MAHARAT: Building Careers in the Performing Arts
Business Models and Sustainability of Performance Art Clusters in the Arab Region: Training, Mentorship, and Financial Support Programme
2025 Cycle for Lebanon, Syria, Palestine
Ettijahat - Independent Culture, in partnership with DROSOS Foundation, announces the launch of applications for the 2025 edition of the Business Models and Sustainability of Performing Art Clusters component of the MAHARAT programme.
This component will serve small and medium-sized for-profit and non-profit institutions from Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine that are active in the performing arts sector. It will aim to develop their skills in financial literacy and planning, identify funding and resource sustainability challenges, and enhance audience engagement and outreach. Additionally, it will encourage the development of business models that offer medium-term responses to disruptions in public life and economic downturns, while seeking alternative and sustainable approaches to funding.
Selected Organizations
DCT Dance Circus Theatre - Amalgam Studio: Lebanon
Is a non-profit organization founded in 2014 with the vision of cultivating a vibrant and inclusive performing arts ecosystem in Lebanon, where artistic expression thrives and connects communities. Through its physical space in the heart of Beirut, Amalgam has become a central hub for the performing arts over the past years, focused on movement, contemporary dance, and physical theatre. Amalgam aims to empower artists and enrich the cultural landscape of Lebanon through accessible resources, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities. Its main objectives are to provide a safe and equipped space for artistic residencies and rehearsals, run mentorship programmes that stimulate artistic creation and support the development of emerging talents, offer regular classes and workshops at affordable prices, and promote cultural exchange, encounters, and potential collaborations between local and international artists.
LAAB: Lebanon
LAAB is a research and practice unit founded by Hashim Adnan and Jana Tannous. It explores the intersections of art, culture, and politics through critical multimedia interventions. LAAB brings together artists, researchers, and theatre-practitioners committed to collective work and active engagement. It has completed three cycles in collaboration with individuals, groups, and institutions. During the 2019 uprising in Lebanon, LAAB participated in protest actions and critical analysis, producing content that explored the relationship between text, image, and performance – documented via Instagram (@bel.mersad).
Among its most notable projects are Glossary of Collapse (2023) and To Leave/To Stay (2024), along with several workshops, performances, and discussions addressing the economic collapse and its aftermath. Currently, A Collapsing Performance of “A Collapsing Lexicon” in collaboration with BAHH Cooperative is touring various venues across Lebanon, forming a key focus of LAAB’s work on performance arts. Looking ahead, LAAB aims to develop a live theatrical form based on non-theatrical analytical texts, transforming them into dynamic, contemporary performances that enrich public discourse.
Located in the Port of Tripoli, Marsah was born from a vision to reconnect the city with its cultural roots and unleash its creative potential. Drawing inspiration from Tripoli’s rich history and layered identity, Marsah transforms its space into a dynamic theater, an art gallery, and an incubator for emerging and established artists. At its core, Marsah believes in the power of collaboration and the intersection between arts and community. Embracing the city’s rich diversity, it develops initiatives that inspire, educate, and provoke thought. Through artist residencies, festivals, and projects focused on artistic organization and evaluation, Marsah creates opportunities for artistic innovation and social impact both within the city and beyond.
Marsah Warche 13: Lebanon
Marsah, located in the Port of Tripoli, was born from a vision to reconnect the city with its cultural roots and help fulfil its creative potential. Drawing inspiration from Tripoli’s rich history and layered identity, Marsah transforms its space into a dynamic theatre, an art gallery, and an incubator for emerging and established artists. At its core, Marsah believes in the power of collaboration and the intersection between arts and community. Embracing the city’s rich diversity, it develops initiatives that inspire, educate, and provoke thought. Through artist residencies, festivals, and projects focused on artistic organization and evaluation, Marsah creates opportunities for artistic innovation and social impact both within the city and beyond.
Rumman S.A.R.L.: Lebanon
Rumman aims to support and enhance the independent music and cultural scene in Tripoli and the surrounding region. Founded in 2021, it manages “Stereo Kawalis,” an old cinema built in 1953 and restored to become the city’s largest independent music venue, hosting professional and diverse musical and artistic productions accessible to all, with the goal of reaching the widest possible audience. In addition to organizing monthly music programmes, Rumman supports local bands and artists by providing space and studio facilities for rehearsals and recordings. It also organizes an annual music festival each September that brings together local and international musicians. Rumman works on building regional and international collaborations and partnerships with music and cultural organizations and independent artists through co-productions, artist residencies, and music exchange programmes. The core of the project is based on building strong community relationships and opposing class-based urban displacement policies, insisting on cooperation with local service providers to help promote development and preserve neighborhood culture and the social fabric of communities .
