NICOSIA: Cyprus is preparing an extensive cultural program as it gears up for its upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026. The cultural agenda, described as “very rich” by Culture Deputy Minister Vasiliki Kassianidou, will encompass a wide array of events both domestically and internationally.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Deputy Ministry of Culture is orchestrating an ambitious schedule that includes significant exhibitions and events within Cyprus, as well as internationally through the country’s embassies. Among the major events, the opening ceremony is slated for January 2026. Noteworthy exhibitions will be hosted at prominent venues such as the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels and an archaeological exhibition in Rome focusing on Cyprus-Italy relations.
The international reach of the program will also see an exhibition in Barcelona exploring the connection between Cypriot antiquities and Picasso’s clay works, which bear Cypriot influences. In Paris, the Louvre Museum will host an archaeological exhibition, while Copenhagen will feature a handicraft exhibition. Additionally, the Hellenic Centre in London will exhibit works by Cypriot artist Paul Georgiou in collaboration with the Leventis Gallery.
Selection procedures for curators of these exhibitions are set to commence in January 2025. Moreover, Kassianidou mentioned plans to decorate buildings in Brussels where EU sessions and meetings will occur, though the thematic concept has yet to be finalized.