The Erasmus+ @postasis Kickoff Meeting took place in the Annex of Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA) in Delphi (24-28 January 2018).

Delphi is a symbolic place: in Ancient Greece, Delphi has been the greatest oracle for the future. Ancient Greeks believed that this was the “center of the world”, the “omphalos” (navel) of earth, as they called it.

For @postasis project there is another, particularly important, symbolic dimension: since 2004, a series of international meetings have taken place here, in the scope of Erasmus Intensive Programmes, between students and teachers from Higher Educational Institutions and Art Schools from Europe (and China), such as Athens School of Fine Arts (organizer and host), Paris-8 University, Tourcoing School of Fine Arts, UPV Valencia, Goldsmiths University, University of Hull, School of Fine Arts of the University of Shanghai.

These meetings were focused on the concept of defining a virtual laboratory for artistic creation and collaboration, through the combination of contemporary technologies and artistic practices. The activities, which were named “the Delphus project”, led to several platform prototypes, onsite workshops, and publications of texts to international conferences and they also put the basis for the establishment of the Greek-French Master “Art, virtual reality and multiuser systems of artistic expression” between ASFA, and Paris-8 (running since 2012).

Erasmus+ @postasis: Virtual Artistic Laboratory is the continuation of this effort. All the previous experience of ASFA and Paris-8 University, together with the valuable contribution of highly specialized partners from the field of Generative Art (ARGENIA, IT), Art and Technology for society (MAD Emergent Art Center, NL) specialized software development (Ωmega Technology, GR), will enable the realization of a complete platform - tool, in conjunction with an educational methodology for contemporary digital artists, educators, researchers, and other interested stakeholders.