Negotiations between the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and the three jointly competent ministries (Finance, Culture and Education) are going “very well” the day after the SNF donation, which has kept Stavros running smoothly until today. Niarchos Cultural Center Foundation (SNFCC).

At least that’s what Foundation sources say a few days after the first donation extension granted last year in February expired. As a reminder, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation has pledged (in addition to the expensive construction of facilities) to finance the work of the SNFCC during the first five years in the amount of 50 million euros. In February 2022, as this period was drawing to a close, the SNF hurried to extend its donation by one year, with the President of the Foundation, Andreas Drakopoulos, not being shy about his words during an open debate organized on those days on the occasion of the celebration of the first five years of work Houses of culture.

“SNFCC was the largest donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation,” he said. “We, as parents, also sympathize with him and want him to continue to achieve his goals. This requires a lot of work. There is a bit of the “institution behind, let it be” philosophy. We are here, but we are not eternal, the project must stand on its own two feet. We are not going to give up, but constantly lagging behind is harmful.”

There was no official government response to Mr. Drakopoulos’ “warnings”, nor were there any further announcements about the end of the donation extension on February 23, the sixth anniversary of the handover of the project to the Hellenic State. In fact, SNF currently covers approximately 50% of the Cultural Center’s annual budget, according to statements by SNFCC Managing Director Ellis Andriopulu. This corresponds to a significant portion of the Center’s operating costs and also covers the total cost of all programs implemented at its facilities. “The other 50% comes from the services we offer to the National Library and the National Opera, and a small part from the Greek state, as well as commercial revenues such as catering and side events. Any lack of funding from the Fund will have consequences for the work of the Center,” said Ms. Andriopulu in the context of the same anniversary conference. The Greek State has been consistently subsidizing the SNFCC since 2018. It is significant that the first two years were allocated from public funds from 500,000 euros, and the next two – from one million euros. The “paradox” is that the organization that “manages” the work of the Cultural Centre, SNFNC Monoprosopi SA, is wholly owned by the Greek State and controlled by the Ministry of Finance. The latter is now called upon to pull the snake out of its hole, increasing, probably significantly, the state financial support for the SCNP.