Cyprus at a Glance_EN

Culture Great importance is attached to the promotion of culture with emphasis on the promotion of literature, music, dance (modern and classical), the visual arts, cinema and theatre. In addition, a special arts festival, the “Kypria”, is organised annually and hosts artists and ensembles of international acclaim from Cyprus, Greece and many other countries, including opera, threatre, music and dance performances, as well as cinema and visual arts exhibitions. There are also a number of museums including the Cyprus Museum in Lefkosia, which is the largest archaeological museum on the island. The museums contain exhibits representing the history of the island and include ceramics, sculpture, metal objects, jewellery, tomb groups, Byzantine icons, as well as objects of traditional arts and crafts. Furthermore, the State Gallery houses on a permanent basis the State Collection of Contemporary Cyprus Art, while it periodically hosts important exhibitions from abroad as well as retrospective exhibitions of the pioneers of the Cyprus visual arts. The Leventis Gallery houses almost all the works of the A.G. Leventis Collection and it is the only gallery in Cyprus containing paintings from the European history of art. Additionally, the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture organise exhibitions of contemporary Cypriot artists both in Cyprus and abroad, as well as exhibitions within the framework of cultural exchanges with other countries or in collaboration with overseas museums and art institutions. They also arrange or support the participation of Cypriot artists in large international exhibitions. Media Cyprus enjoys total freedom of speech. Freedom of expression and media are safeguarded by the Constitution and the relevant Press and Radio and Television Station Laws. As of mid-2018 there are: - four daily newspapers in Greek and one in English and a large number of weekly and periodical newspapers and magazines in circulation - eight island-wide free to air TV channels - 18 island-wide and 25 local radio stations - one news agency (Cyprus News Agency). In addition, there are a number of private subscription cable and satellite TV networks. Cyprus serves also as a base for a number of international news media outlets and correspondents covering the broader Middle East region. During recent years there have also been a fast growing number of online media outlets in both Greek and English. 30