Collaborations
For Zoe, painting equals meditation. A pathway to healing and the mystical transformation of both the external and internal reality.
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Collaborations as an illustrator:
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Culture
- Greek Folk Art Museum
- ActionAid Hellas
- Researchers for the newspaper Kathimerini
- Cultural Organization of the Municipality of Athens
- Panhellenic Association of Families for Mental Health, and more.
Book Illustrations:
- “Fairytales Travel”, co-published by ActionAid Hellas and the Ministry of Education. Selection, adaptation, illustration: Zoe Nikitaki as part of the educational program “Children of the World – Citizens of the World”, distributed in primary schools in Greece and Cyprus.
- “Folk Tales of Zakynthos”, Trimorfo publications. Selection, adaptation, illustration: Zoe Nikitaki
- Poems by the Indian poet Subhankar Dash, published in a poetry collection in Romania
- “Narkisus”, novel by Indian author Sreemanti Sengupta, published by Onager Editions, New York.
- “Fairytales for the Truth of our Heart”, written and illustrated by Zoe Nikitaki, published by Konidaris Editions.
- “And you Lived, Happily Ever After”, Lilian Tsatsaroni, lyrics – music: George Kagialikos, performed by Lilian Tsatsaroni, published by Metronomos (book – CD).
- “Ariadne’s Thread”, Ariadni Gerouki, published by Archetypo (I illustrated the cover and some decorative motifs in the book).
- Characters for the Environmental Education Program. “Carbon Busters”, The program was implemented in Finland and in some schools in Greece in collaboration with the Onassis Stegi and the Ministry of Education. The character I illustrated for the program, Peter Blue, was used as the national mascot for an environmental awareness campaign in Finland.
- Cover for the book “The Sleeping King” by author Laurel Colless, published by a subsidiary of the renowned Hay House.
- “The Wish”, a fairy tale by Konstantina Barla, published by Ocelotos Editions.
- “From Heart to Heart, Anything is Possible”, published by Life Alphabet In a collector’s case with two fairy tales, 20 artworks, and two CDs featuring live storytelling by me, with music composed by Nikos Kritselis with songs, lyrics, and performance by Stelios Karpathakis.
- “Coloring Healing Book – Painting the Visions of the Inner Source” published by Ocelotos Editions.
- I have also illustrated 3 more books with fairy tales that are set to be released.
Storytelling Performances - Collaborations with other Artists
- With the theatrologist and theatrical play animator, Christina Marsellou, in the storytelling performance “The Golden-Green Bird – Fairy Tales and Theatrical Games”, a collection of fairy tales featuring ghosts, fairies, elves, and mythical creatures. This production was staged at the Black Duck Multiplarte art space for a season and was also performed for the children of the “Ark of the World” organization.
- With musician Vasilis Alafogiannis on the flute in various fairy tale performances for both children and adults. Examples include “They Call Me Baby Boy, They call me Babalo, They Call Me Boheme”, “May Day’s magic”, “There’s a Museum for Every Pot (rough translation of a Greek idiom with a twist)”, “Myths and Legends of the Sea”, “Pleiades and the Morning Star”, “Fairy Tales Travel to the Book Arcade”, and more.
- With the mezzo-soprano Angeliki Gali in the performance “Unraveling the Veil of Time”
- With the guitarist Stathis Roupakiotis in the performance “Unraveling the Veil of Time”
- With the musician Vasilis Vasilakis on the guitar in the presentation of “Folktales of Zakynthos” at the Bathhouse of the Winds Museum.
- With the theatrologist and director Melina Skoufou in the performance “Whatever comes from the heart, always finds the way…” at the “Symmoria tou Iliou” art space.
- With the puppet theater group from Japan, Seiwa Bunraku, in the performance “Yuki Onna” as part of the Greek-Japanese Conference on Lafcadio Hearn.
- With the musicians Katerina Konstantinou and Mikko Papadopoulos-Laitinen in the presentation of the book “Fairy Tales for the Truth of Our Heart” at the bookstore “Epi Lexi”.
- With the Bhakti Age Kirtan Group for the adult performance, “The Singing Key”.
