At a glance

Type

International digital arts and media festival

Period

Founded 2005; annual, held every May

Style

Digital media, interactive installations, video art, live AV performance

Location

Athens, Greece

Coordinates

38.0507° N, 23.7407° E

Overview

ADAF was created to offer a platform for video art, installations, and live performances at a moment when digital creativity was rapidly reshaping artistic practice globally. Over its first decade the festival expanded its programme to include web art, interactive installations, animation, digital imagery, applications, and educational workshops. In 2016 it launched ADAF Kids, a dedicated strand for families and younger audiences. By 2018 the festival was attracting over 20,000 visitors per edition and receiving submissions from more than 350 artists worldwide.

History

The festival was established in 2005 by Multitrab Productions, a Greek nonprofit operating at the intersection of art and technology. Early editions were held at intimate Athenian cultural venues including Thira Texnis and the Aggelon Vima theatre. As the festival’s reputation grew, it moved to larger venues including the Technopolis of Athens, the city’s major post-industrial cultural complex housed in a former gasworks in the neighbourhood of Gazi. The rebranding from Athens Video Art Festival to Athens Digital Arts Festival in January 2015 reflected the broadened artistic scope accumulated over a decade of programming.

What you see

A typical ADAF edition brings together screenings, gallery-format interactive installations, live audiovisual performances, and artist talks across multiple venues in central Athens. Works range from intimate single-channel video pieces to large-scale immersive environments employing projection mapping, sound design, sensor-based interaction, and generative algorithms. Educational workshops and symposia run alongside the exhibitions, making the festival both a showcase and a site of critical discourse around digital culture.

Cultural significance

ADAF holds a unique position as Greece’s leading platform for digital and media arts, connecting the Athens cultural scene to an international network of 46 partner festivals through its affiliation with AVnode, the global network for audiovisual live performance professionals. Its EFFE Laureate recognition from the European Festivals Association places it among the continent’s most impactful cultural events and underscores its role in building bridges between Southern European and global digital art communities.

Practical information

The festival takes place annually in May. Events are distributed across multiple venues in central Athens. Admission varies by event; many public screenings and outdoor installations are free of charge. Check the official ADAF website for the current year’s programme, venue details, and ticketing: adaf.gr.

Getting there

Athens is served by Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, with direct connections across Europe and beyond. The Athens Metro (Lines 1, 2, 3) connects the airport to the city centre in approximately 40 minutes. The Technopolis venue in Gazi is served by Kerameikos metro station (Line 3). OASA city buses and trams provide onward connections to other festival venues across central Athens.

Sources & resources

• Athens Digital Arts Festival — Wikipedia
• ADAF Official Website
• Cultural Heritage Online — European Cultural Events