Liverpool Arab Arts Festival’s return showcases entertaining agenda
Vibrant mix of art, theater, music, literature, workshops
Updated 14 July 2024
Tamara Turki
LONDON: The Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, the UK’s longest-running festival celebrating Arab arts and culture, runs until July 21 and showcases a vibrant mix of art, theater, music, literature, and workshops.
Founded in 1998, the festival has become a cornerstone of Liverpool’s cultural calendar.
This year’s program features a diverse lineup of artists from Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia, offering a dynamic interplay between traditional and contemporary Arab art forms.
Laura Brown, creative producer of the festival, told Arab News: “Artists are dealing with contemporary ideas and art forms, but often the conversations and themes they are tapping into are something Arab communities have been talking about for generations, like migration, identity and conflict.”
One of the highlights will be the festival’s tribute to Palestine. A special screening of “At Home in Gaza and London” will be held on Monday, with ticket proceeds benefiting collaborators in Gaza.
“Oranges and Stones,” a wordless play told through physical action and music, on Thursday will depict 75 years of occupation and settlement in Palestine. Marina Barham, general director of Al-Harah Theater in Bethlehem, will also speak about the therapeutic role of theater in addressing community trauma.
Port city Liverpool has fostered diverse and multicultural communities, with Arabic reportedly being the city’s second most-spoken language.
Brown said: “What’s really important to us is that we work with the community to ensure everyone feels represented. We talk to the community about artists they like and who they want to see, to bring them over. It was a conversation with members of the Somali community that introduced us to Aar Maanta.”
As an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organization, the festival is part of the 2023-26 investment program.
Brown added: “Being an NPO is something the whole team is incredibly proud of and it is something we take very seriously.
“The arts landscape is very challenging and the ability to be able to know your festival is secured for several years in advance allows you to build relationships with venues and creatives to develop programs and projects further.”
Several designers and firms from the Middle East presented creations with features highlighting Arab culture and heritage
Updated 1 min 30 sec ago
Rebecca Anne Proctor
DUBAI: Arguably the largest annual global gathering for interior and furniture designers, Milan Design Week, staged this year from April 7-13, saw several designers and firms from the Arab world present at the prestigious event.
One exhibition there, Gucci’s “Bamboo Encounters,” curated and designed by 2050+ and its founder Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, explores the role of bamboo in the brand’s history, featuring specially commissioned pieces by contemporary designers from around the world.
In post-World War II Italy, raw materials were difficult to source and so the fashion house’s founder Guccio Gucci opted for the lightweight and resilient bamboo as an alternative handle for bags. Florentine artisans creating Gucci bags supported a design that incorporated bamboo. The result was the iconic Gucci Bamboo 1947 bag.
Milan Design Week. (Supplied)
Among the various commissioned designers in “Bamboo Encounters” is Dima Srouji, a Palestinian architect and artist. Her bamboo-style baskets, “Hybrid Exhalations,” showcase basketry traditions of the Levant, incorporating hand-foraged bamboo with delicate blown glass by the Twam family in Palestine. The pieces evoke a sense of fragile beauty and resilience.
During her three months of research, Srouji fell in love with the history of basket-making.
“I really like this idea of time passing and the amount of time that it requires to weave baskets really slowly by these anonymous artisans from all over the world,” she told Arab News.
Milan Design Week. (Supplied)
“Some of these baskets were found online, like on eBay. Some of them were from different auctions, and each one is from a different country. Some are even flower baskets from Japan; fish baskets and egg baskets from Philippines, one is a World War II hat from the UK from an English gentleman that got it from Vietnam in the 1940s.”
Srouji transformed them into playful, organic forms by combining them with blown-glass pieces that she made with Palestinian glassblowers; the Twam family that she has been working with for the past 10 years. They are based in Jaba’, a historic village located northeast of Jerusalem between Ramallah and Jerusalem.
“The combination of the glass and the baskets happened in my studio where I started weaving the glass into the already woven baskets and they became their own living creatures,” Srouji said. “They’re airy, playful, and each (piece) has embedded memories in them. Each one tells a different story from a different part of the world, and it’s an important moment to think about joy and celebrate the history of Palestinian tradition, and especially during such a dark time.”
Milan Design Week. (Supplied)
At Isola Design Festival by Isola Design Group, which has offices in Dubai Design District (d3), several emerging designers from the Arab world presented their work. One is Jordanian designer Victoria Dabdoub who presented her first collection, “Stone Objects: A Study of Core Solids,” made of several hand-shaped stone masses connected by a brass piece. The result is elegant and playful candle-holders that invite the user to make their own display using several pieces.
“My work looks at local practices in Jordan and Palestine and aims to work with local artisans to develop contemporary pieces,” Dabdoub said. “My first collection is a collection of stone candle-holders that I made during two workshops in Amman, one involving metalwork and the other stonework.”
