Donations

As a unique personality bearing the traits of a universal figure, Nikos Kazantzakis continues to inspire younger generations and to be the focus of interest for a wide variety of people. Through its activities, the Kazantzakis Museum aspires to live up to its responsibility to promote the work and thought of such an outstanding figure, while relying on donations as its main source of income. Your financial contribution will enable the Museum to enrich its collections; to preserve, make full use of and promote its valuable hoard of material; to develop activities in new areas, in accordance with modern concepts in museum science; to enhance its internal operation and the services it offers.

A substantial number of benefactors and donors have endowed the Foundation with significant assets, offered financial donations and deposited artworks and family heirlooms, thus making a vital contribution to the enrichment of the collections and supporting the Museum in its multifaceted work.

Friends can contribute to the museum's work by offering

  • Artefacts
  • Money
  • Services
  • Donations in kind
  • Assets and real estate

In particular:

Donating artefacts

The main core of the Museum's collections owes its existence to the indefatigable efforts of founder Yiorgos Anemoyannis and constant donations from Eleni Kazantzaki. From 1976, when he first conceived of creating a personal museum for Nikos Kazantzakis, until his life came to an end in 2005, Anemoyannis kept in constant contact with hundreds of individuals, foundations and organizations that held any material evidence, however large or small, of the author's life and work. The unbounded affection and trust shown by friends, whose donations range from a first edition to an entire letter archive, have led to a thirty-fold increase in the number of artifacts since the museum opened in 1983. Many have seen the Foundation as the natural home for the safekeeping and showcasing of the material they once owned. Private individuals who have deposited evidence of the author's life oeuvre at his spiritual home include Anna Sikelianou (who donated letters from Kazantzakis to Angelos Sikelianos), Marika Papaioannou (letters from Kazantzakis to her husband Emile Hourmouzios), Ruth Gorney-Dunkleblum (letters from Kazantzakis to her mother Leha Levin-Dunkelblum).

In fulfilling one of the main purposes for which it was established, the Foundation gladly and responsibly accepts donations of any material witness to the presence and oeuvre of Nikos Kazantzakis, however big or small it may be. A receipt is made out in the donor's name for each artefact received. Thereafter, the artefact is catalogued and a digitized record made, before it is preserved and exhibited or placed in storage. The donor's name is recorded both in the electronic catalogue and in the annotation for permanent or temporary exhibitions, as well as being published on the donors' web page; if the donor wishes to remain anonymous, his or her name is only recorded in the electronic catalogue. A similar procedure is followed in cases where an artefact is donated by an individual or organization in memoriam, with annotation to that effect (Donated by [name] in memoriam [name]).

Materials enriching the museum's collections and of immediate interest are:

  • Editions of Kazantzakis' works, whether Greek or foreign
  • Studies on Kazantzakis, whether published separately or in periodicals
  • Letters to and from Kazantzakis or to third parties, if the content directly relates to the author and his environment
  • Manuscripts and personal items verified as having belonged to Kazantzakis
  • Photographs of Kazantzakis, whether originals or copies
  • Audio-visuals, printed matter and other material from play performances and film, TV and radio versions of Kazantzakis' works
  • Sound and audiovisuals from lectures, radio programmes and events relating to Kazantzakis, as well as documentaries on his life and work
  • Artworks which portray Kazantzakis or were inspired by his oeuvre

Financial donations

The Kazantzakis Museum is a self-funding institution that derives its income from tickets, the sales point and financial donations. Any amount makes a vital contribution to covering running costs, improving existing services and offering new ones, as well as to fulfilling the Foundation's aims. These are to enrich the collections, safeguard and preserve material evidence, make it available to the general public and scholars, and to promote Nikos Kazantzakis' work and thought. Donations of up to 299.99 Euro may be made directly to the Foundation. Amounts exceeding that limit must be deposited in the Foundation's bank account. Financial donors are issued with receipts to the relevant amount - see the financial contributions procedure. For its financial well-being, the achievement of its aims and improvements in the services it provides, the Kazantzakis Museum is largely dependent on financial donations from its friends and supporters. Those interested in supporting the museum's work financially can do so as follows: Deposits of up to 299.99 Euro can be made directly at the Foundation's head offices (in Myrtia, Archanon-Asterousion Municipality). In such cases, receipts are issued forthwith. Amounts of 300.00 Euro or more must be deposited in the Foundation's bank account for individuals or businesses to be exempted of income tax on the amount. Bank deposits should be made and receipts issued by the Foundation as follows:

Step 1: Deposits (two methods)

(Α) By direct deposit in the following accounts:

1. PIRAEUS BANK, Account No: EUR 5751-044886-603, ΙΒΑΝ: GR1601727510005751044886603, BIC: PIRBGRAA

2. PANCRETAN COOPERATIVE BANK, Account No: 46898, ΙΒΑΝ: GR5008700050000000000046898

or

(B) By cheque made out to the "Nikos Kazantzakis Museum", N.P.I.D. (Private Entity). This should be sent by registered mail addressed to The Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, Myrtia, 70100, Archanon-Asterousion Municipality, Crete, Greece.

