Pelma NGO was originally founded in 2003 as Omada Pelma by Haraki and twenty-two founding members. The association emerged with a clear mission: to cultivate meaningful intersections between art and society through the creation, production, presentation, and dissemination of contemporary performance.
In its early years, the organization also served as a platform for visual artist Christodoulos Panayiotou before focusing more exclusively on Haraki’s body of work. In 2024, the organisation was restructured as a non-profit company under the name Pelma, standing for Projects Embracing Love Motivated Art—a name that poetically encapsulates the spirit of the organisation.
Over two prolific decades, Pelma has given rise to more than fifty original works, including stage performances, site-specific interventions, installations, and interdisciplinary projects. It has also cultivated a rich landscape of experimentation and research in movement-based practices, shaping methodologies that are applied both on and off stage. At its heart is a collaborative spirit that has united over a hundred creative professionals—dancers, musicians, sound artists, visual artists, dramaturgs, technicians, mentors, and more—forming a vibrant ecosystem of artistic production.
The company’s performances have travelled widely, earning international acclaim and gracing the stages of esteemed venues and festivals such as Julidans (Amsterdam), the Athens Festival, Royal Festival Hall (London), Bozar (Brussels), Unesco (Paris), The Place (London), Tanec Praha, Kleines Haus (Dresden), Korzo (The Hague), and Euro-scene Leipzig. A highlight in its trajectory was representing Cyprus at the 55th Venice Biennale with Haraki’s solo exhibition Tune In, where the Cyprus-Lithuanian pavilion was honoured with a special mention. Additional distinctions include multiple accolades at the Cyprus Dance Platform and two short-listings for the prestigious Aerowaves network.
Beyond its performances, Pelma has played a foundational role in shaping the ecosystem of contemporary dance and performance art in Cyprus. Through its pioneering works and continued investment in artistic research, it has served as both a catalyst and a cornerstone in the country’s cultural development, sustaining an unwavering commitment to innovation, community, and embodied storytelling.
Pelma Board (2024 - today)
Lia Haraki (Chairwoman)
Yiangos Hadgiyiannis (secretary)
Pelma Board (2003-2024)
Lia Haraki (Chairwoman)
Evi Haraki Mahera (Vice chair)
Leda Kaloghirou (Secretary)
Anthi Nicolaou (Treasurer)
Christina Tirita (Member)
Pelma Members (List of 2023)
Alexis Papadopoulos
Alexis Vassiliou
Annie Haraki
Anthi Nicolaou
Arianna Marcoulides
Christina Tirita
Elena Menelaou
Evi Haraki Mahera
Evis Michaelides
Georgia Andreou
Harry Antoniades
Kipros Maheras
Kristis Charakis
Leda Kalogiou
Lia Haraki
Maria Christina Haraki Shantos
Maria Lozidou
Marios Ioannou
Maro Antoniades
Petros Konnaris
Yiangos Hadjiyiannis
Yiannis Toumazis
Xenios Symeonides
MANAGEMENT TEAM
LIA HARAKI (Artistic director, project management)
YIANGOS HADJIYIANNIS (Technical manager)
ERICA CHARALAMBOUS (Text development)
TOURING
Vidra Theatre – Zagreb Croatia, The Place Robin Howard Theatre – Resolution – London UK, Tanec Praha Festival - Ponec Theatre – Prague Czech Republic, Julidans – Aerodance - Melkweg Theatre – Amsterdam Netherlands, Euro-scene – Schauspielhaus - Leipzig Germany, Palladium Theatre - Malmo Sweden, Festival TANZherbst, Neubau / Staatsschauspiel Dresden Germany, 2nd Mediterranean Dance Festival - Volos Greece, Kalamata International Dance Festival – Kalamata Greece, Goethe Institute - Lisbon, Portugal, Athens Epidaurus Festival, Royal Festival Hall - London United Kingdom, Art Stations Foundation, Poznan Baroque Festival, Venice Biennale of visual Arts, Bozar Brussels, Made in Dublin Festival, Studio Works Cologne Germany, Korzo The Hague, Nouveau Musee National de Monaco, Halle 14 Leipzig, Act Your Age Festival - Maastricht Netherlands, E-Motion Festival - Bassano del Grappa Italy, Forget Amnesia-Volcano Extravaganza - Fiorucci Art Trust - Stromboli Italy, From the Sea Festival - Milos Island Greece
PRODUCTION / CO-PRODUCTION
Dance House Lemesos
Rialto Theatre
Nea Kinisi [Cyprus New Movement of Dance Groups, Dancers and Choreographers]
NiMAC [Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre, Associated with the Pierides Foundation
The Cyprus Theatre Organisation (THOC)
Athens Epidaurus Festival
The House of Cyprus in Athens
Art Stations Foundation, Poznan Baroque Festival
The House of Cyprus in Athens
Festival TANZherbst, Neubau / Staatsschauspiel Dresden, Germany
State Gallery of Contemporary Art
PARTICIPATION IN EU PROGRAMMES
Act Your Age (2013)
The Underwater Heart of the Mediterranean (2014- 2015)
Open Up EU Programme (2020-2023)
AWARDS / DISTINCTIONS
Choreography Award for the piece Evergreen, Contemporary Dance Platform, 2003.
Aerowaves network final selection of the work Evergreen, 2004.
Choreography Award for the piece Eye to I, Contemporary Dance Platform, 2005.
Aerowaves network final selection of the work Pretendance, 2009.
Special Mention for the Cyprus and Lithuanian Pavilion, Venice Biennale, 2013.
The Performance Shop was selected as one of 25 best practices in Europe by the European Dance House Network: EDN – How to make dance relevant – Questions collected by Proyecto Pregunta, 2016.
