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.”
‘Theater Tour’ initiative celebrates local culture across Saudi Arabia
Award-winning play ‘Bahr’ debuts in Baha, with performances in Jubail, Dammam, Al-Ahsa to follow
New project boosts local theater, community engagement and cultural awareness nationwide
Updated 03 April 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Theater and Performing Arts Commission launched the “Theater Tour” initiative on Thursday to bring exceptional theatrical performances to cities, governorates and villages across the Kingdom.
The project aims to promote the cultural and performing arts scene while encouraging community engagement, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The first phase begins with the play “Bahr” (Sea), running from April 3 to May 3, the SPA added.
The production will debut in Baha from April 3-5 at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Theater in the Cultural Center, before moving to Jubail from April 17-19 at the Royal Commission’s Conference Hall in Al-Fanateer.
It will then continue in Dammam from April 24-26 at the Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University Theater, and conclude in Al-Ahsa from May 1-3 at the Society for Culture and Arts’ Theater.
The project is part of the commission’s broader efforts to raise awareness of the theater and performing arts sector, while ensuring that cultural services are accessible in underserved areas and to marginalized communities, according to the SPA.
It also aims to support local theater groups, boost theatrical production and strengthen the cultural sector’s contribution to the national gross domestic product.
Additionally, the initiative fosters investment opportunities and serves as a platform for discovering and nurturing emerging talent, the SPA reported.
The play “Bahr,” written by Abdulrahman Al-Marikhi and directed by Sultan Al-Nawa, has received critical acclaim, winning several prestigious awards, including for best actor, best script, and best overall production at the inaugural Riyadh Theater Festival, as well as best musical effects and best director at the 19th Gulf Theater Festival.
Art Week Riyadh: A ‘constellation of events’ that ‘pushes the boundaries’
Curatorial team discuss the aims and intentions behind inaugural edition of AWR
Updated 03 April 2025
Jasmine Bager
RIYADH: The inaugural Art Week Riyadh begins April 6 in the Kingdom’s capital. A non-commercial initiative, AWR builds on the city’s already thriving art community while inviting international artists and art lovers to join in.
Princess Adwaa bint Yazeed bin Abdullah, head of Art Week Riyadh, explained the event’s inspirations and goals in a statement, writing: “Art Week Riyadh is born from a belief in the power of art to inspire, challenge, and connect us. Riyadh has long been a city of growth, and through this platform we hope to contribute to its cultural future — one that is open, dynamic and deeply rooted in both heritage and innovation.”
Curator Vittoria Mataresse heads a team including associate curators Basma Harasani and Victoria Gandit-Lelandais and public program curator Shumon Basar who have worked tirelessly across multiple time zones over several months to bring the event to life.
“It was very important for us to be playful and not have the kind of rigid structure or format we’re used to seeing. Art Week Riyadh sits in between an exhibition and an art fair. It’s really a constellation of events,” Matarrese tells Arab News. “Unlike major art events that often impose universal themes and rely on globally established artists, we wanted to work within the frame of a regional art ecosystem, embracing the textures, the urgencies, the sensibilities of the Arabian Peninsula. We are trying to retrace something which is very specific and, in this way, we propose a critical departure (from the normal) format.”
Curator Vittoria Mataresse (pictured) heads a team including associate curators Basma Harasani and Victoria Gandit-Lelandais and public program curator Shumon Basar who have worked tirelessly across multiple time zones over several months to bring the event to life. (Supplied)
The theme of AWR’s inaugural edition is “At the Edge” and the event brings together more than 45 galleries from the Kingdom, the wider Arab world, and beyond. There are three main sub-themes: “Everyday Life,” “Landscapes,” and “Motifs.”
JAX District in Diriyah will host three major exhibitions offering an expansive insight into Saudi Arabia’s cultural identity. A number of established Saudi artists whose studios are based in JAX will also be opening their doors to the public. Meanwhile, in central Riyadh, more than 15 galleries housed in the Al-Mousa Center will present exhibitions, and a wider program across the city will feature several talks and collaborations.
Gandit-Lelandais, who has worked in the region for more than two decades focusing on contemporary Arab art, tells Arab News: “Art Week Riyadh really is different, because the market and the ecosystem is different. I think it’s about making people stop implementing the European and American formats into different places because they don’t have to fit — the format can be adapted.”
The team have designed the event as “an umbrella for everyone to gather under,” Gandit-Lelandais says. “It is inclusive and it’s meant to be niche — it is for the public, and for the art enthusiasts and for the collectors.
“With Riyadh growing so fast, the kind of dialogues that we have built are so important to bring people here, but not with a Western look at how art should be,” she adds.
