On the occasion of International Women’s Day, celebrated every year on March 8, the City of Athens, the Organization for Culture, Sports and Youth of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA), and the visual artist Georgia Lale, co-organized the festival “True Blue” on March 6, 7, and 8, 2026, at the City of Athens Arts Center.
The festival functioned as a classroom and invited us to renegotiate the female experience in contemporary society. Through art, public dialogue, and collaboration with specialized organizations, “True Blue” sought to contribute to awareness, prevention, and the cultivation of a culture of respect, equality, and support. At the same time, it created a safe space for expression, memory, and collective awareness. The exhibition “True Blue” included three sections:
01. “THE CLASSROOM“
A school room in which educational programs, talks, and workshops took place, focusing on themes such as self-esteem, healthy boundaries, and healthy relationships. In place of the blackboard, the artwork “In This Sign, Conquer” was displayed, depicting intergenerational connection and support among
women. The work includes visual references to the “Alphabet Book” (1955), illustrated by K. Grammatopoulos.
More than 100 drawings were created in preparation for the festival by women and femmes during workshops led by Georgia Lale, in collaboration with organizations that support people who have experienced gender-based violence and/or face mental health challenges. The resulting artworks were part of the “True Blue” festival’s “Classroom”. The organizations that participated in the workshops were the Center for Gender Equality DIOTIMA, Action for Women, Red Umbrella Athens, ANASA, and GRIBS International.
02. “TRUE BLUE”
The artwork “True Blue” features the map of Greece made from bedsheets donated by women to the artist, on the condition that they had rested on them and dreamed of an equal and safe world. This piece commemorates victims of femicide in Greece from 2008 to 2025.
“I OBSERVE AND WRITE”
The interactive installation “I Observe and Write” was a labyrinth of hanging bed sheets through which visitors moved experientially and discovered hidden messages.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, and to the President of OPANDA, Roxani Bei, for supporting Georgia Lale’s vision to create an inspiring space for women to celebrate, learn, and fight for a safe and equal world.
The “True Blue” Festival would not be possible without the hard work of the City of Athens Arts Center personnel, Anastasia Michalopoulou, Antonia Kokosi, and Thodoris Halkis.
Participating in the three-day festival were organizations specializing in the female experience, such as DIOTIMA, Red Umbrella Athens, Action for Women, Gine Anthropos (Become Human), ANASA, Women’s Health First, Project Parenting, and Positive Voice.
“TRUE BLUE” FESTIVAL PROGRAM
Friday, March 6, 2026
11:00 | PROJECT PARENTING – “Educational activity with a school” with Marianna Antonakaki
13:00 | “True Blue” Exhibition – Opening
17:00 – 18:00 | Women’s Health First – Talk: “Stereotypes in Women’s Health”
18:30 – 20:00 | Carefull (Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network), directed by Christina Krithari
Saturday, March 7, 2026
10:00 – 11:00 | Pilates session led by OPANDA physical education instructors
11:00 – 12:00 | PROJECT PARENTING – “The Strength I Already Had” – experiential workshop with Maritina Symvoulidi
12:00 – 13:00 | Georgia Lale – Guided tour of the “True Blue” exhibition
13:30 – 15:30 | DIOTIMA – Creative writing workshop for women
16:30 – 17:30 | PROJECT PARENTING – “Invisible Labor: When Everyday Life Held Society Together” – experiential workshop with Danae Triantafylli
18:00 – 19:00 | Georgia Lale – Guided tour of the “True Blue” exhibition
Sunday, March 8, 2026
15:00 – 16:00 | PROJECT PARENTING – “Your Eyes in Mine” – experiential workshop for mothers and
teenage daughters with Mia Adamidou
16:00 – 17:00 | RED UMBRELLA – Book presentation “Why I don’t have like yours, mom?” by Anna Kouroupou with Zeta Douka
17:00 – 18:00 | ANASA – Talk: “Eating Disorders: Food for Thought” with Eftychia Psyllou, Psychologist and Rafaela Makri, Nutritionist
18:00 – 19:00 | “ALL TOGETHER” – Panel discussion among representatives of all participating organizations
19:00 – 20:00 | String Quartet of the Athens Municipal Symphony Orchestra
Photography by Andreas Soutsis