Expanding its multifaceted activity in the field of culture, in 2020 EuroMare undertook the organisational and managerial part of the opening of the Gaitis-Simossi Museum (GSM) on Ios. The project was funded by the Ministry of Development and realised in collaboration with the Municipality of Ios. EuroMare set as its goal the inauguration of the first national museum of contemporary art that is formed on the basis of pioneering, cross-sectoral museum planning.

Museum planning is an integral part of the organisation and the operation of any contemporary museum, since it describes the vision and content of the institution, optimises the visitor experience, and provides an organisational framework that ensures the sustainability of the institution. Following thorough research into contemporary developments in museum studies and recognising the local particularities of a museum in the periphery, EuroMare collaborated with an interdisciplinary team of specialised professionals to prepare realistic and implementable museum planning.

With a strong focus on the principles of inclusivity, accessibility, polyphony, and cultural diversity, in terms of the organisational and managerial part, EuroMare implemented a cultural agenda in accordance with international standards that follow the ethics of major European museums. With an emphasis on visitor experience and maximum autonomy of navigation and research, the museum’s organisation was based on an “emancipatory” museological approach.

At the same time, as access to culture is an inalienable right for all, the company placed particular emphasis on the accessibility and interface for people with disabilities or sensory or intellectual impairments with the exhibits.

With continuous interventions, actions, and technical improvements, EuroMare aims to inaugurate the museum as an active and open space of contact for the public with art and the cultural and social realities of modern life. In this context, the museum will address society and individual communities, the general public with its various groups, as well as specialised researchers, collectors, and art enthusiasts. Additionally, by integrating state-of-the-art interactive audiovisual media and by designing an articulate digital policy, the company seeks to eliminate finite distinctions and promote the direct and inclusive participation of the community, making cultural heritage a public good.

In the framework of renewal, social change, and offering to the local community, the company’s current cultural policy actively contributes to and supports the broader cultural project of the Municipality of Ios to transform the tourist identity of the island and make Ios a hub of high-demand cultural tourism. As a gentle, non-intrusive form of development, cultural tourism is expected to strengthen the local community, create new job opportunities, and, above all, integrate Ios into the European cultural map.