Layale Chaker & Sarafand Ensemble: Violinist and composer Layale Chaker’s debut album 'Inner Rhyme' is a suite that explores aesthetics of Arabic poetry. This UK release concert unveils musical threads mapped through the rhythmical cycles of the twelve classical Arabic poetic meters. Listeners will feel the fluidity of oral and free forms, the abstraction of language into the physical contour of verses, and the percussive potential of words.
It is this indifference on the global scale that Curfew confronts the audience with. An original dance performance, it draws upon a mix of contemporary-modern moves and the traditional Palestinian Dabke. Creatively directed by Sharaf Darzaid, who is a member of the El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe, it refers one to the local struggle against oppression and how dance has become a form of resistance and an empowering means of self-expression.
Performance Desperately In Need Of An Audience: To be performed by the Arab Puppet Theatre Foundation, this is a tale of exile into the world where thousands chose to bear the burden of migration, leaving behind their homes and loved ones, in the hopes of finding themselves human again beyond the seas. A silent performance, it bends the rules of puppet theatre, as stage props and settings becomes puppets as well.
Flamenco Arabe: One of a series of concerts produced by Arts Canteen that aims to highlight the connection and build on it with original compositions and renditions of melodies from Andalucia and the Arab world that shows the common thread that runs through these traditions. While flamenco music was born, and still lives, among the scenic green hills of Andalusia in southern Spain, some performers have moved beyond both the geographical and the stylistic boundaries of traditional flamenco to incorporate a variety of new styles into their work.
Arab Are Not Funny: Join some of comedy’s finest up-and-coming and established names at Arabs Are Not Funny, the best in stand-up comedy from the Arab world and surrounding regions.
Vibrations - Kuwait to Jamaica: A screening of Zahed Sultan’s documentary ‘Vibrations’ along with a panel talk and short performance. The film traces the steps of Zahed Sultan, Kuwaiti multimedia artist and social entrepreneur, whose grassroots approach to work in social causes and music are the inspiration for a recording project that takes him to uncharted territory - Jamaica. The film reveals Sultan's approach to re-imagining the folk music traditions of Kuwait and his journey to discover the roots of Jamaica's musical and societal heritage – with a cast of characters he
Arab Women Artists Now Festival (AWAN) 2018: An annual arts festival designed and delivered by Arts Canteen and a group of collaborators, AWAN aims to showcase and celebrate Arab women's achievements. Established in 2015 and now in its fourth edition, it showcases a versatile programme of female Arab artists across disciplines, whilst enabling establishing and emerging artists to perform side by side. The extensive schedule features visual arts, music, comedy, dance, design, food, film, theatre, workshops and much more.
Bringing forward the wonderful and diverse talent, achievements and industrious work of Arab female creatives, AWAN offers not only the chance to be a male or female audience member and enjoy the artistic productions, but it also enables direct networking opportunities - through workshops and the ‘Connect’ programme - whereby established and emerging arts professionals can engage with each other and also help guide new hopefuls who may wish to break into the field.
TootArd Live In London: Formed by brothers Hasan and Rami Nakhleh, whose home is in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, TootArd are a mountain rock reggae band seeking to transcend their circumstances’ privation and isolation, by making joyful, captivating, wittily ironic music, interweaving West African, Saharan and Caribbean strands with classical Arab modalities.
Arabs Are Not Funny: The popular comedy show curated by Arts Canteen is back with a great line-up of comedians representing the Arab world and surrounding regions. With the acts in English, this edition's main act is the Somalian born Prince Abdi who is a British stand-up, actor, writer and a regular on the UK comedy circuit. His versatile story telling style made him the perfect choice to support Reginald D Hunter, Stephen K Amos and Dave Chappelle on their national tours.