Air Castle: A New Champion of Creative Expression and Community in Athens
Air Castle is a new art studio and workshop space in Neos Kosmos, Athens founded by artists Fotis Kolokithas and Pirro Caridha. Its programs are rooted in free expression, experimentation, and play within the creative process. The first workshops started this February, and we caught up with Kolokithas and Caridha to see how all of it is going.
March 2025 - No. 13
What does an “expression space” mean to you?
An expression space prioritizes experimentation and cultivates equality among group members. The skills, techniques, and artistic tools acquired in the workshops serve as a means for authenticity and originality.
What communities does Air Castle serve in Athens?
We believe that a space for expression and creativity provides a framework for people from diverse cultures and communities to interact and engage in open conversations, regardless of their prior experience with art.
The space should be accessible to the neighborhood, the city, and the broader artistic community through recurring and one-time art workshops led by various artists, as well as educational programs focused on arts in education.
What needs are you fulfilling within these communities?
Air Castle is about creating a space for artists and non-artists to connect through the creative process. Art is a universal language and we hope that the people participating in our workshops find common points of expression.
Founders and artists Fotis Kolokithas and Pirro Caridha
What do you (Kolokithas and Pirro) both bring to the table in this endeavor?
We created this space the same way that we hope people use it— through playful experimentation and open discourse. All of our ideas emerged naturally from brainstorming sessions without a clear distinction of what each of us brings to the table.
How do you select the teachers for your workshops?
We have either previously collaborated with or met the teachers in other artistic environments. We all share a common vision for free expression and art education. We want the artists and educators we work with to enrich the students and broaden the programming as well as help us evolve the space for the future.
How are you activating the larger art community and other artists, if at all?
There is a power in bringing a network of people together who are dedicated to the intersection of art and community. Both of us have created a strong network of collaborators through the numerous exhibitions we have participated in, classes we have taught, and organizations we have worked with. Our networks keep growing and through this, we are finding new ways of creating and building a group of diverse artists and students.
We want to start new programming on Sundays called “Orange Sun Days,” where we invite the public to come to the space and meet and create with our teachers and students in an open, welcoming setting.
What has been one of the biggest surprises or learning experiences so far?
One of the biggest challenges in starting a business is understanding that all you need to do is take the first step. We discussed this project for many years but kept postponing it. As soon as we rented the spaces and started setting it up, we let ourselves flow with the creative process and it became a reality. We were pleasantly surprised by how many people supported the project and were willing to help, even people we did not personally know. Artists, people from other similar artistic spaces, and our neighbors helped us create a real sense of community.
What resources do you need to support this project?
The regular workshops that are part of our monthly subscription, one-off workshops with a separate participation fee, and educational programming help fund the space.
What are some of the biggest challenges that you see for artists in Athens and for maintaining a space such as this?
Finances are the biggest challenge for maintaining a space like this as well as for those attending workshops. It’s important that we make our workshops as accessible as possible because art is for everyone, but the devaluation of arts in education and society makes this more difficult.
How do you plan to grow Air Castle Expression Space in the future?
The primary goal for Air Castle is for it to be sustainable without compromising on its programming or philosophy. We have other ideas about how to expand beyond the workshops, but we want it to evolve organically. It will surely fill us with joy to see our venture surpass its physical space with activities in different and unexpected places. We would like to start collaborating with schools and educational institutions to bring art to larger audiences.
Keep up with Air Castle Expression Space on Instagram @aircastle_space and its founders @fotis.kolokithas and @pirrocaridha
This interview has been edited for clarity.
