THE MUSEUM OF SECRET BOXES
Creative writing workshop for youth ages 9 and up
With Author Sophia Dratzali
Photo: "I Found a Box" (dir. Éric Montchaud)
Sunday, March 22
Start: 12:00 Ι Workshop duration: 60'
EVENT LOCATION: Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation, Library
Creative Writing Workshop
My Little-Big Museum: A Creative Journey through Imagination & Stories
In this year’s workshop, Psaroloco bridges the world of literature with the magic of the silver screen.
Drawing inspiration from Sofia Dartzali’s book, "Where Did Everyone Go?" (Metaixmion Publications), and the short film "I Found a Box" (dir. Éric Montchaud), we explore the power of imagination in the face of stillness.
In this workshop, children aged 9 and above engage in an experiential process of decoding the "invisible," where they are invited to imagine and create the contents of a "miniature museum" enclosed within a box. Through the personification of objects, participants experiment with creative writing, giving a voice to the exhibits and narrating their "secret lives" after the lights go out.
This activity successfully achieves a connection between word and image, using language as a bridge between the museum’s interior space and the outside world. The benefits of participation are manifold: narrative skills and curiosity are enhanced, while children learn to explore the concept of absence—not as a void, but as a space brimming with new stories. By focusing on the art of observation, the workshop cultivates the children's ability to recognize the potential for stories even behind the apparent stillness of objects.
Implementers: Sophia Dartzali
Sophia Dartzali was born in Volos in 1974 and grew up in Larissa. She studied Classical Philology in Athens and the art of the book in England. She lives in Athens with her husband and their two sons. Her first book, When My Mother Lied, was awarded the IBBY Loti Petrovits-Androutsopoulou Prize for a debut children’s or young adult books author in 2017.
"Where Did Everyone Go?": A celebration of art and museums
by Metaixmion Publications.
Where Did Everyone Go? by Sofia Dartzali, illustrated by Vassilis Koutsogiannis, is a tender tribute to the restorative power of art and the vibrant world of museums. Through the journey of little Pedro—a boy who 'escapes' from his frame to seek the truth within a silent museum—the story introduces young readers to art movements and the profound value of creativity. The inventive narrative pairs perfectly with high-aesthetic illustrations, reminding us that art is never static, but a living source of light and friendship that invites us to view the world through fresh eyes.