The Greek island of Delos will inspire an international arts programme in Oxford from November 6 to 13, 2026, bringing together internationally acclaimed artists to explore the island’s ancient mythology, cultural heritage and ecological significance.
Organised by the World Human Forum’s ALPHA MISSION – DELOS initiative, the programme will highlight the lessons Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, can offer humanity about protecting Earth and recognising the interconnectedness of all life.
World Premiere of Orbiting Orbital
On November 6 and 7, the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities will host the world premiere of Orbiting Orbital, an original multidisciplinary production bringing together acclaimed composer and musician Nitin Sawhney and Booker Prize-winning author Samantha Harvey.
Inspired by Harvey’s award-winning novel Orbital, the production combines new poetry and musical compositions with selected artwork by renowned artist and sculptor Sir Antony Gormley and photographs by acclaimed photographer Mary McCartney.
Alexandra Mitsotaki, president and co-founder of the World Human Forum, will join Sawhney, Harvey and Professor Yadvinder Malhi for a discussion titled The Making of Orbiting Orbital on Saturday, November 7. They will explore the inspiration behind the production and its creative development. Members of the World Human Forum team will also participate in the artistic performance.
Mary McCartney Presents A New Dawn
From November 6, Mary McCartney’s photography exhibition A New Dawn will offer visitors a different perspective on Delos at the Schwarzman Centre’s Great Hall.
Rather than focusing exclusively on the island’s iconic ancient monuments, McCartney’s photographs also explore its plant life and other forms of living organisms.
The exhibition presents Delos not simply as an open-air museum, but as a living ecosystem where history, nature and mythology coexist.
It will also introduce Oxford’s international academic and artistic community to the central message of ALPHA MISSION – DELOS: humanity forms only one part of an interconnected world, and protecting the planet remains essential to our common future.
The exhibition will remain in Oxford until November 13, 2026, before travelling to Delos itself in summer 2027.
Connecting Mythology, Art and Science
Orbiting Orbital brings together Nitin Sawhney, Samantha Harvey, Antony Gormley, Mary McCartney, Territory Studio and the World Human Forum.
Since 2021, the Forum has pursued its ALPHA MISSION – DELOS initiative to connect mythology and cultural heritage with art, science and space exploration, while highlighting the urgent need to protect the planet and all forms of life.
The A New Dawn photography exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, the World Human Forum and the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades.
(Source: AMNA)