Imagine the world anew, together. 

Thursday 13 May 2021, at 19.00CET (17.00GMT, 20.00 Athens time), streaming at mέta’s YouTube channel and at facebook.com/meta.cpc.

Through a sequence of intensifying crises, capitalism has already morphed into a dystopian postmodern, hi-tech version of feudalism. Postcapitalism is, thus, already here.

Through art and research, argument and poetry, mέta, the Centre for Postcapitalist Civilisation, works to break with a dystopic present to imagine the world anew – to grasp our present historical moment so as to help radical progressive movements find a path from the emergent dismal postcapitalism to one worth fighting, and living, for.

Set up by DiEM25, and its Greek electoral wing, MeRA25, mέta is our new Centre for Postcapitalist Civilisation to whose launch/premiere everyone is invited tonight. The hybrid event will include short presentations of the people and visions behind mέta as well as artistic performances. During the launch you will be treated to messages from mέta’s Advisory Board members sharing their views on postcapitalism, including:

Noam Chomsky (Linguist, philosopher, MIT)

Brian Eno (Musician)

James K. Galbraith (Economist & Professor of Government, University of Austin, Texas)

Antara Haldar (Empirical Legal Studies, University of Cambridge)

Srećko Horvat (Philosopher, writer and activist)

Anish Kapoor (Sculptor)

Ken Loach (Filmmaker)

Beral Madra (Art critic and curator)

Preethi Nallu (Writer and researcher)

Shirin Neshat & Shoja Azari (filmmakers and visual artists)

Nikos Papastergiadis (Professor, School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne)

Mari Velonaki (Social Robotics Researcher, University of New South Wales & media artist)

Nikos Theocharakis (Professor of economic theory, University of Athens)

Paul Tyson (Senior Research Fellow, IASH, University of Queensland)

Yanis Varoufakis (MP, MeRA25 Secretary, Economics professor, University of Athens).

The artistic performances featured will be by theatre group Astronauts, Angeliki Nikolakaki & Tina Gourtzi, and Vassilis Koundouris & Violet Louise of Studio19.

A brief introduction to mέta, the Centre for Postcapitalist Civilisation 

We are already in the early stages of an era that can only be described by that which it succeeds: we live in postcapitalist times. They may turn out dystopic, utopic or anything in between. Through art and research, argument and poetry, mέta, the Centre for Postcapitalist Civilisation, works to break with a dystopic present to imagine the world anew – to grasp our present historical moment so as to help radical progressive movements find a path from the emergent dismal postcapitalism to one worth fighting, and living, for.

The Centre for Postcapitalist Civilisation –mέta– was established in 2020 as a not-for-profit research organisation in order to facilitate the exchange of ideas in a radical direction and to support the pan-European movement DiEM25, the Greek political party MeRA25, and the Progressive International (all of which are represented in mέta’s Steering Committee). mέta seeks to employ a dual approach, combining the academic/political/educational with the cultural and the artistic. mέta’s activities include research and publishing initiatives, the organisation of festivals, seminars, workshops and events –academic and cultural/artistic alike– focusing on the political, social, economic, ecological and cultural dimensions of the challenges we face at the national, European, and global level. Its current Steering Committee includes Danae Stratou (Chair), Professor Sissy Velissariou (Vice-Chair), Eleni Spetsioti (Secretary), Michael Hatzitheodorou (Treasurer), Ivana Nenadović and David Adler (members). More on its international Advisory Board may be found here.

PREMIERE CREDITS

The premiere’s production team is directed by Vassilis Koundouris and Violet Louise of Studio19. Performances directed by Dimitris Zografakis. Introductory animation by Yokanima (Yorgos Karagiorgos).

PRESS CONFERENCE

Following the premiere/launch, a live press conference will follow (in Greek only) at Ilissia Theatre (Athens) where the press will put questions to a panel comprising Danae Stratou (Chair), Sissy Velissariou (Vice-Chair), Sotiris Mitralexis (Academic Director), Nikos Kanarelis (Cultural Director). Host: Kostas Raptis — Press Officer

WEBSITE: http://metacpc.org

POSTAL ADDRESS: mέta, 15 Mavrommateon Street, Athens 10434, Greece