Damascus Theatre Lab: Syria
Damascus Theatre Lab is an independent artistic collective founded in 2010 and led by artistic director Osama Ghanam. The Lab aims to establish a theatrical practice rooted in creative and artistic research, with a particular focus on directing, dramaturgy, performance, and their interrelation, as well as the connection between theatre and contemporary social reality. The Lab operates on two main levels. The first involves organizing workshops with theatre professionals in Syria, aiming to explore the spectrum of global theatrical practices while encouraging young practitioners to create their own productions. Over the years, the Lab has conducted more than 20 workshops on various topics, reaching over 200 participants, including artists and graduates from the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts.
The second level focuses on producing professional theatrical performances. The Lab has staged several productions directed by Osama Ghanam in Damascus and abroad. Notably, Ghanam also authored the script for the Lab’s latest performance Shams wa Majd (Sun and Glory), as well as the script for an upcoming production currently in development.
The second level focuses on producing professional theatrical performances. The Lab has staged several productions directed by Osama Ghanam in Damascus and abroad. Notably, Ghanam also authored the script for the Lab’s latest performance Shams wa Majd (Sun and Glory), as well as the script for an upcoming production currently in development.
Hanien Theatre Troupe: Syria
Hanien is an independent artistic troupe founded in 2016 in Sweida by two artists, with the aim of using performing arts as a tool for education, psychosocial support, and community engagement. The troupe works across various disciplines including clowning, acting, shadow puppetry, and puppeteering, and has pioneered several initiatives in Sweida, including the city’s first clowning team, first independent theater, and first stand-up comedy group. Hanien has produced performances for both children and adults, reaching thousands of beneficiaries across age groups, and it also leads community arts workshops with women and adolescent girls. The troupe has participated in over 40 local and international collaborations and launched its first dedicated festival in 2025.
Mraya Theater Project: Syria
Mraya is a theatre project based on research and creative experimentation and rooted in the collective nature of theatre. The project is built on the principle of collaborative work through workshops and brainstorming sessions, with theatrical productions emerging organically as their natural outcome. Mraya supports and initiates theatre projects focused on documenting both oral and visual histories, including explorations of folk oral heritage and war testimonies that reflect the impact of conflict on Syrian society.
This is achieved through workshops that document oral storytelling traditions and adapt them into performance forms such as hakawati (storytelling) and staged readings, as well as through autobiographical writing workshops that are transformed into theatrical texts. Mraya also offers specialized theatre training.
In addition, the project uses theatre as a tool for psychosocial support for children and youth affected by war, employing storytelling and narrative to help process trauma. It also runs therapeutic interactive theatre workshops for women and girls who are survivors of gender-based violence. More broadly, Mraya works to develop artistic tools and interventions that create safe spaces for communication and self-expression in times of crisis.
Baladi Center for Culture and Arts: Palestine
Baladi Center for Culture and Arts is an independent cultural institution established in 2015 as an extension of the Baladi Troupe, which was founded in 1991 in the town of Beit Jala. The center was created to preserve Palestinian folk heritage and reinforce national identity in the face of erasure and displacement. With a clear artistic vision rooted in the authenticity of Palestinian folklore, the center draws inspiration from tradition while evolving it through contemporary artistic and training approaches. The center includes the professional Baladi Troupe, the Baladi Buds children’s ensemble, and a dabke dance school that serves over 230 children between the ages of 5 and 17. Its work is grounded in principles of volunteerism, change, and acceptance of others, with a focus on training children and youth, and organizing performances and cultural programmes that foster belonging and collective engagement. Baladi has participated in numerous local and international festivals and continues to focus on youth empowerment and the building of a civil society rooted in cultural heritage. The center also places strong emphasis on documenting Palestinian oral heritage through interviews, artistic initiatives, and training activities. Additionally, it founded the People’s Library, an open platform for learning, knowledge exchange, and promoting a culture of collective solidarity
Nablus Circus Association: Palestine
The Nablus Circus Association was founded in 2004 as a youth initiative to address the difficult conditions in Nablus. Officially registered with the Palestinian Ministry of Interior in 2011, since 2018 it has also been registered with the Ministry of Culture as a cultural center. The association is a member of several networks, including the Caravan Social Circus Network, the Child Protection Network, and the Art Unites Us Alliance, and maintains extensive relationships with local and international institutions. Its mission is to create a safe environment for children and youth to express themselves through performing arts, collaborating with local and international partners to foster creativity and social participation. The association’s strategic goals focus on four key areas: artistic development and skill-building through training and performances; supporting the creative industry by establishing an artistic incubator; using circus as a therapeutic tool for psychological release and community engagement; and achieving sustainability and growth by diversifying funding sources and strengthening partnerships. The team includes qualified trainers and volunteers who support its activities, and the association enjoys financial and administrative independence while adhering to clear policies, including gender equality and a child protection code of conduct.
