Festival of the Muses: On the Sacred Way

Join us for this two-day gathering that celebrates the living spirit of the ancient Delphic Games through a contemporary lens—where myth breathes, music resounds, and the Muses rise anew. Presented by Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies in collaboration with the Isadora Duncan International Institute, the Ecumenical Delphic Union, and the Committee for the Reinstatement of the Delphic Games, the Festival marks a vital step in the international movement to restore these sacred traditions globally. 

Through lectures, performances, workshops, and discussions, participants engage with ancient Greek culture in vibrant, modern forms—poetry, dance, theater, sport, song, and ritual—culminating thematically in an experiential procession along the “Sacred Way.”

This “Delphic Preview” serves as a practicum for the upcoming full five-day Festival for the Reinstatement of the Delphic Games, to be held in Delphi, Greece, in Summer 2027, and extends into the Garden of the Muses, a growing archive of creative offerings in word, sound, and movement.

Scholars, artists, and the public are warmly invited to attend. We welcome proposals from academics and enthusiasts alike—whether presentations, performances, or workshops—on themes relating to Delphi, the Delphic Games, Apollo, the Muses, mythology, and their unique ties to the Delphic tradition in sport, art, music, dance, poetry, theater, and song.

This event is free to the public and will culminate in a festive performance at 7pm on Saturday the 23rd

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Presented by

Panos Kaltsis, Founder and President, Ecumenical Delphic Union  

Jeanne Bresciani, Festival Founding Chair,  Artistic Director, Isadora Duncan International Institute

with Committee Members

Rosemary Cooper, Isadora Duncan International Institute

Mary DiSanto-Rose, Skidmore College

Cynthia Word, Word Dance Theater