Harasani, the lone Saudi in the curatorial team, tells Arab News: “I’m really excited to link our local artists and our local scene (with the world). I think an educational foundation is super-exciting and super-necessary at this time for artists, art practitioners, young collectors and everyone that comes under that umbrella. We wanted to allow these generations of artists from Saudi Arabia to narrate themselves, beyond the usual framework.”
Lamya Gargash, Lions, The Architect, Bath, UK, 2024, Archival pigment print, 90 x 120 cm, Edition of 3, 1AP. (Courtesy of the artist and The Third Line, Dubai)
While none of the curators live in Riyadh, they all offer a nuanced and sensitive take on the capital.
“I’ve been working in Riyadh so much that it does feel like a second home,” Harasani says. “Riyadh is culturally different from Jeddah, where I’m from, and it was interesting to delve into the art scene. I thought it would be similar to the Hajazi scene, but it’s completely different. It was a massive learning experience for me to see that — given that we’re all from Saudi — there are so many different ways of working, ways of producing, ways of communicating.”
Maha Malluh, Sky Clouds, 2009-2015, 100 black polyester gloves filled with polyester and desert sands, praying rugs. (Courtesy of Galerie Krinzinger and Maha Malluh)
Riyadh’s rapid expansion, both physically and culturally, over the past decade contributes to the richness and diversity on show at AWR, the curators say.
“That’s the beauty of the Middle East, 10 years here is 100 years elsewhere,” Matarrese says. “I think what’s really smart about what Saudi is doing right now is they’ve learned from other people’s mistakes and they’re looking at how to navigate this in a better way.
“There’s one thing that is important in the DNA of what we are doing,” she continues. “Our visitors are not going to know what to expect. We really pushed the boundaries of what this could be showing; we are trying to deconstruct the conventional display models, to experiment with something else and re-articulate the dialogue between the different parts of the art world.”
For Harasani, the event is another marker of the artistic progress that has been made in the Kingdom in recent years.
“This did not exist when I was growing up,” she says. “The fact that we can see our dreams come to fruition now — and (see) bigger projects like Art Week Riyadh — I feel very lucky and privileged to be a part of that.”
REVIEW: Seth Rogen sends up Hollywood in ‘The Studio’
Apple’s star-studded new comedy takes aim at the movie business
Updated 03 April 2025
Matt Ross
LONDON: At a time when the movie industry is constantly being forced to pivot and evolve to counter the influence of streaming networks, it’s something of a surprise to see a show come out about the inner workings of the Hollywood machine — and even more of a shock that said show is being made by one of the aforementioned streamers.
But then, perhaps that’s why “The Studio” works so well. Apple TV’s new satirical comedy stars Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of a major Hollywood studio who wants, above all else, to return the production house to its halcyon days of making amazing movies. Trouble is, he’s also got a boss who cares only about making money, a former boss who blames him for taking her job, a roster of actors and directors all wanting to manipulate him, and a team around him who each seem to embody the very worst Tinseltown stereotypes.
So even though “The Studio” is a TV show about the movie business, it still manages to skewer both industries. At every turn, Matt is confronted by the inherent silliness of the movie business, and we get to watch it in a series of episodic, bingeable installments, each bursting with cameos and a satirical swipe at everything from celebrity culture to pretentious auteur filmmakers.
Rogen’s affable exec has to do the majority of the show’s heavy lifting, but the actor is more than up to it — his trademark calamitous buffoonery has perhaps never been better suited to a role. Among the extensive supporting cast, Bryan Cranston and Kathryn Hahn stand out, but everything is pretty much pitch perfect, from the whipsmart cameos to some carefully choreographed, good ol’ fashioned slapstick humor.
There are enough industry deep-dive references to appease ardent movie buffs and enough zip about the episodes (two of which are available at launch) to keep casual viewers entertained. That, coupled with the depth of Apple’s production pockets in pulling in those cameos — Martin Scorsese, Charlize Theron, Steve Buscemi, Paul Dano and Peter Berg for the first episode alone — means “The Studio” has something for everyone. Here’s hoping for a sequel or three.
Saudi model Roz on her homecoming: ‘It feels emotional in the best way’
The Saudi model recently returned to the Kingdom for the first time in years
Updated 03 April 2025
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: Roz — famed for being the first Saudi female model to work internationally, and for recently starring in the reality show “Dubai Bling” — has returned to Saudi Arabia after a decade abroad, marking a pivotal moment in her career and personal journey.
Roz shot to fame in 2019 when she modelled for a Victoria’s Secret’s Pink campaign.
She had moved to the US in 2013 to pursue a degree in interior design, but her modelling soon took over. Her Instagram feed (she has more than 15 million followers) is littered with photographs of her various advertising campaigns, as well as visits to many a product launch party — from NYX Cosmetics events to TikTok gatherings.
