TAKIS SINOPOULOS FOUNDATION

A STUDY FOR NEO-HELLENIC POETRY

HISTORY

TAKIS SINOPOULOS FOUNDATION, A STUDY FOR NEO-HELLENIC POETRY, established, in 1995, by Nea Ionia (Athens) Municipality in accordance with the 2039/1939 Legislative Decree and its founding Presidential Decree.

It is housed in the very same residence in which Takis Sinopoulos lived and produced his work over a period of forty years. The residence donated to municipality, with a part of the poet’s selection of books, by his wife Maria Dotas- Sinopoulou and his brothers Pavlos Sinopoulos and Maria Georgiou. Accepting the donation Nea Ionia Municipality honoured the poet for his contribution to the promotion of culture both on a regional and on a national basis. Donation included neither poet’s manuscripts nor his royalties.

The residence, an old (1930) refugee style building, was renovated, in order to suit the purpose of its current functions, during Petros Bourdoukos’s mayoralty. The first Board of Directors, in particular its then President poet Vasilis Steriadis, took good care so that the study, the libraries and the living room of the residence were kept the way they were at the time of poet’ s and his wife’s death.

The institution and the function in Nea Ionia of a Foundation dedicated to the study of poetry – unique throughout Greece--it is not due to chance. Poets such as Agelos Simiriotis, Dimitris Doukaris, Takis Sinopoulos Vasilis Steriadis lived in Nea Ionia and created significant work as well as the distinguished linguist Menos Filindas. Many streets of the town are named after poets : Palamas, Kalvos, Solomos, Seferis, Sinopoulos, a.s.o and busts have been erected in honour of Agelos Simiriotis, Menos Filindas and Takis Sinopoulos.

OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

The main objectives of the Foundation are a) the study of neo-Hellenic poetry with emphasis on its modern form, the form which Takis Sinopoulos created his works, and b) the way modern poetry is connected with society. The aiming objectives will be accomplished by:

1. Creating a study of neo-Hellenic poetry which can offer to scholars and poetry-lovers a place of research, serenity and spiritual pleaser
2. An ambitious program of activities focused on modern poetry
3. Functioning a “poetical workshop” mainly for young people who are aspiring poets.

On May 27^th and 28^th 2006, on the occasion of 25 years of the poet’ s death, Nea Ionia Municipality and the Foundation mounted a sequence of activities.

On May 28^th Giannis Charalampous, mayor of Nea Ionia, uncovered Takis Sinopoulos’s bust, work of the sculpture Dimitris Armakolas, erected on the square right in front of the poet’s house on 22 Takis Sinopoulos street, Perisos, Nea Ionia.

ADMINISTRATION

Takis Sinopoulos Foundation administrated by a seven membered Board of Directors, elected, by the Nea Ionia Town Council, for a four years term. Two of them are Town Councilors and the rest five eminent men of letters and arts. The President and the vice-President of the Board are elected among the members of the Board.

First President of the Board was, for a short period of time, Yiannis Dallas, Professor of Neo- Hellenic Literature in Ioannina University, poet and essayist, succeeded by the poets Vasilis Steriadis, Christos Roumeliotakis. Today the Board is presided by the professor of Athens University and poet Xanthos Maintas

The current Board

Xanthos Maintas, Athens University Professor, Poet, President

Giorgos Zevelaki, Writer- researcher, Vice President

Konstantinos Exadaktylos, Town counselor, Cashier

Giannis Patilis, poet, Member

Kostas Koutsourelis, poet, Member

Stelios Charalambopoulos. Cinema Director and Poet, Member

Miltiades Kanavos, Town counselor, Member

 Essential contributor to the function of the Foundation is the Librarian Noula Koukidou

Takis Sinopoulos Foundation is financed by Nea Ionia Mumicipality

PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS

Annual circles on poetry literature and arts

1. 2001-2002, 20^th Century Literary Theories
2. 2003-2004, A view at the modern Hellenic poetry (1930-1960)
3. 2004-2005, Poetry and History
4. 2005-2006, 11 contemporary Greek poets argues about Poetry and read their poems
5. 2005-2006, 10 Greek poets read their poems and chat about poetry with other poets, the critics and the audience
6. 2007-2008, “Solomos today” and “15 lessons about Dionysios Solomos”, co-organizer Nea Ionia Municipality
   1. “Solomos today”, one day conference
   2. “15 lessons about Dionysios Solomos”, 15 lectures analyzing different aspects of Solomos’ s work
   3. “Zakynthos’ s Woman”, an original musical composition by Haris Vrondos, in first performance, especially ordered by the Foundation
7. 2008-2009, Poetry in the pages of 12 Literary Magazines
8. 2009-2010, Poetry on the Screen of the Cinema
9. 2010-2011, Music and Poetry
10. 2011-2012, Young Poets are riding their poems
11. 2012-2013, Ten Poets of 20^th Century
12. 2013-2014, Ten Poets of 20^th Century, 2nd serie
13. 2014-2015, Two century's Hellenic Poetry
14. 2015-2016, Two century's Hellenic Poetry, second serie

A POETIC WORKSHOP FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Poetry, besides a literary art form in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities, is a life experience, knowledge, training and study. A kind of Communication both with the public and other poets past and present.

Starting from this point of view Takis Sinopoulos Foundation established a poetic workshop for young people. An “oasis” where young poets can encounter with each other, read and discuss their work and exchange views and ideas about poetry with older eminent poets.

Enrollment in the Workshop is possible after selection on the basis of communicated authenticity which appraised by a committee. The attendance of Workshop is mandatory, completed in two terms and includes the study of Hellenic and Universal poetry.

The works of young poets are published in the annual magazine of Foundation Elpenor’s Exercises Books

Two eminent members of Athens literary family is appointed in head of the Workshop: Tasoula Karageorgiou, poetess and Philologist for A term and for the B term. Liana Sakelliou, poetess and English Literature Professoress in Athens University

The Workshop is functioning on basis of a regulation which is available to the public.