On December 3, 2025, NUMIX LAB will host in Budapest a “What’s New” dedicated to festivals. We had the opportunity to speak with Elli-Anna Peristeraki, Art and Program Director and Head of the Curatorial Team, and Ilias Chatzichristodoulou, founder and director of the Athens Digital Arts Festival (ADAF), a major international Greek festival that has, for the past 20 years, showcased contemporary and innovative forms of digital art presented by artists and scientists from around the world.

Could you introduce yourself as well as ADAF?

Athens Digital Arts Festival (ADAF) is Greece’s leading international festival of digital arts. Founded in 2005 as the Athens Video Art Festival, ADAF has continuously expanded its scope, reflecting the rapid evolution of technology and artistic practices. Today, it presents 12 categories, including Video Art, Animation, Interactive and or immersive Installations, VR/AR/XR, Games, Performances, Talks, Workshops, Music, and Kids programs. In 2019, ADAF launched ADAF ONLINE, extending its reach to a worldwide audience. Every spring, the festival transforms the Historic Center of Athens, activating landmarks and engaging communities in new cultural experiences. Its mission is to evolve with contemporary artistic, scientific, and social needs, fostering new dialogues and collaborations at the intersection of art, science, and technology.

Ilias Chatzichristodoulou is the founder and director of ADAF. Leading the festival since its creation, he has presented renowned artists from around the world and collaborated with over 85 international festivals, curating exclusive programs and welcoming distinguished guests. Ilias has managed and curated major cultural projects in Greece and abroad, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Athens International Airport, Athens Urban Transport Organization, and local authorities. He was selected as a member of the National Coordination Committee for the European Year of Volunteering and has served on the Board of Review of the Ministry of Culture for digitalized film and video. He has mentored creative projects, joined evaluation committees for national and international festivals, and participated in exhibitions and conferences worldwide. In addition to his role at ADAF, Ilias is engaged in creative marketing, communication, and urban initiatives, always under the scope of digital arts.

Elli-Anna Peristeraki, is the Art and Program Director and the Head of the Curatorial Team of ADAF since 2016. She is a curator and cultural manager from Athens, specializing in Digital and New Media Art. Throughout her  career, she has collaborated with leading institutions such as the Onassis Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Athens Concert Hall, MoMus, and the Byzantine Museum of Athens. She has curated projects for international festivals, galleries, and residencies, and contributed to publications and exhibition catalogs.She is working widely with art collectives such as Medea Electronique(member since 2008) on digital media and improvisation. She holds an MA in Gallery Studies and Critical Curating from the University of Essex, UK, and a BA in Communication, Media & Culture from Panteion University in Athens. Her curatorial approach is inspired by Relational Aesthetics , focusing on the convergence of Art, Technology, and Science.

Together, through the Athens Digital Arts Festival, Ilias and Elli-Anna  highlight Greece’s role in the global digital arts scene, promoting innovation and cultural dialogue at the intersection of art, science, and technology.

On December 3, you will be speaking on the “What’s New” Festivals. How does ADAF address this theme?

When we speak about “what’s new” in festivals, and especially in digital arts festivals, we first need to recognize how the field itself constantly evolves in response to technological, artistic, and social shifts.Athens Digital Arts Festival (ADAF) is a very good example of this evolution.

ADAF began in the early 2000s as the Athens Video Art Festival, addressing a clear gap in the Greek art scene at that moment.  As artistic practices and technologies developed, and both audience and artistic community asked for it, ADAF expanded step by step, transforming into a comprehensive full spectrum digital arts festival who brought technology and science closer to the people. Now, over twenty years later, it presents 12 categories, from video art and animation to VR/AR/XR, interactive installations, games, performance, music, and more.

Historically, Digital Art festivals have been crucial in making scientific research technological achievements, accessible to wider audiences.They act as platforms where complex knowledge can be translated into creative, memorable, and human-centered experiences.

ADAF embraces this model and actively uses it to promote current important issues such as the green deal and urgent social themes, such as sustainability, climate change, and inclusivity.We believe it is imperative for art to address these challenges and create meaningful dialogues with the public.

Building on this foundation, ADAF incorporates these important dimensions across its programming. By curating works that address today’s global concerns, the festival invites audiences not only to engage with art but also to reflect on the world around them.

In parallel, new technologies are reshaping the landscape fast. From working with solely video ADAF is now  increasingly working with Mixed Reality (MR), Holography, and Spatial and/ or Complex tech pieces, plus other emerging tools to create memorable, interactive, immersive and not only experiences.

These technologies are not simply novelties—they are powerful communication tools, making complex scientific and social issues resonate more deeply. Immersion and interactivity, allow audiences to move beyond passive observation, fostering active participation and emotional connection.ADAF has therefore been shifting more and more toward multi-sensory and experiential approaches, because these formats have the greatest potential to captivate and inspire. 

Finally, festivals are not only about technology but also about space and community. Through ADAF ONLINE, launched in 2019, the festival now reaches global audiences beyond Athens.At the same time, the physical edition activates the historic center of the city, transforming urban landmarks into stages for digital creativity supporting the local community of and reinventing the urban landscape and public spaces into something novel ever changing. This ever evolving procedure, is a result of hearing the audience, the city, the artistic community and the worldwide scene and replying with constant changes.

So, for ADAF, “what’s new” means evolving with technology, embracing social and environmental imperatives, and redefining how festivals connect with people and spaces both locally and globally, keeping eyes and ears open and using the deeply political tool called festival to make positive impact. To our opinion it is this ongoing adaptability that keeps ADAF relevant, inspiring, and future-oriented.

What are the three main challenges your projects are currently facing in terms of production and distribution ?

One of the main challenges we face in producing and distributing our projects today is the rapid pace of technological change.  Working in digital arts means constantly adapting to new equipment, new means, new tools such as Mixed Reality, holography, and AI-driven platforms. While these technologies open exciting possibilities, they also demand new skills, resources, and collaborations that are not always easy to access.

An event like NUMIX LAB, with its focus on innovation and exchange, could provide valuable opportunities to connect with creators, technologists, and industry experts, helping us stay agile and up to date.

Another important challenge is sustainability in production, both in financial and environmental terms. Creating large-scale digital works and immersive experiences requires significant investment, yet funding structures often lag behind the speed of innovation.
At the same time, we are committed to minimizing the environmental impact of our productions, which adds another layer of complexity.

Through dialogue and networking at NUMIX LAB, we hope to discover new models of funding, co-production, and sustainable practices that could make our work more resilient and responsible.

Additional challenges are distribution and audience reach. Digital art often exists in formats that are difficult to tour or scale, and audiences can be fragmented across physical and digital spaces.  We continuously experiment with hybrid models, like ADAF ONLINE, to expand our reach beyond Athens and engage global communities.

By participating in NUMIX LAB, we expect to exchange insights on distribution strategies, digital platforms, and cross-border collaborations, learning how others are overcoming similar barriers.

In short, our expectation from NUMIX LAB is to gain access to a community of practice that can help us address these challenges collectively — by sharing knowledge, building partnerships, and exploring innovative approaches to production and distribution.

Many thanks to Elli-Anna and Ilias for their availability!

Charlotte BAUGÉ