MAHARAT: Building Careers in Performing Arts

Launching the application call to the MAHARAT training programme in performing arts – 2024 Edition

Ettijahat - Independent Culture announces the launch of the open call for the 2024 edition of the technical programme MAHARAT: Building Careers in Performing Arts, targeting technicians residing in Lebanon, regardless of their nationality, active in the performing arts sector and wishing to develop their technical skills. The training programme aims to enhance the level of expertise for professional technicians working in the field of performing arts, provide them with the skills and knowledge necessary to launch or advance in their careers, boost the capabilities of practitioners in technical fields, and improve their ability to contribute to public life and the labour market.
The programme offers the opportunity to engage in a specialized training curriculum that extends over eighteen weeks, with 4-hour-long afternoon sessions per week. The programme was designed by a number of experts in the field of performing arts and includes general and specialized theoretical and applied knowledge in addition to an advanced practical training programme in cooperation with a number of artistic venues and institutions in Lebanon. The programme additionally provides participants with a per diem allowance to cover transportation costs based on attendance.
Since the launch of the programme in 2021, more than 70 trainees have benefited from the traineeship, 70% of whom have since found freelance and other work opportunities with a number of cultural and artistic institutions in Lebanon and in the region.

To learn about the other components of the Maharat programme, please click here.

For inquiries, please write to maharat@ettijahat.org

This initiative is being launched in partnership with the DROSOS Foundation.

Who is allowed to apply to the training programme?

Participation in the training programme requires full commitment. The following are eligible to apply:

Anyone living in Lebanon, regardless of nationality, between the ages of 20 and 40, who are looking to enhance their technical skills in the field of performing arts, including in theatre, music, and multidisciplinary artistic practices.
Practitioners and technicians who work exclusively or contractually with theatres or event spaces, or with performing art groups and collectives, regardless of prior attained level of formal education.
Technical experts with practical experience looking to develop their knowledge and experience within a more academic framework.

Training Programme Specializations

Lighting Techniques

The lighting techniques specialization training programme aims to develop the skills of lighting technicians in the performing arts to be better able to prepare, equip, operate, and maintain stage lighting and electrical systems, and help them produce live visual and electrical effects for theatre and music productions, in addition to visual mixing techniques, and enable them to manipulate various lighting tools that range from basic to more complicated laser lights. It also aims to support trainees to attain the appropriate level required to deal with electrical circuits and better understand the principle of merging colours, as well as other related topics.

This category seeks to develop the expertise and skills of the selected trainees so that they can work in teams, mainly with lighting designers, sound technicians, directors, and production managers.

Sound Techniques

The sound techniques specialization training programme aims to develop the skills of sound technicians to be better able to manage the quality and level of sound, sound effects, and sound equipment during live performances, as well as to enable them to possess a basic level of music, sound technology, and other related fields. Participants in this area of specialization will learn to handle basic sound equipment, organize performances and indoor and outdoor events, sound testing and preparation tests, equipment installation, volume adjustment techniques, and sound quality preparation and control. It also aims to support the trainees so that they have a minimum level and knowledge in dealing with the physics of sound and other related fields.

This category seeks to develop the experiences and skills of the selected trainees so that they can work in teams, mainly with sound designers, lighting technicians, directors, and production managers.

Stage Management and Production Techniques

The stage management and production techniques specialization training programme aims to develop the skills of stage managers to be better able to coordinate all aspects of event production, from arranging costumes, decoration, and props, to managing actors, artists, and trainings, and ensuring events run smoothly and efficiently. It focuses on enhancing self-organization, team management, and attention to detail, beginning with script breakdown and analysis. Additionally, the programme offers guidance in theatrical production for emerging producers and self-producing artists, taking into consideration the production conditions unique to Lebanon. The main components include planning a theatre production, complete with budgeting, building a team, securing funding, selling tickets, promoting, and designing a theatre production. The programme covers the diverse tasks required of a stage manager, emphasizing the integration of stage management with production conceptualization. This comprehensive approach equips stage managers with the knowledge necessary to manage and produce a wide range of productions, highlighting the essential role of production skills for those aspiring to work in various types of productions.

Partnering Venues

A crucial part of the training programme is the internship component which aims to provide trainees with valuable hands-on experience through our extensive network of peers and partners. By partnering with a variety of local venues, we ensure that the trainees have the opportunity to apply and refine the new skills they have acquired in a real-life setting. This collaboration not only strengthens the training programme but also facilitates a seamless transition for trainees from theoretical learning to practical application, thereby enhancing their professional development and readiness for the job market. Since 2021, the MAHARAT training programme has partnered with a number of artistic venues such as Metro Al Madina, Shams Theatre, Monot Theatre, Zoukak Theatre, Koon Theatre Group, Marsah Warche, among others.

Criteria for selecting participants

The Selection Committee evaluates all eligible applications for the MAHARAT training based on the following criteria:

A direct or at least indirect correlation between the applicant’s academic history and their work experience within the performing arts sector;
A strong ability to commit to interactive, collective, and participatory frames of work, the ability to work well and cooperatively within a team, respect for diversity and privacy, and an active desire to help build safe training and working environments;
A minimum level of training requirements, in terms of being familiar with the general working mechanism of the performing arts sector as well as a minimum level of written and spoken English;
The training programme’s impact on the professional development of participants.

How does the application selection process work?

A specialized committee of art and culture experts will study each application and select the winning participants according to their laid-out criteria. The selection process will be divided into three stages:

The first stage begins with an evaluation of each application carried out by individual members of the jury committee, followed by a group evaluation to select the shortlisted applicants. Only applications that meet all stated conditions will be evaluated, while any applications that do not fulfil the administrative or content requirements will not be considered.

The second stage involves conducting individual interviews with each shortlisted applicant, which will take place in person with a member of the jury.

The third stage includes attending an intensive workshop for all shortlisted applicants to learn more about the knowledge and experiences of the participants through a series of practical exercises. At the end of this stage, jury members will evaluate the suitability of the training programme as per the applicants’ professional aspirations and proceed to make a final collective selection accordingly.

What are the required documents that I should send?

The completed application form is filled out in either Arabic or English. Register and apply by clicking here.
Your updated CV.
A clear copy of your ID or passport.
Samples of artistic projects that you have previously or are currently working on, including plans and sketches for sound or light, as well as organizational documents, work reports, or budget divisions for applicants of the stage management traineeship.

Key Dates

14 August 14, 2024: Joint Q&A session over Zoom on the application process
30 August 2024, at midnight Beirut Time: Deadline for application submissions
First half of September 2024: Conducting one-on-one interviews
The second half of September 2024: Implementation of intensive workshops
The first week of October 2024: Announcing the results
7 October, 2024, to January 31, 2025: Conducting the training programme