Telesilla Talks & Walks is a cultural series of lectures, walking routes, discussions, theatrical performances, and musical events held in Argolis, inspired by the poet-warrior of Argos, Telesilla (https://telesillatalks.org/en/).
The activities of Telesilla Talks & Walks are based at the cultural center of the Arete Fund, ElaGaia, in Chouni, Argolis. The events are open to the public and offered free of charge under the direction of Dr. Adrianos Psychas, Ph.D in Prehistoric Archaeology. Ms. Marian Hubler, a communications consultant with extensive experience in cultural programs and non-profit organizations, and Mr. Fanis Bouris, a creative projects consultant, actively contribute to the strategic development of the program.
The initiative is signed by the non-profit organization Arete Fund (https://www.aretefund.net/), led by its President Mr. Steven de Laet and Executive Director Ms. Dianne Title de Laet, philhellenes and humanitarians. The organization supports education at both local and global levels, aiming to promote cultural heritage through humanitarian, educational, and artistic initiatives.
The Arete Fund offers scholarships to school and college students who embody “Arete” in its ancient Greek meaning (virtue and excellence), seeking to reintroduce it into the modern world as a means of cultivating mutual respect and goodwill.
The Philosophy of the Initiative
The philosophy of the program mirrors that of its namesake heroine, Telesilla. Telesilla Talks & Walks aspires to contribute to cultural identity and historical memory by promoting our shared collective heritage. Its core objective is to connect residents and visitors with the history, traditions, and monuments of Argolis through experiential and participatory activities.
At the same time, the program serves as a bridge between past and present, emphasizing that archaeological sites are not merely historical remnants, but enduring sources of inspiration and reflection.
Activities, Contributors, and Participants
The activities and events of Telesilla Talks & Walks include thematic walking routes through monuments and significant sites of Argolis. Alongside the walks, each event combines lectures and discussions featuring experts such as historians, archaeologists, academics, researchers, poets, actors, museologists, musicians, and others, who illuminate aspects of local history and cultural heritage.
The program also includes theatrical and musical performances and artistic actions that transform the threshing floor of ElaGaia into a living stage, where art engages in dialogue with landscape and memory. In this way, Telesilla Talks & Walks encourages us to rediscover Argolis—and Greece more broadly—not only as a place with a great past, but as a dynamic cultural landscape of significance for both the present and the future.
The initiative unfolds through a collective, multi-layered process in which members and collaborators of the Arete Fund, under the guidance of archaeologist Adrianos Psychas, meet experts and non-experts alike, residents and visitors, creating a vibrant experience of memory and culture. Since the launch of the program in June 2025, seven events have been held to date.
Examples of Recent Events
The Telesilla Talks & Walks series began on June 1, 2025, with the event “Getting to Know the Arete Fund: A Discussion at ElaGaia.” Following a guided tour of the archaeological site of Prophet Elias in Argos (the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena) by archaeologist Adrianos Psychas, participants gathered at ElaGaia, where the discussion continued, focusing on the goals and launch of the program. Ideas were exchanged on how Telesilla Talks & Walks could evolve into a living forum for dialogue and collaboration. The hill of Aspis, a place of memory and worship, became the starting point of an initiative that honors the past while looking toward the future.
In July, the event “The Memory of Theatre: Storytelling through Theatre Games” (July 24) combined creative play, theatrical narration, and audience participation, offering an experiential journey that concluded with a theatrical performance on the threshing floor of ElaGaia. The event began with an interactive presentation and theatre games led by actress and theatre-game facilitator Eleni Triantafyllou, together with archaeologist Adrianos Psychas.
This was followed by the play “Until Darkness Falls,” performed by actors Aristogeiton Pananos and Giannis Rousos. The play explores friendship, difficult choices, and human anxiety just before “darkness falls.” Through the characters’ relationships and decisions, fears, hopes, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of the unknown are revealed. Participants were invited to experience theatre not only as art, but also as a medium for reflection (Fig. 1).
On August 19, ElaGaia hosted the “Traditional Instruments Seminar” as part of the activities of the Karya Cultural Association “To Artemision.” Participants were introduced to traditional melodies and sounds, with performances accompanied by discussion on cultural heritage.
In September, the event “Argos: The Base of the Hellenic Air Force Academy during World War II (1940–1941)” (September 21) included an in-depth guided tour of key historical locations in the city, led by Dr. Konstantinos Lagos, historian and professor of Air Force History at the Hellenic Air Force Academy, and Brigadier (ret.), Mr. Pantelis Vatakis, followed by a lecture at ElaGaia. Thanks to the kindness and permission of Ms. Sofia Koutrouphini (Principal) and Ms. Evi Georgakopoulou (Vice-Principal), participants visited the premises of the former Air Force Academy, today the 2nd Primary School of Argos—spaces where Greek soldiers once studied, slept, and defended the city against German forces (Fig. 2).
On October 11, the event “From Myth to Literature: Writing in Argolis,” co-organized with the Association of Writers and Poets Association of Argolis, combined literature and history through the analysis of mythological and historical narratives, followed by discussion at ElaGaia after a walking route to the acropolis of Argos, Larisa.
In November, the experiential walking event “The Secret Journey of Water in Thirsty Argos” (November 9) included a guided tour of the Hadrianic Aqueduct by archaeologist Konstantinos Tziambasis, who shared insights into the monument’s history, architecture, and significance for ancient Argos (Fig. 3). The discussion continued at the cultural center of the Arete Fund.
On December 7, the walking route “On the Paths of Prosymna: From Mycenaean Monuments to Byzantine Churches,” led by educator Panagiotis Psychas, combined visits to local monuments with historical narration and discussion, offering participants a deeper understanding of the region’s cultural heritage (Fig. 4). The event concluded at the Cultural Center of the Prosymna community, thanks to the generosity of the Community President, Mr. Georgios Biniaris.
Tours, Lectures, and Art
Through guided walks, lectures, and artistic activities, the program opens a space for dialogue among people of all ages, highlights memory and cultural heritage, and offers opportunities to rediscover our region, Argolis. Telesilla Talks & Walks takes place monthly, and all activities are announced on the official website: https://telesillatalks.org/en/
Adrianos Psychas, PhD in Prehistoric Archaeology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Director, Telesilla Talks & Walks