RAWABET: Participation | Connectivity| Diversity

About the Project

Over the past decade, increased socio-political challenges throughout the Arab Region have led to unprecedented migration to Europe, which is now “home” to diverse artistic communities looking to develop interconnected networks and inclusive systems of cultural and artistic production. However, the growing climate of xenophobia, the increasing intensity of right-wing rhetoric, the scapegoating of refugees for many consequences of economic inflation, and, most recently, the serious restraints on freedom of expression are contributing to a climate that inhibits the wealth and diversity of experiences that artists who have migrated from the Arab world in the last decade can bring to Europe. Such a climate hinders these artists from collaborating with their European peers and cultural spaces, and reduces the opportunities to engage communities of Arab origin in European public life and audiences. In response, cultural initiatives are increasing their efforts to support artists with limited resources and mobility rights and connect migrant artists based in Europe with European artists and audiences, hoping to challenge the growing waves of discrimination and stereotyping. 

Within this context, GEZMATAZ (Genoa, Italy), MASAHAT for Arab Culture in Exile (Oslo, Norway), Transversal Project (Malmo, Sweden), VOCE National Center for Musical Creation (Corsica/France), and coculture (Berlin, Germany), in partnership with Ettijahat - Independent Culture (Beirut, Lebanon / Brussels, Belgium), have joined forces to launch RAWABET, a transnational project which aims to facilitate accessibility between European audiences and Arab artists based in Europe. The program aims to increase mobility and circulation and create opportunities for collaboration between Arab and European artists, especially around themes of refuge and migration. This network of collaborations also aims to empower the role of artists, cultural workers, and institutions in Europe, and their role in activating trans-diasporic and transcultural spaces, as we continue to reflect on what diversity and solidarity mean in practice.

Rawabet seeks to engage artists and cultural practitioners who have arrived in Europe from the Arab region since 2015 as well as established European artists interested in collaboration and exploring the themes of the project. This is established through designing different residencies, festivals, production grants, and recording and showcasing opportunities organized in Germany, Norway, Corsica/France, Italy, Sweden, and Belgium between 2024 and 2026ز The project's multi-faceted approach will offer a comprehensive support system for Arab migrant artists navigating the European art scene. Additionally, in order to achieve our aim and to empower migrant artists and support connections within their host communities, RAWABET will provide access to residencies that nurture creativity and collaboration, festivals that celebrate cultural richness, and showcasing opportunities that amplify alternative narratives.

RAWABET promises to be a vibrant celebration of cultural diversity, artistic talent, and cross-cultural dialogue, inviting stakeholders, artists, and art enthusiasts to join in the movement towards a more inclusive and dynamic arts community.

You can follow Rawabet’s journey and keep track of open calls by accessing the websites and social media platforms of all six partners. Don’t miss the open calls for the Artistic Residency in Corsica/France, and the open call for the Productions Grants, coming up soon! 

About the Partners

Ettijahat - Independent Culture | Brussels / Beirut

Founded in 2011, Ettijahat is a cultural organization working to promote independent culture across the Arab world. Its main goal is to activate the role of independent artists in enabling cultural, and social change. It also seeks to build a strong and authentic relationship between culture and art and all other sectors of society. Ettijahat aims to achieve this by supporting artists and cultural entrepreneurs, empowering young researchers, building consensus and alliances between individuals and cultural institutions, promoting art and artists through regional and international platforms, and making art and culture more accessible to local and international communities and audiences.

GEZMATAZ | Genoa, Italy

Gezmataz is a non-profit organization dedicated to the support, production, and promotion of the music scene through concerts, festivals, training and workshops. It organizes the GEZMATAZ festival every year bringing together major international figures from the jazz scene, and empowering both the cultural and social role of music.

MASAHAT FOR ARAB CULTURE IN EXILE | Oslo, Norway

MASAHAT is a non-profit organization working on curating and presenting knowledge, history, art and culture from the Arab world. Through its annual multidisciplinary Masahat festival for Arab Arts and Culture, and working across literature, music, film, visual and performing arts, Masahat (means “spaces” in Arabic) showcases the work of emerging and established Arab and immigrant artists from the Arab diaspora in Norway and beyond, and creates unique meeting spaces for the Norwegian majority and minority populations featuring underrepresented voices from the Middle East and North Africa. Since 2015, Masahat has produced more than 130 artistic, cultural and thematic events, and partnered with more than 47 Norwegian institutes, cultural actors and festivals.

Transversal Project | Malmo, Sweden

Transversal Project is a Sweden-based, Europe-active cultural strategy and production agency. We work across national borders and social disciplines to help cities, creators and enterprises create international, culture-driven development projects, and find the money to do them. Transversal Project manages the transdisciplinary artistic platform Borderline Offensive, connecting artists exploring humorous approaches to discuss sad and hard topics; it advises the European Creative Rooftop Network on advocacy and development strategy; and it produces the SUNPLUGGED network of non-electric light art festivals.

VOCE National Center for Musical Creation | Corsica, France

The Centre National de Création Musicale Voce operates in the spheres of creation, artistic dissemination, musicological research, musical training and cultural mediation. Founded in 1978 in Pigna, the CNCM Voce is a major actor in the development of Corsica's intangible heritage, its cartography and its outreach. The center has been labeled Fabbrica Culturale by the Collectivité de la Corse since 2020 and Centre National de Création Musicale by the French Ministry of Culture since 2017.

coculture | Berlin, Germany

coculture is a Berlin-based cultural organization rooted in art, creative activism, and community building. By establishing physical and digital artistic platforms, creating opportunities, and offering guidance and support, its mission is to empower underrepresented artists from the global south. It focuses on Syrian artists facing challenges as they chart their artistic paths in Europe, bolstering their creative agency and enabling them to influence their communities and reclaim the narrative from their perspectives.

Rawabet is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.