Liverpool Arab Arts Festival | Thursday 6 – Sunday 16 July 2023

Storytelling has a strong tradition in Arab culture. حكواتي Hakawati means storyteller, and describes a person who can draw people in with their tale.

This year, as we celebrate 25 years since the festival was founded, we invite Arab artists and those of Arab heritage to explore how their stories have shaped them, how they are crafting their own stories through song, theatre, dance, performance, literature and visual art, and how it relates to modern Arab identity. 

Explore our festival programme of new commissions, performances and workshops.

2023 FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

1:00pm, Thursday 6 July
A panel discussion is being held in a room with an audience. A projector behind the 4 speakers sitting on chairs shows the Other Cinemas logo in white.

Other Cinemas: How to build community with film workshop

Join the award-winning Other Cinemas for a practical session on
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6:00pm, Thursday 6 July
An Arab man is crouched in a sandy coloured desert landscape. He is wearing a black turban

And still, it remains

To launch Arwa Aburawa and Turab Shah's newly commissioned film
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7:30pm, Friday 7 July
Musician Aar Manta sitting in a skatepark. He is male and wearing sunglasses and a dark blue blazer. He is holding a skateboard. Graffiti is on the concrete behind him.

Aar Maanta

Somali-British singer-songwriter, Aar Maanta, brings his eclectic music blend and
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12:00pm, Saturday 8 July
Taroo

Taroo

Taroo is a Parkour and circus comedy show telling stories
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10:45am, Saturday 8 July
LAAF x World Museum Liverpool

LAAF x World Museum Liverpool

Join us for a hands-on day of workshops, laughs, beats
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10:15am, Saturday 8 July
Yalla Neحky: Interactive Storytelling with Hadi Badi

Yalla Neحky: Interactive Storytelling with Hadi Badi

Hadi Badi co-founder, Hend Badawy, leads this interactive storytelling session at
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12:00pm, Saturday 8 July
Dabke workshops with Fares Farraj

Dabke workshops with Fares Farraj

Palestinian dancer Fares Farraj leads three dabke dance classes for
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12:00pm, Saturday 8 July
Child's drawing of henna patterns on a pair of hands. The hands are yellow against a white background.

Henna Hands family workshop with Layla Gibiliru

In this drop-in workshop at World Museum Liverpool, artist Layla
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1:00pm, Saturday 8 July
Headshot of Esther Manito laughing against a baby blue background. Esther has long wavy brunette hair. She is wearing a black top.

You’re Up Next: Stand-up comedy workshop with Esther Manito

Award-winning comedian Esther Manito puts you through your paces in
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2:00pm, Saturday 8 July
MENA Beats taster sessions

MENA Beats taster sessions

A fun and interactive opportunity for young people aged 12
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7:30pm, Saturday 8 July
Arabs Are Not Funny

Arabs Are Not Funny

You might have thought that Arabs couldn’t get any funnier.
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2:00pm, Sunday 9 July
Cropped image of warriors protecting a queen using red shields. Swords are drawn. The queen has a tense look on her face in between the shields.

SAFAR Film Festival: The Last Queen

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival and SAFAR Film Festival partner to
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12:00pm, Monday 10 July
An Arab man is crouched in a sandy coloured desert landscape. He is wearing a black turban

And still, it remains

And still, it remains is a newly commissioned film by
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7:30pm, Tuesday 11 July
Passports, Mo Salah, Jinn and Other Complicated Things

Passports, Mo Salah, Jinn and Other Complicated Things

Writers Ahmed Masoud and Farah Chamma present an experimental new
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7:30pm, Wednesday 12 July
A dancer is crouched down with his head down and arms either side. The top of his head is visible. The stage is dark and the dancer is bathed in a green light.

Self-Entitlement

Self-Entitlement is an autobiographical solo performance by Egyptian dancer Mahmoud
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11:00am, Thursday 13 July
A man extends his arm in a dance movement. He is wearing a blue shirt and jeans. There are several participants sitting on the floor watching him.

An introduction to Raks Baladi: dance workshop with Mahmoud El Haddad

Egyptian dancer Mahmoud El Haddad invites you to learn the
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8:00pm, Thursday 13 July
Artist lisa luxx is standing with her arms open in a wheat harvest field. Her eyes are closed and head titled slightly upwards.

what the dog said to the harvest

A groundbreaking call for climate justice drawing on opera, dance,
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8:00pm, Friday 14 July
Maya Youssef

Maya Youssef

The award-winning Syrian composer and musician, Maya Youssef brings her
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11:00am, Saturday 15 July
Mona Kareem standing near the sea edge. She is wearing round red glasses, wearing a navy jacket and white t-shirt. The red cover of I Will Not Fold These Maps is to the right of this image, taking up half the screen.

I Will Not Fold These Maps 

Poet Mona Kareem launches her fiercely unapologetic new book of
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12:00pm, Saturday 15 July
The British-Yemeni Society 30th celebration event

The British-Yemeni Society 30th celebration event

2023 marks the 30th anniversary since the British-Yemeni Society was
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12:00pm, Saturday 15 July
LAAF x Bluecoat

LAAF x Bluecoat

As we celebrate the 25 years since we were founded,
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1:30pm, Saturday 15 July
Our Dreams of Jasmine - book launch and listening event

Our Dreams of Jasmine – book launch and listening event

In the full bloom of Summer, this July you are
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12:00pm, Sunday 16 July
Family Day

Family Day

The celebratory Family Day, the showcase of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival,
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