Open Calls 2025

Awake the Senses - Melivoia, Mount Kissavos

Overview

Awake the Senses - A Creative Residency in Melivoia, Mount Kissavos invites artists and creative individuals to embark on a transformative 10-day journey, integrating artistic practice with personal well-being in the heart of nature.

Set in the serene village of Melivoia, on the slopes of Mount Kissavos, this residency fosters a deep connection with the body, movement, and the senses as sources of inspiration. Open to artists across all disciplines, the program offers an immersive experience that encourages rest, reflection, and interdisciplinary exchange in a peaceful and supportive environment.

Through movement practices, nature immersion, and creative dialogue, participants will have the opportunity to reconnect with themselves and their artistic practice, exploring new perspectives and allowing ideas to emerge organically.

The Program includes

Personal Artistic Practice: Participants may work on individual projects in a tranquil, inspiring setting.

Daily Movement Practices: Enhance body awareness and creative flow through guided sessions.

Sensory Exploration: Engage deeply with the surrounding environment, using nature as a source of artistic inspiration.

Interdisciplinary Exchange: Connect with a diverse group of artists, exchanging ideas and perspectives.

Final Presentation & Open Nights Festival: Artists have the opportunity to showcase their work in Melivoia on the final day and may also be invited to participate in the Open Nights Festival, an interdisciplinary arts event held in the nearby city of Larissa.

Eutopia Art Residency Team Member Role: As a member of the Eutopia Art Residency team, your responsibilities include presenting the artist and their work, contributing to the digital archive of Eutopia Art Residency as a collaborator. Additionally, you will assist and guide artists in exploring the local community, culture, and gastronomy, ensuring a holistic and enriching residency experience.

Location

Melivoia, a traditional village on Mount Kissavos, offers an unspoiled natural landscape with lush forests, rivers, waterfalls, and proximity to the stunning coastline of Agiokampos and Rakopotamos. Participants will also have the chance to explore the Calypso Gorge and the medicinal springs of Kokkino Nero.

The residency takes place in a beautifully restored stone house with panoramic views of the Aegean Sea, providing an ideal space for contemplation, creativity, and collaboration.

Housing

Participants will be accommodated in private single rooms, ensuring a balance between comfort and solitude while being part of an artistic community.

Included in the residency fee:

Private accommodation in a traditional stone house
Access to a shared workspace with sea views
All scheduled movement and body awareness sessions
Transport for excursions and nature exploration
Daily breakfast and one full meal per day, made with locally sourced ingredients

Workspace and Curators

Workspace and Coordinators The residency is led by experienced movement and creative professionals, fostering a supportive atmosphere for exploration and growth.

Roula Karaferi

Roula Karaferi is a dancer, choreographer, and Dance Movement Psychotherapist (MdaT), with academic training from Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. She has performed, directed and taught across Europe. She is currently a freelancer working as movement instructor and personal coach for artists. She directs and curates the interdisciplinary Arts festival OPEN NIGHTS and is pursuing a PhD at the University of Thessaly in Physical Education & Sport Science.

Stella Topalidou

Stella Topalidou is a Feldenkrais Method practitioner and psychologist with expertise in trauma healing through neurobiologically oriented somatic approaches. She has trained in contemporary dance and performance and she has been a member of contemporary dance groups. She founded Feldenkrais Thessaloniki in 2014 offering seminars, group courses and individual sessions. She works with athletes, artists, individuals with neurological and musculoskeletal conditions and those experiencing chronic pain, anxiety and movement difficulties.

Program Dates & Fees 2025

Below you can find information related to duration, fees and availability.

Duration - 10 days

Fall

Arrival Friday 29 August 2025

Departure Sunday 7 Septem. 2025

10 places (private room + 2 meals) 2100€

Fee: Includes accommodation, movement sessions, workspace, transport for excursions, and daily meals.

Apply Now

How will you get there

Melivoia is accessible from Thessaloniki and Athens. The recommended route is to fly into Thessaloniki, take a bus to Larissa, then transfer to Agia. Participants will be picked up from Agia
(8 km from Melivoia). Detailed travel guidance will be provided upon registration.

For any further information our team will be in personalised communication with you in order to organise together your trip.

FAQs

Is there funding?

For the time being, Eutopia Art Residency cannot provide scholarships

Are there any requirements for Artists?

Since Eutopia Art Residency focuses on research, knowledge sharing and experience with other artists and the local area, there are no required results.

What is included in the participation cost in the residence?

Accommodation (with water, electricity, natural gas, kitchen utensils, set of towels and bed linen, free street parking, weekly cleaning, access to the studio, access to our equipment, editorial help). Activities are planned throughout the month, such as open studio events, workshops, trips in nature, public speaking or traveling, publishing your profile in our online archive; free Wi-Fi both in the house and in the studio, breakfast and transportation during the program.

What is NOT included in the participation cost in the residence?

Travel costs, medical insurance, food, production costs, consumables and any additional services

Can I have a visitor during my stay?

No. Visiting partners and associates are not welcomed in the same studio.

Is there a meal plan?

Each accommodation undertakes to offer you daily breakfast and one full meal each day. The rest of the meals of the day are not included in the price.

Restaurants and taverns with very good food and with a menu of Mediterranean Greek Cuisine (Vegan etc.) at a very low cost, there are many in the village and very close to the accommodation.

Do you provide editorial assistance?

Once accepted for residency, our editor will chat with each of the artists to better understand their interests and help plan their travel and accommodation. In addition, we will create a housing plan consisting of group activities, individual feedback sessions, workshops and trips. Please also discuss your studio space needs in detail, accommodation, equipment etc.

Throughout your stay, we will always be available to answer your questions, help you with your needs and plan your activities. If you need support finding a specific type of equipment or hardware, you can contact locals to join your project or suggest interesting websites related to your research.

How should I get to the residence building from the airport?