Step 2: Informing the Foundation

In both of the above cases, donors should send the bank deposit slip or a photocopy of the cheque, clearly showing the name and amount, either:

by fax to (++30) 2810 742232, or by email to info@kazantzaki.gr, attaching a scanned image of the deposit slip or cheque.

In either case, the fax or email must contain the following donor details:

(i) Full name, (ii) address, (iii) Tax File Number, (iv) Tax Office where income return is filed, (v) profession, (vi) contact phone number and address.

On receiving the donation, the Foundation will make it public. Those wishing to remain anonymous should give written confirmation to that effect when contacting the museum.

Step 3: Receipt issue

Once the Foundation receives notification of a deposit, it will issue a receipt to the relevant amount, bearing the donor's name and details.  This will then be sent to the contact address indicated by the depositor (see step 2 above). Since the bank levies a cashing commission on all cheques, the amount shown on the receipt will be slightly less than that on the cheque.

Donation of services

The Foundation also accepts donations in the form of services offered by self-employed professionals and businesses. The commercial value of services rendered is taken to be the amount donated, and donors are entitled to the same museum benefits applying to individuals and legal entities.

Services corresponding to the museum's needs are:

  • Planning and drawing up specialist surveys
  • Legal advice
  • Financial management
  • Development and application of educational programmes for specific groups within the population
  • Graphic design
  • Artefact cataloguing and documentation
  • Artefact restoration
  • Public relations

(N.B.: The services rendered and individuals making the donation must fulfill the conditions and standards laid down by the Foundation).

Gifts in kind

In addition to donations of artefacts enriching the collections and fulfilling the aim of increasing cultural resources, the Foundation accepts donations in kind which satisfy basic day to day operational needs, or contribute in creating a service offered to its public.

The following are considered to be donations in kind: offers or upgrade of electronic equipment in the Computer Room; offers of preservation and storage materials for artefacts; offers of food and refreshments at events; offers of material used in maintaining or improving the Foundation's mechanical equipment and buildings etc.

The Foundation undertakes to post a sign in the place where the donation appears (depending on its commercial value) or affix a plaque to the object itself, and to publish the donor's name on the donors' web page.

Assets and real estate

The Foundation accepts donations in the form of assets such as shares, trade rights and copyright royalties, bonds etc., as well as real estate such as plots and parcels of land, houses, apartments and shops.

On receipt of the donation, the Foundation acquires full rights to use and dispose of assets, and the right to dispose of or rent real estate, on the basis of the best financial use and return on its assets.

In the case of real estate, proprietors can retain bare ownership, with full transfer becoming effective on their death.

Corporate Sponsorship

The Nikos Kazantzakis Museum Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization founded as the sole personal museum dedicated to the great author, and has already contributed to the fields of literature and culture for over two decades. Its importance in more than merely local terms lies firstly in the fact that it focuses on the life and work of Nikos Kazantzakis, a key figure in Modern Greek Literature, with an international standing and impact that exert a lasting influence on global cultural discourse and philosophy. Secondly, interest in the museum is international, as attested by the hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists, as well as by the scores of Greek and foreign public figures in the arts, literature and politics who have visited thus far, and who continue to come in search of material in the Museum's collections. Added to the above are the collaborative agreements signed with museums and university staff overseas.

Without the support of both individuals and companies, the Foundation is incapable of achieving its aims, which are to promote the author's work and to collect, keep, maintain and publicize material testimony of his life and oeuvre. Through sponsorship, businesses can establish contact with the thousands of people from Greece and overseas who visit the permanent and temporary exhibitions on display at the museum each year, while at the same time contributing to one of the following activities planned over the years to come:

  1. Event organization
  2. Print and e-publications
  3. Restoration of archive material
  4. Surveys relating to building and exhibition infrastructure enhancement, and the re-layout of museum collections

Through participating in work by the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, companies establish contact with the wider public, promote their products and social profile, support cultural development and gain a number of tax exemptions and benefits from the Foundation.

Volunteer Work 

The Nikos Kazantzakis is open to any offers of volunteer work serving its specific needs, such as digitization of documents, electronic cataloguing and documentation, welcoming and guiding visitors and special categories of visitors, guarding rooms, leading educational programmes etc.

To date, the Foundation has collaborated with the University of the Aegean in providing practical exercise for undergraduate students in the Department of Cultural Technology and Communications.

The Foundation places its fully equipped work areas, large library and digital collection archive at the disposal of any interested research or educational body, as well as of individual scholars (undergraduate and postgraduate students, doctoral candidates, literature scholars and teachers).