Milan Design Week. (Supplied)
She added: “I think it is important to produce high-quality products locally. The stone is limestone from the south of Jordan and the brass is sourced in the market, likely from Italy or elsewhere. Whether I am working from Jordan or Palestine, it is important to try and incorporate local practices, especially given the war taking place and the number of voices that are unheard. Trying to say something through design, crafts and material and heritage is crucial.”
Etereo, the creative studio based between Dubai and Milan, returns to Milan Design Week with an immersive exhibition at Nilufar Depot, featuring its popular “Faraglioni” and “Grottesche” collections. The alluring forms, materials and colors of these pieces celebrate the synergies between design and nature, especially those found in the Mediterranean.
The “Faraglioni” collection, produced exclusively for Nilufar in a limited edition, showcases the essence of the sea within interior spaces through sculptural designs — a centerpiece table, dining table, coffee table, and two consoles that pay homage to the famous Faraglioni rocks of Capri that represent timeless natural wonders and heritage.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Georgina Rodriguez star in Saudi cruise campaign
Updated 11 April 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine model Georgina Rodriguez appeared together in a new campaign for Saudi Arabia’s luxury cruise line, Aroya Cruises.
In the video, the pair exchange a lighthearted moment in Arabic, with Rodriguez saying “yalla” after selecting the cruise on her phone and Ronaldo replying with a cheerful “yalla,” meaning “let’s go.”
The campaign then transitions into scenes of the couple exploring the cruise experience, showcasing panoramic sea views, luxurious interiors, and their private accommodation on board.
Both Ronaldo and Rodriguez shared the campaign on their social media profiles, captioning the post: “Home isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling.”
The Aroya cruise ship features a range of amenities, including a spa, multiple restaurants, a theater, water park, retail area, kids’ zone and several swimming pools.
Currently operating primarily from Jeddah, Aroya Cruises offers voyages across the Red Sea, with stops at destinations such as Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, Aqaba in Jordan and Jabal Al-Sabaya Island.
Starting June 2025, the cruise line will expand its operations to the Eastern Mediterranean, with new itineraries departing from Istanbul and visiting ports in Greece and Turkiye, including Mykonos, Rhodes and Antalya.
May Calamawy, May Elghety join cast of Lee Cronin’s ‘The Mummy’
Updated 11 April 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Egyptian actresses May Calamawy and May Elghety have joined the cast of “The Mummy,” a new feature from award-winning Irish writer and director Lee Cronin.
Calamawy, who is also Palestinian, and Elghety star alongside Mexican actress Veronica Falcon, as well as previously announced cast members Jack Reynor and Laia Costa.
Plot details for the film remain undisclosed.
The film is produced by Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and New Line Cinema, and is currently in production in Ireland and Spain.
Calamawy is best known for her role as Layla El-Faouly in Marvel’s “Moon Knight” and as Dena Hassan in the critically acclaimed series “Ramy.”
Elghety gained attention for her breakthrough role in the award-winning Egyptian film “Clash” (2016), which opened the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes.
Tamtam’s Goast Flower: Growing a vibrant Saudi music community
Updated 11 April 2025
Jasmine Bager
ALKHOBAR: With her signature curls and radiant smile, internationally acclaimed Saudi singer-songwriter Tamtam brought her boundless energy to Alkhobar this week, aiming to nurture and connect the Kingdom’s growing music scene from the ground up.
Known mononymously as Tamtam, the artist chose early in her career to go by a single name — a decision that helped to maintain her privacy while allowing listeners to focus on her message and music. Over time, the name became synonymous with her genre-blending sound and global appeal by singing in both English and Arabic, and her bold advocacy for creative freedom.
The event, hosted at Bohemia Cafe and supported by MDLBEAST Radio, was part of Goast Flower’s community activation — a grassroots initiative launched by Tamtam to support emerging artists and independent creatives. The gathering transformed the space into a pop-up creative hub, where artists exchanged merchandise, contacts and ideas over coffee — free to anyone with a hand stamp at the door. Entrance was free with sign-up, allowing MDLBeast Radio to collect people’s contact information to stay connected.
The event at Bohemia was hosted by MDLBEAST Radio’s Ninyaz Aziza along with Tamtam.
The event, hosted at Bohemia Cafe and supported by MDLBEAST Radio, was part of Goast Flower’s community activation — a grassroots initiative launched by Tamtam to support emerging artists and independent creatives. (AN photo)
MDLBEAST Radio co-hosted their first such event in Tamtam’s hometown, Riyadh, a few weeks earlier — a sahoor at Beast House — and this was their second stop on this mission.
“Honestly, I’m so, so happy. This is really cool because we get to play the music,” Tamtam told Arab News.
During the Riyadh sahoor, they merely mingled but did not perform or listen to music.
