Larnaca: the town where inspiration begins

Larnaka: the Anthology provides a view of a multi-cultural town on the rise
Let’s generalise a little, shall we? If you were a first-time visitor to Cyprus, you’d probably know Nicosia as the divided capital, Limassol as a business hub, and Paphos as the birthplace of Aphrodite. But Larnaca? Isn’t that just where the planes land?

Not at all, according to Oroklini resident Annetta Benzar. “Larnaca is the place for creatives,” she explains, “a town that’s fast becoming the home of a unique artistic community. In the past, people moving to Cyprus would go to the bigger cities,” she suggests. “They’d look for something established. But now we’re seeing more and more people relocating to Larnaca: enjoying a host of new communities, sharing their experiences, and taking the initiative to start something new…”

Annetta herself is amongst these creatives. A 28-year-old project manager from Belarus, she’s the author of I Am Cyprus (a collection of interviews with migrants and refugees) and one of the founders of ‘Pe Ta’, Larnaca’s monthly open mic night, in which performers share their work with a live audience. And, most recently, she’s been working on a collection of writings and artwork under the title of Larnaka: the Anthology.

“This is an exciting time for a town which has a unique rhythm – a peace, warmth and energy that’s entirely its own. Here, you’ll find a growing community of creatives from all walks of life. And, though Larnaca has, thus far, been underrepresented in literary terms, all that’s starting to change…”

A year of lockdowns had an effect on the whole world, she continues. But in Larnaca, the down-time was merely an opportunity for a diverse group of creatives to celebrate their home.

“A year ago, during an online session of our open mic night, a few of us came up with the idea of creating an anthology of writing and artwork from those connected to Larnaca. There are so many creatives – all nationalities, with such diverse experiences – who either live here currently or who have been based here in the past,” she explains, “and that’s worth celebrating…”
The core team (which included Larnaca-based authors Maria Kouvarou, Zoe Piponides, and Paula Savvides, along with assistant professor of American Literature at the European University, James Mackay), put out an open call on Facebook in autumn 2020. “We also reached out to individuals whom we knew would have valuable experiences to share,” she continues, “getting in touch with people connected to the town. And within a few weeks, we had received an incredibly positive response.”

Most of the submissions were “new and fresh; something that hadn’t been previously published,” Annetta reveals. “We solicited work from both established creatives and total novices; worked collaboratively with each of the authors to finalise each piece; and then began putting the whole thing together…

“Which was harder than you might imagine,” she laughs, “because we had pieces of varying lengths in multiple languages! But that’s a big part of what makes the Anthology special: it’s artwork and photography interspersed with multi-lingual poetry and stories.”

Properly titled ‘Larnaca: an Anthology, stories and poems from the creative heart of Cyprus’, the book contains submissions in English, Arabic, Greek, Chinese, and Russian. “It provides a view of a multi-cultural town on the rise,” says Annetta. “A balanced view of Larnaca, past, present and future. And the way each piece segues into the next creates a sort of flow,” she adds. “A rhythm that’s reminiscent of the town itself!”

Anthology has just been released: a delightful compendium of photos, poems, short stories, and artwork from more than 50 contributors as far afield as the UK, US, and Australia! “But all have some kind of connection to Larnaca,” says Annetta. “And each work will engage a wide audience.

“Cyprus,” she adds, “is not that well-known worldwide. And Larnaca is often seen as an arrival point for visitors and nothing more. So one of our biggest tasks in the creation of this collection was figuring out who it was aimed at…”

Ultimately, the editorial team decided to appeal to “expat communities around the world, the diaspora, and people on the island,” Annetta reveals. “The book showcases Larnaca to someone who may not actually know the town, but who will be able – through Anthology – to get a great feel for what makes it tick. For instance, one of my favourite submissions describes a group of elderly people who go to my local beach early each morning for a coffee and a chat about their lives; it’s a piece which exactly encapsulates my own experience of Larnaca!

“It’s work like this,” she explains, “which gives us a true picture of a town which has, in the past, been swept aside in favour of its bolder, brighter neighbours. But Larnaca,” she concludes, “has its own unique atmosphere, built on community and creativity. And that’s what Anthology celebrates: the town where inspiration begins!”

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Cyprus Mail