the National Technical School of Athens and holds a master’s in business administration (MSc Techno-Economic Systems) as well as a master’s degree from the University of Edinburgh (MSc Environment and Development). Apart from her scientific background, she also studied photography at the École Supérieure Nationale de la Photographie d’Arles (ESNP Arles) in France and visual journalism at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. The diversity of her background has inspired her to explore the collaborative potential between art, business and entrepreneurship.She was able to accomplish her aspirations at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where she worked at MoMA R&D (2015-2016), the Museum’s department that borrows methods from science, technology and business to catalyze its curatorial and educational programs. Prior to MoMA, she worked as MP consultant on cultural affairs at the Hellenic Parliament. In 2017, she co-founded ARTWORKS, a civil non-profit company that offers funding and professional development opportunities to young Greek artists and curators through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Artist Fellowship Program. Since 2019, she has also been working as a business associate for BLUECYCLE, a social enterprise dedicated to the recycling and upgrading of marine plastic waste generated from shipping and fishing activities. Marily is a recipient of the US O-1B visa for individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts, an IdeasCity Athens Fellow of the New Museum, a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece, a certified IPMA executive in project management. Most recently (2020-2021), she received a diploma in Science, Technology and Society (STS) studies from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).

Dimitra Nikolou - Cofounder, Program Director

Dimitra Nikoloù studied Law at the University of Athens (Lawyer – Member of the Athens Bar Association with a focus on IP and Art Law) and Art History at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She holds a Master’s Degree from University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in the Art Market (Economics, Taxation, Insurance and Management of Art Collections), an MBA International from the Athens University of Economics and Business and is certified Project Manager Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI), USA. She has gained experience from several areas in the art world, such as from her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA – Department of Architecture and Design, Curatorial Affairs) – a position supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation(SNF), as well as the auction houses Christie’s and Drouot in Paris. Before co-founding ARTWORKS in 2017, she worked for several years as scientific associate at the Bank of Greece (Art Collection, Centre for Culture, Research & Documentation), where she curated exhibitions and catalogues and worked mostly on the digitization and management of the art collection.

Panos Giannikopoulos - Program Coordinator

Panos Giannikopoulos (b. 1991) is an Athens based curator & interdisciplinary researcher. He holds an MA in Gender, Society and Politics [Panteion University, Greece] following on from studies in History, Archaeology & History of Art [National Kapodistrian University, Greece]. He is currently working for the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Artist Fellowship Program of ARTWORKS, while previous roles include that of the Curator & Researcher at the Contemporary Greek Art Institute [ISET] and the arts section editor for NOMAS Magazine. He has collaborated with various art organisations, institutions and galleries. He curated Dancing Plague, GAMeC (Bergamo 2022), Under Acupressure, B & M Theocharakis Foundation (Athens, 2022), It Moves and It Shouts, Haus N Athen (Athens, 2019), Valinia Svoronou “Endymion / Chapter 1: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse”, B & M Theocharakis Foundation (Athens, 2018), Change Nothing, Snehta (Athens, 2018), Songs, Balloons & Broken Tablets, Snehta (Athens, 2017), Massage the History, Contemporary Greek Art Institute (Athens, 2016), Open Archive: Public Art from the Center of Athens, Art Athina (Athens, 2015), International Contemporary Art Fair. He was one of the curators of the Mediterranea 19 Young Artists BiennaleSchool of Waters”, San Marino (2021). He also co-curated the group shows Be Water Again, Korai (Nicosia), (im)material gestures, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo (Turin, 2016). He has collaborated as a researcher and curator with the 4th Athens Biennale Agora (2013) and the 5to6 Athens Biennale Omonoia (2015). He was a curatorial fellow of the Schwarz Foundation (2016). He is the recipient of the curatorial award Premio Lorenzo Bonaldi per l’Arte – EnterPrize (2021).

XAVIERA KOUVARA - COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Xaviera Kouvara holds a Bsc in Economics from the Athens University of Economics and Business and a MSc in Organizational and Social Psychology from the London School of Economics. She started her career in advertising agencies in the department of Strategic Communication and then changed to Brand Communications by managing the in-house creative department of Apivita. Driven by her interest in the arts throughout the years, she worked as a volunteer in cultural institutions, before doing her internship in the Research & Development Department of the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA R&D) – a program supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Upon her return to Athens, she worked in the Museum of Cycladic Art, handling the organization and production of the exhibitions of contemporary art. She is attending photography and video art workshops and lectures on a regular basis, while recently she has presented part of her work in public.