The Programme

PalArt Festival Networking Event

We opened the festival with the official networking event, welcoming Palestinian artists, anyone interested in meeting like-minded people, and those looking for an alternative experience of arts and culture.

The evening featured Yasmine, a part-British, Palestinian & Lebanese DJ, whose style spans bass, breaks, and UK sounds, and Ramsay Short, a British-Lebanese DJ and poet, known for Arab beats and regular shows with the Beirut Groove Collective.

Poetry Workshop with Tasneim Zyada

We hosted a poetry workshop with Tasneim Zyada, a British-Palestinian poet writing for over 15 years. Her work explores family, displacement, mental health, and faith.

The workshop helped participants explore the journey between memories and repressed emotions.

“The session was amazing! I would not call myself a writer but it allowed me to reflect and express myself through writing. Tasneim was amazing and created an engaging, nurturing environment.” – Anonymous, Numbi Arts

“Wonderful workshop by Tasneim. Inspired me to write about the things I’ve left unsaid for so long and reconnect with free verse and poetry to express myself.” – Anonymous, Numbi Arts

Another Lover’s Discourse ليه خلّتني أحبك

Three years prior, Riham Isaac embarked on a journey to explore what it means to love and what holds us back from it.

This was Riham’s first solo performance, combining interviews, video, music, and original film to explore the complexity of love and relationships. The multimedia performance invited audiences to rethink love, challenge stereotypes, and reflect on personal desires.

“Riham Isaac explores the expectations of marriage and romance and the dreams that hover beyond them.” – Danny Boyle

The Shroud Maker by Ahmed Masoud

Ahmed Masoud’s one-woman black comedy told the story of Hajja Souad, an 84-year-old woman in Gaza who survived decades of wars and oppression by making shrouds for the dead.

The play blended comic fantasy, satire, and true stories to offer a vivid portrait of Palestinian life underscored with gallows humour.

“The mixture of comical yet painful words bring a unique balance of heartache and laughter to the dark satire of Masoud’s script.” – Middle East Monitor

“The final scene is met with a standing ovation, claps filling the studio which moments before trembled with anguish and heartbreak.” – The New Arab

Credits:

Written & Directed by Ahmed Masoud

Performed by Julia Tarnoky

Assistant Director: Adam Hasyim

Design: Dima Karout

Sound Design: Richard MelKonian

Welcome Breakfast with Riham Isaac

We hosted a relaxed Sunday breakfast with Riham Isaac, sharing food from Palestine and the neighbouring regions, and exploring her multidisciplinary practice.

Riham’s work combines acting, singing, dancing, video, and other live performance media, reflecting on artistic innovation in Palestine, gender, politics, and arts. She previously co-directed The Alternativity with Danny Boyle and Banksy (BBC2, 2017), directed I Am You (toured Palestine, Sweden & Denmark, 2016), and performed Stone on Road during Qalandia International Biennale (2014).

Find Your Voice – A Spoken Word Workshop

Award-winning writer and performer Dana Dajani led an interactive workshop to help participants cultivate their own unique voices, explore performance poetry, and channel emotion through creative expression.

Performance by Dana Dajani

Dana Dajani, Palestinian-American actress, poet, and presenter, gave a theatrical spoken word performance focused on feminine identity and social justice. She has performed internationally, including at the Sydney Opera House and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and received awards such as Emirates Woman “Artist of the Year” and the Young Arab Award for Entertainment.