Artists and writers do not create in a vacuum, we currently live in polarised societies in which exclusion, othering, conservatism fuel our political and cultural discourses. Technology and media also influence creativity on different levels: from the algorithms and terms of use created by social media companies monitoring and censoring content, to mainstream media and the publishing sector instrumentalizing voices to create sensationalism in the pursuit of profit. Many creators find themselves caught in-between these tensions, coming from all sides, including the communities they were born in or choose to be part of.
We dive deep into these complex questions under the guidance and moderation of journalist and writer Warda El-Kaddouri. We first invite our guests to express their voices through their work and imagination: with a dance performance by Mala Badi, comics and illustrations from Sinine Nakhle (aka BeirutByDyke), and new writing from this year’s festival co-curators Hengameh Yaghoobifarah and Grace Ly.
In the second part of the programme, we bring our focus on society and follow-up with a spoken word performance by benzokarim and a short academic lecture by Michiel Leezenberg putting the overall theme of Freedom of Expression into perspective. Our creators from the first session, Sinine Nakhle, Hengameh Yaghoobifarah and Grace Ly, will enter into a deeper conversation with Michiel Leezenberg moderated by Warda El Kaddouri, in order to discuss their work within the societal context in which it is created.