PRESPA ENCOUNTERS

Prespa Encounters, as part of WALC, will take place in early July 2025 and July 2027 in the lakes Prespa in Northern Greece, Macedonia. During the ten-day event artists, scholars, academics, and amateurs from all over the world will present their walkshops, ideas, and concepts on issues related to walking as a practice and as an art medium. The implementation of the Prespa Encounters is part of a community-based project that aims at the empowerment and sustainability of the local community.

The International Encounters in Prespa were previously held in 2019, 2021 and 2023, attracting a large audience that shaped a new way to perceive Walking Practices and Walking Art. More than 400 participants attended the Encounters so far, 128 walkshops were realized, and 65 papers have been presented. Equally important, a strong bond with the local Community was established, shaping a unique socially oriented project. The documentation of the events is published in 5 volumes. 

Prespa Encounters is a culmination of Visual March to Prespa, an artistic activity that has taken place in the area since 2006 and was initiated by the 1st Painting Walkshop of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Western Macedonia. It in 2019 with Made of Walking, organized by the Milena principle, a yearly international and nomadic encounter of walking artists that took place in Greece, Cyprus, France, Portugal and Spain.