Rolex Arts Festival, Athens
- May 28, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: May 13
Rolex Arts Festival in Athens marked the first-ever Rolex Arts Festival presented globally, transforming the Greek capital into a multi-venue cultural platform celebrating contemporary creativity across dance, theatre, music, film, architecture, visual arts, and literature. Delivered across major cultural institutions, luxury hospitality venues, and landmark sites throughout Athens, the festival welcomed 250 international guests including artists, CEOs, board members, journalists, retailers, cultural leaders, and public audiences.
The project required complex multi-site coordination, premium hospitality management, international logistics, public programming, and seamless guest experience delivery aligned with Rolex’s global standards. The event was widely regarded as a major cultural success and contributed to positioning Athens as a destination for high-level artistic and institutional gatherings.
Client / Commissioner: Rolex SA & The Rolex Institute
Type: International Arts & Cultural Festival
Period: May 22–28, 2023
Scope of Services Delivered by Big Olive
Big Olive partnered with Rolex Global and its affiliates, including Rolex Hellas and The Rolex Institute, to design, coordinate, and deliver the Athens edition of the festival. Acting as the hired agency and event consultant, Big Olive oversaw:
Venue scouting, assessment, and strategic venue selection across Athens
Coordination of international site visits and technical inspections
Contracting, supplier negotiations, and budget management
Full event production and operational coordination, including interior setups, receptions, registrations, greeters, guest flow management, and security coordination
Hospitality management including accommodation, VIP transfers, transportation logistics, and F&B arrangements
International logistics coordination and distribution of event-related materials and items
Promotional and audience engagement activities
Team-building and curated hospitality experiences for international participants and guests
Supervision and coordination of a 200-person operational workforce across venues and functions
Main Hosting Venues
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, EMST-National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens, Benaki Museum, Athens Conservatoire, Megaron-The Athens Concert Hall, Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens, Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens Capital Hotel - MGallery Collection, and King George Hotel.
Operational Scale: 250 international guests & general public | 200-person operational team supervised by Big Olive.
Delivery Model: Big Olive acted as the hired agency and lead consultant for the Athens delivery of the festival.
Image source: Madame Figaro
