Art is found where the heart of the city beats… in the street!

The Mataroa Street Contest returns for a second consecutive year and invites the city’s creators to capture the pulse of Thessaloniki on the liveliest canvas of all… public space, which once again becomes a site of expression.

As part of supporting contemporary Greek artistic creation, the Cultural Society, through the MATAROA Project, issues an open call to graffiti and street artists to participate in the event, inspired by the people and the city of Thessaloniki.

Regardless of style or approach, interested artists are invited to express their interest by filling out the participation form, attaching a sample of their portfolio along with a description or illustration of the idea they intend to implement.
Portfolios will be evaluated by a specialized committee in order to select 8 artists, who will be invited to create works on 2×3 meter freestanding surfaces located at the Mediterranean Park on the New Waterfront of Thessaloniki.

Each selected artist will receive a €500 honorarium, excluding materials, which will be provided by the organizers. The artworks will remain in the public space of the Waterfront for an entire year and will also be showcased in the print and digital platforms of the Cultural Society and the Mataroa Project.

The Mataroa Street Contest encourages creators to explore the relationship between the city and its people—to observe and depict daily life, history, contrasts, and the vibrant energy of Thessaloniki through their own lens of expression.

SELECTION COMMITTEE

Proposals will be evaluated by a jury consisting of:

• Action Advisor: APSET | Street Artist
• Kostis Damoulakis, Visual Artist, Graffiti Artist
• Thouli Misirloglou, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art – MoMus
• Orestis Pangalos, Architect, Visual Artist, PhD in Art Theory (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
• Vicky Papadimitriou, General Director, Cultural Society
• Bernard Cuomo, Vice President, “Friends of the New Waterfront” Association

INFORMATION

❖ Artists are invited to submit their details and a sample of their portfolio.
❖ Submission deadline: Thursday, July 24, 2025
❖ Evaluation results will be communicated to participants on Friday, August 1, 2025
❖ Implementation of the artworks will take place in early September 2025