Life: Contributions to Support Syrian Cultural Entities – Third Edition | 2024
Ettijahat – Independent Culture announced the launch of the Life programme’s third edition. This programme targets entities and collectives active in the Syrian arts sector, who are playing a central role in building relationships with art creators and audiences in Syria in particular.
In 2024, the Life programme seeks to support the efforts of six cultural entities and institutions in designing their artistic and cultural programmes. These entities are either active in Syria and/or design programmes that strengthen the links between the independent Syrian cultural scene and the Syrian diaspora and the Arab world, in alignment with the Ettijahat strategic plan 2023-2025, which focuses on developing in-kind support in Syria and addressing the isolation of its independent artistic scene.
Entities Receiving Support
Assembly of Artistic Laboratory
Founded in 2020, this union includes academic artists who collaborate in an independent space. It serves to raise social awareness about the importance of creative artistic expression among youth and children, away from traditional artistic centres. The gathering aims to empower youth and children with artistic expression tools and help them face social challenges, defending their right to express and create. It seeks to discover talents, develop artistic skills in the performing arts sector, and expand the production and reception of arts within the surrounding social environment.
Kulturvan Cultural Center
Founded in 2020 in Amuda, in northeastern Syria, this cultural and artistic center provides a safe space for different cultures to meet. It offers a range of cultural activities for young men and women, including poetry and story evenings, musical events, and innovative cinema shows for children. Kulturvan serves as an outlet amidst the current harsh conditions in Syria and believes that cultural and development projects are vital for reviving, building, and empowering the Syrian individual.
Movement Space
Founded in 2023, this dance theater group and school focuses on training amateur dancers who haven't had the chance to study dance academically or work professionally. It provides comprehensive training to help dancers progress from amateur to professional levels. The school offers intensive training in classical ballet, contemporary dance, Latin dance, and dance theater techniques. Each year, the project aims to welcome new groups of dancers to give as many people as possible the opportunity to develop their skills.
Music Friends Association
Founded in 2016, this civil, non-governmental, non-profit organization aims to promote the role of music and enhance artistic and aesthetic appreciation in society. It focuses on spreading serious classical Western and Eastern music, as well as the musical heritage of the Levant, and fostering the culture of choirs and multi-voiced group singing. The association organizes concerts, music festivals, music appreciation sessions, lectures, films, and music workshops.
Nissan Organization
Founded in 2016, this non-profit organization aims to achieve an educated, democratic, and secular civil society where justice prevails. It seeks to create a vibrant cultural movement and a space for dialogue, fostering a diverse cultural and artistic environment. Its key goals include creating a free cultural space for Syrians of all backgrounds, empowering needy children through education and arts, and promoting the role of culture, art, and dialogue in raising awareness and advancing society.
Open Art Space
Founded in 2016, this art institution aims to integrate art into people's lives by enabling children and adolescents to engage with contemporary art and embrace different cultures and the values of peace. It creates a free environment for everyone to share and interact with modern art. The foundation also uses visual art to build programmes and projects focused on youth and children, especially in marginalized Syrian areas. Its goals are to reduce social gaps, foster empathy, and help the new generation find their voice, by understanding their identity and value, expressing themselves, and communicating through art.
The Jury Committee
Rafif Alsajer: Lecturer at the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts
Sasha Ayoub: Independent film producer, distributor, and cultural activist
Serene Huleileh: Cultural activist, writer, researcher, and translator
The Jury Statement
"The jury faced a great challenge in choosing the entities to receive support. They agreed that most applicants are active in their communities and play important roles in the artistic and cultural spheres. Most of the projects focused on the arts, whether through production, such as theater groups and musical gatherings, or through education and training workshops. The jury also noted significant interest in intangible heritage and ambitious efforts in the fields of antiquities and architecture. However, the cultural, artistic, and social approaches varied among the entities, particularly in their visions of the roles they aspire to play in their communities and the long-term impacts they hope to achieve. This diversity is something the jury encourages further investment in. The jury is particularly impressed with the entities' desire to develop and qualify their institutions and staff, which will positively impact the quality of activities and the relationship they weave with the public. Many proposals were not only about immediate activities but also included a vision for sustainability. It was noteworthy that many entities participated in volunteer work.
The jury emphasizes the necessity of financial support for active cultural entities in Syria, along with institutional support to improve management, governance, and planning. This support is crucial for the sustainability of independent entities and for maintaining high artistic and intellectual standards that can bring qualitative change to the Syrian cultural scene."
Life programme was first launched in 2021, providing operational support to fourteen Syrian institutions and collectives who work in the digital field or in Turkey, Europe, and the Arab region. In 2023, the second edition was launched within the framework of the Ahliyeh initiative to respond to the urgent needs of the people affected by the February 2023 earthquake. It empowered seven cultural institutions to collaborate with civil institutions and provide diverse services to affected communities, in addition to designing a training framework and following up with entities benefiting from support.
This edition of the Life programme was launched with the support of DOEN Foundation, and the British Council. Part of Life's funding was raised by Sadaa Sound Syndicate and Boiler Room through the ‘Sawt Syria” project T-shirt sales
For any inquiries regarding the Life Programme, please write to us at life@ettijahat.org.