- With the composer and musician Giorgos Kagialikos and the mezzo-soprano Lilian Tsatsaroni in the presentation of the work “And You Lived, Happily Ever After” at Ianos.
- With the musician Jason Psarakis on sitar, a student of classical and experimental music at the Santiniketan Music University of India.
Some of the venues I have collaborated with:
- Museum of Greek Folk Art
- Bathhouse of the Winds Museum
- Museum of Man and Tools
- Herakleidon Museum
- Natural History Museum of Zakynthos
- Numismatic Museum
- Fournos Theater
- Cacoyannis Foundation
- Pyrna
- Center for Physical and Mental Awareness, Anadysis
- Technohoros Art Gallery
- Greek-French Union Gallery
- Black Duck Multiplarte Art Space
- Sun Society Arts Space
- Athens Conservatoire
- School of Play
- Pefkites Forest School
- Hrysi Tomi, Society of intellectual & social activity of Keratea
- Iliatoras, Multipurpose Specialistic Clinic of Creta
- Technopolis, City of Athens
- Art Hall in the Book Arcade
- Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall Garden
For the Oncology Hospital Agios Savvas
I designed and conducted special storytelling programs for cancer patients, from 2008 to 2012, such as the following:
“Journey to the garden of fairy tales, journey to the truth of our heart”
“Fairy tales travel and heal”
Collaboration With The Greek Folk Art / Modern Greek Culture Museum
From April 2006 to 2014, I collaborated on a daily basis throughout the academic year with the Educational Programs Department of the Museum, specifically focusing on:
- Designing, implementing, and animating educational programs for students of all levels of education, individuals with special needs, and adults.
- Storytelling
- Developing educational materials and illustrating museum educational materials
- Creating posters for educational programs and cards for the Museum shop
- Illustrating the monthly ethnographic magazine for children published by the Museum
- Visual art projects
Management and Implementation of a European Program.
In collaboration with the “Friends of the Museum of Greek Folk Art,” over a duration of 8 months in 2008, I undertook the management and development of the program with the title: “΅Wheat – Flour – Bread, Ideas for Entrepreneurship through Folk Culture” which was co-financed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and the European Social Fund. This action was implemented by the “Friends of the Museum of Greek Folk Art” in partial collaboration with the Cultural Organization of the Municipality of Athens.
As part of the program, I undertook the following:
- I was responsible for designing and implementing an interactive educational program for children using visual cognitive material and storytelling. Additionally, I oversaw the creation of materials and illustration workshops for adults with the aim of transmitting content and inspiration for the practical application of ideas and the implementation of entrepreneurial activities within various aspects of Folk Culture.
- I also created posters and curated photographic exhibition material
- I also organized a conference with participants from all over Greece, whom I invited to participate with their lectures and workshops.
The aim was for the participating speakers to inform, educate the audience, and convey their enthusiasm, love, inspiration, and faith in the realization of their vision, which was successfully implemented both within and outside Greece, overcoming the initial constraints of minimal resources.
A group of individuals from the KETHEA program, who had successfully completed their addiction recovery program, was also invited to participate.
Within the framework of the event, there was an experiential workshop involving the collaboration of all the groups, storytelling, as well as a traditional musical performance.
Festival Participation
- Festival of the Fournos Theater with the performance “Τhe Golden-Green Bird – Fairy Tales and Theatrical Games” in collaboration with theaterologist and theatrical play animator, Christina Marsellou.
- Aegina Fistiki Festival in Aegina, featuring storytelling for children titled “A sea breeze by the seashore blew, carrying fairy tales as it flew…”
- Eco-fest “At home” for solidarity and self-organization at Georgiadi Park in Heraklion, Crete, with the performance for both young and old, “The Giving Tree and Other Wonderful Eco-Fairytales.”
- International Street Theater Festival with four performances in Thiseio and the Michalis Cacoyannis Foundation, presenting the interactive performance for all ages, “Come Unravel the Red Thread, Come and Hear the Truth it’ll Tell”
- Wonder Festival of the 1st Volunteer Groups Festival at the Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens as a member of the “Pnoi Agapis” volunteer group, featuring interactive storytelling for adults with active audience participation, titled “Fairytales Travel with the Breath of Love”.
