Visual Arts in Cyprus
The Cultural Services organize exhibitions of contemporary Cypriot artists both in Cyprus and abroad as well as exhibitions which come within the framework of cultural exchanges with foreign countries or in collaboration with overseas museums and institutions of art. They also arrange and support the participation of Cypriot artists in large international exhibitions such as the Biennials of Art in Venice, Sao Paolo, Alexandria, India, Cairo, the Biennial of Young Artists of the Mediterranean and others. In order to enhance, support and promote the work of Cypriot artists, as well as to enrich the State Art Collection, a number of their works is selected for purchase by a special committee. The neo-classical building, which accommodates the works, serves as a permanent museum of Cypriot art but occasionally it houses temporary exhibitions. Besides the exhibition area, there is a specialized art library on the same premises which contains art publications, exhibition catalogues and a large variety of international art magazines and periodicals. It operates as a study centre and a point of reference for artists and students. A system of financial aid and other assistance is being implemented for the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts and the association of self-taught painters and for other individual artists.
Cinema in Cyprus
The Cultural Services have been very active in the various aspects of cinema development (Production of Films, Cinema Education, Professional Training).
Cyprus Theatre
The basic aims of the development policy of the Cultural Services in the field of theatre are: Promotion of Cyprus artistic potential abroad Development of theatre education Promotion of Ancient Greek Drama Encouragement of writing for the theatre Involvement of young people in the process of creating Upgrading of public interest in theatrical creativity The Cultural Services also organize every year the Festival of Ancient Greek Drama in the ancient Odeon at Pafos with the collaboration of the Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute. In addition, the Festival of Higher Schools of Drama was organized and this gave the opportunity to students from various countries (England, Germany, Lebanon, America etc) and with different cultural roots to come into contact with one another.
Cyprus Folk Art
The Cultural Services have been active in the field of folk art in the following ways:
- Numerous traditional dance groups were given subsidies for their costumes and for their participation in folk events in Cyprus and abroad.
- Financial support was given to dance teachers and other experts to participate in dance seminars in Greece.
- Members of the Cyprus Committee of the International Organization of Folk Art and the Federation of Folklore Festivals were given subsidies to participate in international conferences.
- Costumes were sent to Cypriot folk dance groups in Greece and in Cypriot communities in Great Britain, Australia and the United States.
- Financial support was given to the folk shadow theatre.
- Subsidies were given for the organization of festivals both in towns and rural areas.
- An Advisory Committee of specialists in traditional dance and costumes has been set up to work towards the creation of archives of traditional dances, the further training of dance groups and the upgrading of the work of new musicians.
- Participation in the National Committee of Evaluation and Selection for the programme “Cyprus-Aegean-Cyprus”.
- Participation in various committees for the preservation and promotion of Cyprus cultural heritage.
- Publications on folk art.
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