Art Explora: all abord the ship selling culture around the Mediterranean

A cultural festival that's unique is the promise offered by Art Explora, a Mediterranean based initiative that aims to create a new dialogue between the arts and the public.

Its centrepiece is an impressive 47-metre-long catamaran that functions as a floating museum, while also staging a series of exhibitions, concerts and performances on its deck, and where the vessel docks, all for free.

The ship's latest stop is the Greek port Piraeus, the 10th city to welcome Art Explora on its voyage to 15 countries which began in March last year and is due to end in the autumn of 2027.

By adopting a contemporary and creative approach, the goal is to promote new forms of access, participation and interaction with arts and culture, by using digital technology and mobile programmes.

Frédéric Jousset, the 'captain' and founder of Art Explora, says: "The idea behind this initiative is to make art accessible to a wider audience, to reach people who think art is sometimes boring or too expensive. The way we do that is by designing this museum-ship. It's the first time in the history of art that we're designing a museum that sails on the sea. The reason behind this is that 60% of the world's population lives within 60 minutes of the coast. The population lives there. People are fascinated by large sailing boats. We thought that this ship is the magnet that will attract many people to have a cultural experience for free.

"We have attracted over 400,000 people and they come in droves because, firstly, it is a beautiful ship. Last year it was voted the best sailing ship in the world. It's actually the largest sailing catamaran in the world. And then there is a village around us, which offers multiple cultural experiences," adds Jousset.

The world's first floating museum

Capable of accommodating up to 2,000 visitors a day, Art Explora is a 47-metre-long, 55-metre-high catamaran-type sailing vessel and is the world's first travelling floating museum.

On deck, there's an immersive sound experience focusing on the richness and multiculturalism of the Mediterranean, designed and produced by IRCAM (Institute for Research and Coordination of Acoustics/Music of the Pompidou Centre) and IRCAM Amplify.

Inside the ship, offers visitors a journey through space and time through the virtual reality series Mediterranean Wonders. Designed by Ubisoft, this installation allows people to "see" iconic Mediterranean cities such as Athens, Alexandria and Venice in their heyday.

The main pavilion of the festival hosts the contemporary art exhibition 'Under the Azure'. It features works by around 20 artists who draw inspiration from the emotive power of the Mediterranean, the myths that surround it, the creatures that inhabit it and the visions it conjures up.

The works of Joan Miró, Etel Adnan and Andrian Villar Rojas also feature heavily in the exhibition.

"The idea was to have artists of great historical importance, but also emerging, famous and others, from different generations, with different practices from all over the Mediterranean region. That is, artists who were or are today very fascinated by the sea, by the movements in the Mediterranean region, by the mythologies, histories and realities of today, by what this sea is today, by the problems it faces today, by the social challenges, the ecological aspects, but also by the issues of the region," explains co-curator Blanche de Lestrange.

The Greek "live" programme of the ten-day festival includes performances, film screenings, concerts, dance, installations, discussions and workshops.

The Greek version of the festival is curated by Katerina Tselou: "We have set up a 10-day programme here with wonderful artists who I appreciate very much and I thank them for accepting this invitation. They focus on all the issues that a Mediterranean country faces, such as issues of ecology and sustainability, issues of migration and mobility, as well as local issues that have to do with insularity, with the relationship between Piraeus and the islands. The festival tries to connect Greece, Athens and the port of Piraeus with other Mediterranean ports. It's a rich programme that has everything."

The Art Explora festival at Gate E8 of the Port of Piraeus runs until 12 October. Entrance to all events is free of charge. Some activities, such as visits to the floating museum and workshops, require free online booking.