- Lembessi Art Festival in collaboration with the “Technochoros” art gallery, featuring storytelling sessions for young and old audiences.
- 1st Educational Festival of IEK XINI.
- Yoga Spring Fair in the garden of the Megaron Athens Concert Hall.
- Festival at Mets “Neighborhoods of the World”
Participation in Conferences
I have participated representing “PNOIS AGAPIS” a Volunteer Association for the Emotional and Social Support of People with Cancer and their Families, with speeches on the therapeutic dimension of art, as well as storytelling in the following conferences:
- At the One Day Conference held at ESIEA for the first time in Greece, titled as: “Cancer – Mass Media, Information Flow”, in 2011.
- At the 7th Panhellenic Conference of Clinical Oncology in 2011.
- I participated in the Scientific Conference on the personality and the spiritual work of Marietta Minotou, which took place at the National Historical Museum of Athens (the Old Parliament Building) and at the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Zakynthos in September and October 2012. I presented my book “Folktales of Zakynthos”, which had been recorded in the rural Zakynthian dialect by Marietta Minotou in the 1930s. This was done through live storytelling of one of the seven magical folktales that I chose to adapt and illustrate.
- At the Greek-Japanese Conference for Lafcadio Hearn, Lefkada Island, July 2014, where I participated by narrating a folktale in collaboration with the Seiwa Bunraku puppet theater group from Japan
Other Collaborations
- With the Pedagogical Department and the Preschool Education Department of IEK Xini, a seminar on storytelling and illustration, focusing on its value as an educational tool, and on the art of narration within the educational process.
- With public organizations, such as “KEFALOS” of the Municipality of Lavreotiki and other municipal entities, to deliver educational training seminars for childcare professionals in nursery facilities.
- Topics covered include:
“Secrets on the Art of Storytelling: The Fairytale
A pedagogical and therapeutic tool of self-awareness in teaching practice.”
“How the protagonist of a fairytale can awaken the hidden power within the child.”
“The Fairytale as a Pedagogical and Therapeutic Tool for Self-Discovery in Teaching Practice”
- Since 2016, I have consistently conducted experiential seminar series on the art of storytelling in fairy tales for educators, professionals in the mental health field, and parents in Greece and Cyprus, covering various topics. Some of which are:
“The Fairytale as a Pedagogical and Therapeutic Tool for Self-Discovery in Teaching Practice”
“Seminars on creative imagination and empowerment through the magical world of fairy tales and Color”
“Seminars on therapeutic fairy tale writing and the unveiling of each soul’s unique gifts
- In collaboration with the University of Ioannina, the Department of Education and Care in Early Childhood, I conducted a seminar on the therapeutic function of fairy tales.
Online Television Show
- With Omorfi Zoi and Enallaktiki Drasi, a collaboration of several years by writing articles on the therapeutic and educational value and function of fairy tales.
- With online magazines and blogs targeting educators, parents, and youth, such as: Paidorama, Paramythitis, Enimerotika Grammata, Childit, Poiein magazine – Poetic Art Inspection, Lykos poetry magazine, Κidscloud, Τhinkfree, TALC, Trito Mati and more. Over time, I have periodically published articles related to fairy tales, children, and psychodynamic color therapy.
My work with fairy tales has been supported and featured in both daily and periodical publications, including but not limited to Vima, Vimagazino, Eleftherotypia, Kathimerini, Athinorama, Tiletheatis, Poiein – Poetic Art Inspection, and Polis Magazino, a city magazine focusing on art and culture.
Additionally, my work has been featured and promoted through radio and television broadcasts, with some journalists consistently aiding and supporting my efforts. A portion of my work related to storytelling for patients in the oncology hospital was showcased in a documentary by Angelos Kovotsos for ERT.
Collaborations as an article writer:
In 2016, I created and performed a series of programs for the Enati Enallaktiki Online Television, titled: “The Dreamtree of Fairytales”
