“What can a village tell us about the past of Cyprus, and what might the new stories created there change?” asks the festival team behind Xarkis Festival as this theme lies at the heart of the 12th edition, coming up this weekend.

From September 11 to 13, Xarkis returns to Kalavasos, transforming the village into a meeting point for residents, artists and visitors from Cyprus and abroad.

“A village shaped by ancient settlements, mining, archaeological research, local techniques and productive practices becomes a space for contemporary art, knowledge exchange and collective creation,” says the festival.

Xarkis’ relationship with this Cypriot village dates back to 2016 when the two worked together for the Tenta Cultural Festival. A decade later, Xarkis returns to Kalavasos, offering both artists and festivalgoers the opportunity to explore the village once again as an active part of the artistic process.

“One of the key threads of this year’s programme focuses on colonial heritage and how it continues to shape contemporary culture,” says the festival. “Through contemporary visual art, the festival raises questions about which histories we remember, which remain on the margins, and how we can create new interpretations of the past. These perspectives will be expanded through fresh points of view.”

Taking part this year are artists from Chile, Ghana, Tunisia, Rwanda, Hungary, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, England and Cyprus who take part in a 14-day residency at the village. They will meet the local community and create new opportunities for dialogue around memory, cultural heritage and the stories that shape the understanding of a place.

Over 25 artists will immerse themselves in the essence of the village. Archaeological fragments, photographs and videos from archaeological sites and the mines will be used alongside stories shared by local people, whose voices will also be brought together through choirs created on site.

The visiting artists will then present findings through audiovisual performances, presentations, exhibitions, workshops and installations prepared through the collective participation of residents and the public.

The festival also collaborates with local and Kalavasos-based artists. These include Gaia Olea, who works with natural handmade botanical skincare, Helen Chrysanthou and the tradition of psatharouda and Simoni Christoforou, who, through the Kori shop, explores new ways of working with silkworm cocoons, transforming them into jewellery.

Xarkis will also collaborate with archaeologists Alison South and Thea Christoforou, as well as anthropologist Sheena Crawford, through walks and meetings focusing on Tenta, the old mine and the stories of former miners. Alongside these activities, a film exploring aspects of the lives and everyday experiences of women during the 1980s will be screened.

Workshops, performances, installations, storytelling circles, dances, music, screenings and much more will be presented across the three festival days – all with free admission.

12th Xarkis Festival

Multidisciplinary arts festival with workshops, performances, screenings and activities for all ages. September 11-13. Kalavasos village, Larnaca region. Free admission. www.xarkis.org