A Portrait of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC)

[Since 2007 AFAC has supported five hundred art projects in fifteen Arab countries. Image courtesy of MedrarTV.] [Since 2007 AFAC has supported five hundred art projects in fifteen Arab countries. Image courtesy of MedrarTV.]

A Portrait of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC)

By : Medrar TV مدرار تي في

A Portrait of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC)

November 2013

Beirut, Lebanon

 

AFAC is an independent institution founded in 2007 to support the work of Arab artists and cultural initiatives. It offers cultural practitioners grants and provides technical and logistical support. AFAC also works on building networks between artists in the region and in non-Arab countries. The fund has developed its programs over the years based on existing needs and changes in the local art scenes. For instance, it started a special program in cooperation with the Sundance Institute to support documentary filmmakers and producers three years ago. It also offers different programs to cater to visual artists, performers, filmmakers, as well as projects focusing on traditional arts and cultural heritage.

In this video interview, AFAC Executive Director Oussama Rifahi presents the fund`s vision, highlighting some of its special programs. AFAC Grants Manager Racha Salah also offers insights on the criteria they use to evaluate artistic projects. 

                          [This video is produced by Medrar TV and is featured in partnership with Jadaliyya Culture.]  

A Scenography Workshop by Hussein Baydoun

A Scenography workshop by Hussein Baydoun

8-16 September 2013

Falaki Theater, Cairo, Egypt

 

Hussein Baydoun is a Lebanese artist, architect, and scenographer who is known for his unique approach to set design. Baydoun frequently participates in the creation and development of performances from their early stages with the view that scenography is an essential component to the creation of theatrical work, one no less important than the script. His designs are often inspired by the performance spaces in which he works, where he creates fascinating sets from whatever is available as he challenges conventional notions about theater production, such as in his most recent performance "Alice," which was produced in collaboration with Lebanese playwright and director Sawsan Bou Khaled. In September, Baydoun returned to Cairo to lead a scenography workshop following the same vision. At the American University in Cairo`s Falaki Theater, he worked with six upcoming set designers, in addition to amateurs, on creating imaginative environments from the remnants of old sets and other discarded objects. This video highlights the vision and development of the workshop as Baydoun describes the aim of his teaching methods.  


 

      

     [This video is produced by Medrar TV and is featured as part of a new partnership with Jadaliyya Culture.]