“In Alkhobar, so many people showed up — people are excited. There aren’t many events going on in Alkhobar, so I really feel like everyone is super appreciative,” Tamtam said.
Zamzam with their merch exchange swag. (Photo by Goast Flower)
She added: “The whole point of this is for artists and people in the music industry to meet, and that’s what’s happening. Like literally everyone’s telling me, ‘I’ve met so many people, thank you so much.’ I’m so happy — we need it. The goal has been achieved again.”
Raised in Riyadh and now based between the Kingdom and Los Angeles, Tamtam’s music explores themes of identity, gender equality and cultural connection. She blends alternative R&B with pop and personal storytelling, and her independent streak led her to create her own platform for creative control.
“Goast Flower is an independent music label I started a couple of years ago,” she said. “I’ve been releasing my music through it — it was a way for me as an independent artist to have my own label because I don’t want to be controlled by anyone. It’s amazing to have that freedom as an artist. I’m very grateful.”
(AN photo)
Beyond being a label, Goast Flower functions as a creative hub. Its first major project, the Saudi Music Community, is a public database designed to help local talent connect.
“I literally collected all the artists I knew. Fulana, another Saudi artist, collected all the artists she knew. We put together a Google document and made it live,” she explained. “Now there’s another document where people can join and add their information, and someone checks it. In this way, artists can find each other in Saudi Arabia. A lot of artists are like, ‘Hey, I’m looking for a female rapper,’ or ‘I’m looking for a guitar player for my live show.’ And now they can just go to the database and find people.”
In Alkhobar, the idea found fertile ground.
Singer-songwriter, architect, photographer and university professor, Yazeed Al-Amasi, who attended both the Riyadh and Alkhobar events, said: “I’ve been living here in Dhahran since 2011, and this is the first time I feel super connected to the music community,” he told Arab News. “I don’t want to say it, but I think people are friendlier and more open to collaborating in Alkhobar. Or maybe people in Riyadh were just tired from Ramadan.”
Tamtam meets Zamzam. (AN photo)
A key part of the gathering was the merchandise exchange, a concept introduced by Tamtam to encourage artistic support without the barrier of money. Participants brought T-shirts, lyric booklets, CDs, stickers and creative works to swap with one another — artist to artist.
“The idea is that instead of spending money, artists are supporting each other. It’s a gesture of support that this community is all about,” Tamtam said.
“I really, really believe in this community, and I don’t think anyone can grow without a community in any industry,” she added. “I just feel like the music industry in Saudi needs this push, and the foundation needs to be stronger.”
During the event, guests took the mic to introduce themselves and share what they were seeking — producers, vocalists, instrumentalists, collaborators. Photographers offering band headshots and live performance images also stepped forward, strengthening the bonds in the room.
“I actually discovered local musician Zamzam through the Saudi Music Community when I was putting this together,” Tamtam said.
Zamzam, a frequent Bohemia performer and lover of all music genres, walked in as Tamtam was speaking about her. Zamzam, who also goes by a mononym, found the database through Tamtam’s initiative and was excited to meet her in person.
Both shrieked in delight on noticing they were face-to-face.
“Maybe we will have a Tamtam and Zamzam collaboration in the future,” someone said in the background.
“I added myself to the database!” Zamzam told Arab News. “I follow Tamtam and I saw the (Instagram) story about Goast Flower. Whenever I see a label or something that could be a creative hub, I want to connect.”
The venue itself played a role. Bohemia Cafe has become something of a beacon for alternative and indie creatives in the Eastern Province.
One of them, Fatima Falath, shared that she had written a song inspired by her visit to Bohemia.
“Two years ago, I was sitting at Bohemia and got inspired by the drawing on their cup,” Falath told Arab News.
“I had some matcha — even in the song we mentioned matcha,” Falath said with a laugh. “I sang and wrote the lyrics, and my friend and producer, who goes by Hajj Alibaba, did the background music. I made all my friends and family listen to it — it’s a driving-around-in-the-car song. I haven’t published it yet, but I’m inspired to publish it tonight at this event because we wrote it here.”
Everyone at Bohemia had a chance to listen to Falath’s creation for the very first time, and many other musicians joined after and played their songs.
Rohit Jayakaran of MDLBEAST Radio drove in from Riyadh to support the event along with Tamtam and the team. For nearly four hours, they were fired up to be there. He was beaming as the songs were being played.
“We’re very excited to be part of the Saudi music community and support it as MDLBEAST Radio,” Jayakaran told Arab News. “We believe that great things will come out of this community. Bohemia — this is the place where people come for music in Sharqiya. What I discovered today is that there is a community — and it’s a growing community. It’s eclectic. It has all sorts of dynamic energies in here. And it’s just really nice to have this here because it didn’t exist before. It’s amazing. It’s awesome.”
Jayakaran hopes that connections made will showcase their collaborative talents at the next live show at Bohemia, in Riyadh, or just in general.
