About

عربي

Founded in 1998, Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF) is the UK’s longest-running annual Arab arts and culture festival, platforming the best UK and international Arab artists. The festival creates a dynamic between traditional and contemporary Arab artforms, encouraging informed debate that explores, and increases, appreciation of Arab people and their rich cultures.

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival’s work continues throughout the year, with a wide range of events and participatory projects that bring together artists and diverse communities. LAAF builds connections that help more people to encounter and experience Arab culture in Liverpool and beyond.

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and part of the 2023-26 Investment Programme. 

We are supported by Culture Liverpool / Liverpool City Council through the Culture & Arts Investment Programme. Our work actively contributes to the delivery of the strategic objectives of the City Plan for Liverpool. 

Company number: 07184925
Charity Number: 1136384

Vision

To keep Arab arts, culture and heritage alive.

Mission

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival creates a platform that educates, challenges and engages communities in Arab arts, culture and heritage across the UK and internationally.

Artistic work

Our year-round programme of artistic and cultural events includes Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, established in 2002 and still the UK’s premier annual Arab arts festival.

Every July, the festival brings a thrilling celebration of Arab culture to venues across the city and showcases the richness of Arab culture through a curated programme of visual art, music, dance, film, theatre, literature and digital events.

Explore our past festivals here

Education work

LAAF has a long track-record of providing informal and structured learning opportunities that raise awareness of Arab arts and culture, amongst both Arab and non-Arab audiences.

We regularly deliver arts and cultural projects within local communities, schools and colleges that stimulates curiosity and promotes learning. This includes mainstream education and community arts development programmes that lead to accredited Arts Awards.

We place focus on participation activities, including artist talks, workshops and symposia, that provides a chance for creative practitioners and audiences to engage in a more intimate and meaningful way.

Explore our projects here

We aim to represent Arab culture and Arab people in a positive way, and to harness that curious ability art has to allow one person, with one set of life experiences, to speak directly to the heart of another.
– Taher Qassim MBE, Board Member of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival

Banner image: Hawiyya Dance Company and El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe performing at Family Day at Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2022.