About

In 2026, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) turns 30! Our three-decade journey has been one of collaboration, optimism, and a strong belief that working together can help make lasting change possible. Our compass has always pointed the same way: towards a better world for all. This anniversary is a continuation of this journey and will culminate in SNF Nostos 2026 from June 21 – 28, a festive opportunity to look back at what we’ve accomplished together and jump into conversations about what’s coming next for humanity. Get ready for a week of inspiration, ideas, and, of course, a lot of fun along the way.

As with previous editions of SNF Nostos, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens, Greece, will be the celebration’s home base. But it won’t stop there: SNF Nostos will travel across the country, from the northern regions of Greece all the way to the Peloponnese in the south. Get a taste of what we have in store for SNF Nostos 2026.

SNF Nostos Conference (June 22 – 26)

Curated with the journalism nonprofit iMEdD, our close partner, with the guidance of the SNF Nostos Youth Advisory Committee, a group of young people around the world, the signature SNF Nostos Conference that forms the backbone of the gathering will look different this year. SNF Nostos 2026 will feature four themed hubs, what we’re calling “Houses,” namely the House of Arts & Culture, the House of Civics & Education, the House of Health & Sports, and the House of Future. Here, you’ll find a variety of offerings including talks and discussions that give our grantee-partners the microphone. On June 26, the Core of the Conference arrives with a day of plenary sessions illuminating our journey over the past 30 years while looking ahead and diving into key ideas for humanity and what makes us human, from global geopolitics to the values playing sports can impart, and the power of family to the life-changing impact of AI—for better or worse. An SNF Dialogues “fishbowl” discussion—curated and moderated by Anna Kynthia Bousdoukou—and held in collaboration with Simon Fraser University sets the tone for the free-flowing, unscripted conversations that are the SNF Nostos Conference’s trademark.

SNF Nostos Run (June 23)

As always, we’ll get moving for a good cause at the much-loved SNF Nostos Run, which features 6K and 10K routes beginning in the Zappeion Garden in Central Athens and ending at the SNFCC, as well as a 1K route around the SNFCC for Special Olympics athletes.

Release Athens x SNF Nostos (June 21 & June 25)

We’re reupping our successful collaboration from 2023 in 2026—a landmark year for both Release Athens Festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and for SNF, which is celebrating its 30th—promising two days of unforgettable concerts. On Sunday, June 21, the one and only David Byrne will put on an extraordinary show at the SNFCC as part of his Who Is the Sky? tour, filled with legendary songs from his Talking Heads and solo career. On Thursday, June 25, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn’s groundbreaking project, is coming to Greece for the first time ever to treat us to a one-of-a-kind audiovisual experience at Plateia Nerou.

From digital immersion to digital detox and from opera stage to dance floor

Throughout the week, the Greek National Opera (GNO) ballet will put on a run of specially conceived performances, while a dance-driven party soundtracked by a marquee DJ will be hosted at the SNFCC Agora. The Tällberg Foundation will present The Trials of Atlas, a participatory performance in which everyone is invited to bring out their courtroom drama chops and help put AI on trial. We’ll get to have genuine interactions with other people in a leave-your-phone-at-the-door tech-free zone at the Kafeneio tou Yianni. Since 2026 is a World Cup year, we’ll be watching the games together as well as competing in Nostos-specific editions of a popular Athenian trivia night. And you can always take a virtual journey further afield, experiencing the geographic and thematic breadth of SNF’s more than 5,600 grants through an immersive installation.
Want more information? Browse the full schedule.