For now, Goast Flower remains Tamtam’s personal label — though she doesn’t rule out signing other artists in the future.
“I really, really respect the artist. Unless I know I can invest a lot of money in the artist — money, time and effort — I’m not going to sign them,” she said. “A lot of the big people in this industry take advantage of artists. Artists don’t make enough money from streaming. The music business has a lot of work to do.”
She hopes that Saudi Arabia can do things differently.
“Saudi is such a special place right now because it’s the beginning of the music industry. We are in a place where we can shape it in a different way — we don’t have to copy the West. We can learn from the mistakes happening in other industries.”
Next, Goast Flower is headed to Jeddah, where they will host a similar activation on April 16 at Hayy Jameel.
It will essentially go from the heart of the Kingdom to the two coasts, like a hug to the music community in Saudi Arabia.
Selected works by some of the international artists participating in the inaugural edition of AWR, which runs until April 13
Updated 11 April 2025
Arab News
Wael Shawky
‘The Gulf Project Camp’
This work is part of the award-winning Egyptian artist’s ongoing titular series. Its full title is “The Gulf Project Camp (after ‘Hajj (Panoramic Overview of Makkah)’ by Andreas Magnus Hunglinger, 1803)” — a nod to its inspiration from the Austrian orientalist’s rare early-19th-century drawing of Islam’s holiest city. The project as a whole “investigates the Arabian Peninsula and its modern history through the lenses of migration, trade, petropolitics, religion and tribal alliances” and “sheds light on specific regional and historical moments: the Utub migration; the establishment of the Emirate of Diriyah, the first Saudi state; and the rise of Wahhabism,” according to a guidebook for the 2019 Sharjah Biennale. “Historical treaties, conferences, speeches and experiences of war are rendered in the artwork through imagery and the use of various industrial materials, such as tarmac, graphite and metal dust.”
Anahita Razmi
‘No National Flag Uses a Gradient #1’
Razmi is a German-born artist of Iranian and German descent whose practice, she has written, draws on her background to explore “contextual, geographical, and ideological shifts — with a focus on shifts between an ‘East’ and a ‘West.’” She added that she is interested in “a fluid, transcultural approach to contemporary art and its histories and references,” as well as “in work that is producing testing grounds for possibilities of import/export, hybrid identities, and the constructions and ambiguities of cultural representation.” This work was created in 2022 and is a perfect representation of those interests, seemingly representing the lack of room for nuance in nationalist symbols and rhetoric.
Safwan Dahoul
‘Dream 42’
This work forms part of the Syrian artist’s ongoing “Dream” series, which Dahoul began back in the 1980s. According to Ayyam Gallery, the series explores “the physical and psychological effects of alienation, solitude, and longing that punctuate the human experience at various stages in life.” “Dream 42,” however, is a notable departure from the earlier works in the series, which always featured a female protagonist, who often “takes on the form of a despairing woman in isolated interiors.” Her disappearance from this particular work “could be understood as her final transcendence of a stifling world,” the gallery wrote, noting that in later paintings she is depicted as “a sort of angel.”
Neïl Beloufa
‘Double Standard — canyon’
The French-Algerian artist and filmmaker’s works, according to Francois Ghebaly Gallery, address “themes of geopolitics, technology, urbanism, and ideology through layered projects that combine video, sculpture, social participation, and often dynamic processes like sensor activation or algorithmic control.” This particular piece, as the title suggests, is illustrative of Beloufa’s interest in dichotomies, such as reality and fiction, or presence and absence. “Combining dichotomies allows him to deconstruct our belief systems and presconceived ideas,” We Art Partners have written of Beloufa’s work. “He tries to confront his audience with his own stereotypes to demonstrate their unbelief.” The work is part of the artist’s “Double Standard” series, which forms, according to a catalogue from his solo exhibition in Basel’s Kunsthalle, “an aesthetic world expressed through gaming-inspired forms and the language of digital imagery.”
Lamya Gargash
‘Arches Light, Old Jubail Market, Sharjah, UAE’
The Emirati artist has long been inspired by inhabited and/or abandoned spaces, “as well as cultural heritage in a time of rapid change,” according to Dubai gallery The Third Line. In her photo series “Kun” (which translates as ‘To Be’), from which this work is taken, Gargash “connects the cities of Sharjah, Dubai, London and Bath through carefully curated gold draping gestures captured within each frame to create a unique bond,” Maraya Art Center’s catalogue for her solo exhibition there stated. “This draping, golden fabric is placed into various spaces, guided by the Qibla, a modified compass indicating the direction of prayer. Gargash uses the Qibla to symbolize direction, spirituality and unity. The gold fabric covers and conceals elements in its path; this inclusion breaks the silence of the still frame, drawing attention to focal points and bridging the gap between what is considered sacred and secular.