Roz’s homecoming reflects both her cultural pride and her desire to reconnect with her roots.
“It feels emotional in the best way,” she told Arab News. “I’m not moving back just yet, but I’ll be visiting more often to show the world how beautiful my country truly is. Being back on Saudi soil after so long brought back so many memories. There’s a deep sense of pride in seeing how much the country has evolved — and experiencing that change in person is really special.”
The model, who has been working on the international fashion circuit for years, says she has seen a remarkable transformation in the Kingdom’s fashion scene.
According to Roz, the country is now fostering a new generation of creatives who are pushing boundaries and embracing self-expression through fashion. This shift is not only inspiring but also deeply personal to Roz, who sees it as a celebration of identity that she had long hoped to see.
“The transformation is incredible,” she said. “There’s a whole new generation of creatives pushing boundaries and telling their own stories through fashion. What excites me most is seeing that self-expression is finally being celebrated, and I’m honored to witness it during my visit.”
One of the key motivations behind Roz’s visit was her desire to be part of the dynamic changes unfolding in the region, especially in fashion and entertainment.
“It’s my country, and I’ve always wanted to come back, but I was stuck in the US due to visa issues,” she said. “Once I finally sorted that out, I knew it was time to visit and reconnect. With everything happening in the region and how quickly things are progressing in fashion and entertainment, I wanted to be present, show support, and be part of this exciting moment in some way.”
Roz’s career journey to date has been far from easy, she said.
“There were so many (challenges). I faced judgment, stereotypes, and a lack of representation. But I kept going because I knew I was paving a path that didn’t exist yet,” she said. “Every step was about proving that a Saudi woman can take over the international stage and still stay true to who she is.”
Her role on “Dubai Bling” has also significantly impacted her celebrity status. “It definitely opened me up to a broader audience — people may have only seen me through fashion campaigns before. It also showed a more personal side, which helped people relate to me,” she said. “It came with more eyes, more opinions, but also more love and support than I ever imagined.”
Roz sees fashion as a form of self-expression, and embraces her roots as a strength that makes her style unique.
“To me, fashion is all about storytelling. I love merging global trends with elements of my identity, whether in how I carry myself or the brands I choose to represent. Staying true to my roots is never a limitation; it’s actually what makes my style stand out,” she said.
Roz is keeping her upcoming projects under wraps, but says her focus is on staying authentic and using her platform to inspire young Saudi women. (AFP)
Roz is keeping her upcoming projects under wraps, but says her focus is on staying authentic and using her platform to inspire young Saudi women.
“I hope they see that there’s no mold they have to fit into. You can be proudly Saudi, proudly creative, and take up space in any industry,” she said. “I hope my journey shows what is possible, and that their stories deserve to be told on a global scale.”
New York Arab Festival returns with diverse lineup
The New York-based dance music collective showcases beats from the Arab, Asian, and Pan-African diasporas
Updated 02 April 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: The fourth edition of the New York Arab Festival (NYAF) runs from April 1- May 30, with headlining acts including DJ duo Haza Party.
The New York-based dance music collective showcases beats from the Arab, Asian, and Pan-African diasporas. The festival will play host to a special version of the collective’s signature “Haza Souk” event, featuring a lineup of DJ sets, merchandise outlets and food.
On April 8, Palestinian poet Ahmad Almallah will present his latest book “Wrong Winds” while April 13 will see Palestinian rockstar, singer and songwriter Rasha Nahas perform at Brooklyn Art Haus.
A double bill dedicated to the centennial of dancer Samia Gamal will take place at the Jalopy Theatre on April 16, with New York based choreographers and dancers Angie Assal and Soumaya MaRose celebrating the history of the late Egyptian choreographer.
Meanwhile, the NYAF Arab Shorts Film Program at the Bartos Screening will feature the work of filmmakers including Alia Haju and Khaled Jarrar.
From May 1-4, NYAF will collaborate with experimental theater club La MaMa ETC for a “festival within a festival” celebrating Arab artists in four multidisciplinary “happenings” featuring spoken word performances based on texts by the late poets Etel Adnan and Joyce Mansour, dance, music and multimedia visuals. Performers include Andrew Riad, Nadia Khyrallah, Sarah Brahim, and Amr Kotb, among others.
On May 14, Lebanese American singer-songwriter H.Sinno’s “Poems of Consumption” — which turns Amazon customer reviews into pop songs — will be presented.
NYAF was established in 2022 to commemorate Arab American Heritage Month and “fight the erasure of Arab and Arab American identities from NYC, a place Arabs have called home for over three centuries,” the festival said in a released statement.
