RAWABET

Participation | Connectivity | Diversity

Rawabet (Arabic for ‘links’) is a consortium of entities united by the belief that empowering the presence of artists moving from the Arab region would contribute to enriching public life in Europe, and add to the dynamic, vast, and rich cultural scene there. We believe that art practitioners can lead community-engaged art movements and reshape our future models: They are pioneers and innovators who enable us to reflect on the complexity of the world and its challenges, and contribute to the development of cohesive and inclusive critical and creative platforms.
Rawabet aims to activate the links between artists from the Arab region and European artists, and between the institutions and venues operating in non-traditional formats, learning from their experiences and methodologies in engaging audiences and developing sustainable creative frameworks.
Rawabet is a space for experimentation with strategies to enhance connection, engage diverse audiences, and communicate across creative sectors, so that artists from both the Arab region and Europe can have more opportunities to meet and collaborate around shared values.

Rawabet is a transnational creation and circulation collaborative programme implemented over three years, to:

Contribute to the accessibility of European cultural spaces for the artists who moved over the last decade from the Arab region by rethinking these spaces as tools for facilitating cooperation, responding to questions about art and social innovation, and developing principles of fairness, solidarity, balance, and sustainability
Design and test democratic approaches to cultural production which promote cooperation between artists living in Europe, and contribute to the formulation of more empowering narratives about the role of artists and cultural workers in European societies
Contribute to bridging gaps, and enhancing cooperation and exchange between Arab artists, non-Arab artists, and audiences in Europe
Offer new ways to facilitate access for European audiences to the Arab art scene in Europe and address refugee and immigrant populations through an artistic lens

Rawabet targets artists and cultural practitioners who have moved to Europe from the Arab world since 2015, with a focus on the countries of the Arab Levant (including all ethnic minorities).and the countries that have been affected by extensive waves of migration and displacement in the last decade, and European artists and cultural organization interested in collaborating and engaging with Rawabet's themes. In parallel to this, Rawabet targets European audiences and newly arrived Arab and migrant communities that have settled in Europe.

Rawabet Components

Production Grants
Offering production grants for twelve Performing Arts and Music projects to be developed or implemented throughout 2025 and 2026, each grant valued at 12,000 EURO.

Residency and Exchange Programme
Residency and Exchange programs designed in Corsica / France and in Malmo, Sweden for twenty seven solo or group artists from different artistic fields looking to experiment, network with sector professionals, and have the opportunity to showcase their projects.

Rawabet Festivals
Four festivals designed around themes of migration, mobility and visibility, and implemented in Berlin, Genoa, Oslo, and Brussels. The festivals include a rich and diverse programme of performance art, music, and multidisciplinary creations by new and emerging artists based in Europe, as well as select projects which have participated in the Rawabet Residencies and have received production grants.

Rawabet Publication
An online publication celebrating the model, achievements, and impact of Rawabet, including commissioned essays and contributions from artists, partners and cultural practitioners.

Partners

Ettijahat - Independent Culture, Brussels, Belgium / Beirut, Lebanon
GEZMATAZ, Genoa, Italy
MASAHAT for Arab Culture in Exile, Oslo, Norway
Transversal Project (TPAB) Malmo, Sweden
VOCE National Center for Musical Creation, Corsica / France
coculture, Berlin, Germany

Rawabet is supported by The European Education and Culture Executive Agency within the framework of CREATIVE EUROPE. The views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.