Stereo for Contemporary Arts: Palestine
Stereo for Performing Arts is a newly established institution that evolved from Stereo48, a contemporary hip-hop dance collective based in Nablus. The organization aims to serve as an incubator for Palestinian dancers from diverse dance backgrounds. It has built a network of connections with dabke dancers from Ramallah and launched a series of workshops focused on embodied knowledge exchange. Stereo also collaborates with Studio Collective, comprising female dancers from Jerusalem and Nazareth, as well as with Hayy Dance Company, a contemporary and hip-hop dance troupe from Gaza.
The institution aspires to position dance as a catalyst for advancing the artistic sector in Palestine and the wider Arab region. This initiative represents a first step toward realizing its vision of building a connected network of dancers across Palestine and, eventually, the Arab world—fostering an authentic dance scene that secures its place in the world of performing arts. Through this, it seeks to offer individuals a platform to express their realities, hopes, ambitions, and messages to others across boundaries.
Selection Committee
Ahmed Al Attar is an Egyptian independent theatre director, playwright, and cultural manager who founded and manages key independent cultural institutions in Egypt. He established Studio Emad Eddin (SEE-2005), Cairo’s oldest rehearsal and training spaces, Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF-2012), Egypt’s largest annual international contemporary arts festival, Arab Arts Focus (AAF-2014), a leading producer and distributor of Arab contemporary performing artists, Maktabi (2018), Cairo’s exclusive shared office spaces for the creative sector, and Alafein (2022), the first and only bilingual Arabic – English mobile application that acts as a comprehensive art and culture guide.
His Temple Independent Theater Company has globally showcased his plays, performing in some of the most prestigious theatres and festivals in over two dozen countries. In 2018 El Attar was presented the title of a “Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters” by the French Ministry of Culture for his significant contributions to theatre. In January 2022, El Attar joined the board of directors of the International Society for the performing arts (ISPA) becoming the first Egyptian and Arab to join the board of the largest performing arts network in the world.
Anas Darkawi is a civil society and international development practitioner with over 20 years of experience supporting organisations and leaders across the Levant. His work spans organizational development, leadership coaching, training, impact assessment, and strategic consulting. A seasoned NGO leader, grant-maker, and certified coach, Anas is deeply committed to localization, sustainability, and the transformative role of arts and culture in conflict-affected contexts.
Laila Hourani is a cultural leader and novelist with over 25 years of experience in arts, culture, media development, and narrative-based social impact. A descendant of a Palestinian refugee family, her 2009 debut novel Baoh draws from her personal journey of displacement. Laila has held leadership roles at major institutions including the Ford Foundation, British Council, UNICEF, and most recently MIMETA in Norway, where she served as Programme Director until 2023. She now works as an independent consultant, supporting international and regional organizations such as IRIS, Untold Stories, and L’Art Rue. Her work has focused on strengthening independent arts and media sectors in the Arab world and supporting storytellers and communities in crisis. A Salzburg Global Fellow, she has served on the boards and juries of prominent cultural organizations including Al Mawred Al Thaqafi, Ettijahat, AFAC, and the Anna Lindh Foundation.
Selection Committee Statement
The selection committee was excited to receive a diverse and strong set of applications from the three target countries, including many from outside capital hubs with limited access to cultural resources. The applicants brought a wide range of experience and worked across various disciplines such as music, theatre, folklore, and contemporary dance. Many proposed projects explored the intersection of artistic expression and pressing social and political issues, reflecting the urgency and relevance of culture in today’s climate. The selection process aimed to support initiatives that clearly understood where they are in their development process, identified the challenges they face, and demonstrated how this programme could help them move forward. We looked for a balance between emerging and more established initiatives, spanning geographies and practices. The programme itself responds to a clear need in the region: for spaces that allow new initiatives not only to emerge but also to grow, adapt, and build toward lasting impact. Through tailored training, mentorship, and financial support, the committee hopes to help participants strengthen their foundations and continue playing an active role in their communities and the wider cultural landscape.
