The long-awaited bill to found Greece’s Higher School of Performing Arts is set to be submitted to Parliament for approval in early November, according to TA NEA. The initiative fulfills a key government commitment to resolve the long-standing gap in the country’s artistic education system following the artists’ protests of December 2022, which were sparked by a disputed civil service qualification framework issued by ASEP (the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection).
Although the school was initially expected to open within 2025, that timeline has now been pushed back. Legal teams at the Ministry of Education are currently finalizing the draft of the new bill, which will soon be released for public consultation.
A Comprehensive Bill on Arts Education
The bill will form part of a broader legislative package addressing systemic issues in Greece’s artistic education that have remained unresolved for years. The extent to which the final draft reflects input from public arts schools—submitted during consultations last winter with then-Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis and Culture Minister Lina Mendoni—remains to be seen.
Those schools had sought guarantees regarding key issues such as admissions quotas and facility infrastructure. However, the legislative process was delayed by the March 2025 cabinet reshuffle, which brought Sofia Zacharaki to the Education Ministry to restart the initiative.
Concerns from Major Theatrical Institutions
Sources at the National Theatre of Greece told Greek Daily Newspaper “EFSYN” that both its Drama School’s board and faculty have sent four letters to the ministry seeking updates on the bill’s content. Their main concern is whether the final law will protect the existing identity of their institution. If not, they may oppose inclusion in the new Higher School of Performing Arts.
Similar apprehensions have been expressed by the National Theater of Northern Greece, whose representatives also report having no official information yet. Both institutions, however, are awaiting an invitation from Minister Zacharaki to discuss the matter directly.
Education Ministry’s Position
Such a meeting may take place in the coming weeks, even during the consultation period, since the minister retains authority to amend the draft before parliamentary submission. Ministry officials emphasize Zacharaki’s readiness to engage with all relevant bodies to finalize the framework governing both the new school and Greece’s broader system of artistic education.
After parliamentary approval, the plan foresees appointing a governing board within the year, paving the way for the new institution to welcome its first students in the 2026–2027 academic year, as Culture Minister Mendoni stated in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).
Structure and Scope of the New Institution
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis outlined last November that the new Higher School of Performing Arts will be modeled on the Athens School of Fine Arts. It will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in theater, dance, and music.
The school’s departments will be formed through the integration of existing public institutions, including the Drama Schools of the National Theater, the National Opera, the State School of Dance, the National Theater of Northern Greece, and the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki.
Entrance will be granted through special internal examinations, not via the nationwide university exams (Panellinies), open to students who have completed secondary education.
Inclusion of Private and Public Art Schools
The bill also provides for the upgrading of existing recognized public and private higher art schools, allowing their graduates to have their qualifications formally classified at Level 5 of the National Qualifications Framework.
Furthermore, graduates will have the option to continue their studies in related university departments to obtain Level 6 (bachelor’s) degrees. Oversight of all art schools—previously under the Ministry of Culture—will now transfer to the Ministry of Education, ensuring a unified academic framework and standardized approval of curricula and operating regulations.
The legislation will also establish a specialized “artistic qualifications registry”, setting out clear employment criteria for performing arts graduates seeking positions in the public sector as a distinct professional category.
