2010 Award

April 2010

LIVERPOOL ARABIC ARTS FESTIVAL WINNER OF 2010 ARAB BRITISH CULTURE & SOCIETY AWARD

LAAF

THE ARAB BRITISH CENTRE IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE LIVERPOOL ARABIC ARTS FESTIVAL (LAAF) AS WINNER OF THE 2010 ARAB BRITISH CULTURE AND SOCIETY AWARD.

The annual award of £5000 is made to an individual or organization which, in the opinion of the judges, has made an outstanding contribution to the British public’s knowledge and understanding of the life, society and culture of the Arab people.

The judges unanimously chose the LAAF in recognition of the wide range of shows and activities from throughout the Arab World which it organizes during its annual festival, and the large and growing audiences it attracts. Through its concerts, dance shows, art and photographic exhibitions, poetry readings and plays held in many Liverpool venues, and its outreach programmes in schools and other centres, it has introduced Arab culture to many thousands of adults and children, and played an important role in increasing appreciation of Arab life and culture and combating prejudice. The award will be presented at a ceremony in late May.

LAAF Manager Ngozi Ikoku said, “The first Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival took place in 2002 and thanks to our strong partners and the support of the Arabic community it has outgrown all our expectations. We are extremely honoured to be recognised with this Award and for the encouragement it gives to our attempt to bring together a wide variety of people to share and learn about Arabic culture. The Award will only strengthen our resolve to ensure that we continue to deliver a significant national and independent Festival which resonates within the city and far beyond.”

The Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival was one of ten candidates shortlisted for the award. As in previous years, the judges were impressed by the high quality and range of nominations received, and specially commended the following candidates for their notable contributions:

  • Kamal Boullata: Palestinian artist, and author of a major book on Palestinian art in its social and historical context, Palestinian Art: From 1850 to the Present
  • Dr Eugene Rogan: historian of the Middle East, and author of an ambitious and compendious history of the Arabs, The Arabs: A History
  • Unipal: a charity which sends British volunteer teachers to Palestinian refugee camps, and invites Palestinian teachers to the UK

The judging panel for the 2010 Arab British Culture and Society Award comprised: Dr Shelagh Weir (Chair); Malu Halasa; Heather Masoud; Professor Tim Niblock; Margaret Obank; and Nadim Sawalha.

Please click here to read the full press release from Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival.

This year’s Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival will be held 2 – 11 July 2010. For further information please see the website, www.arabicartsfestival.co.uk.

For further information on the Award or the Arab British Centre please contact Imogen Ware (E: imogen@arabbritishcentre.org.uk or T: 020 7832 1310).

Image above: © Robert Cook | Family Day | 2009

 

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March 2010

shortlist for the ARAB BRITISH CULTURE & SOCIETY AWARD 2010

 

THE ARAB BRITISH CENTRE IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE SHORTLIST FOR THE ARAB BRITISH CULTURE AND SOCIETY AWARD 2010. THE PRIZE RECOGNISES AND CELEBRATES THOSE WHO HAVE MADE AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE BRITISH PUBLIC’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIFE, SOCIETY AND CULTURE OF THE ARAB PEOPLE.

The ten shortlisted candidates were chosen from a long list of 34 and are as follows:

  • The Arabian Dance Theatre Company: Celebrates the dance, music and culture of the Arab world through theatre productions featuring both Western and Arab performers.
  • Delfina Entrecanales: Founder of Delfina Foundation (DF). DF facilitates artistic exchanges to the UK for artists in the Middle East and organises a public programme about topical issues on contemporary arts and civic society in the Arab World.
  • Dr Eugene Rogan: Academic and author of The Arabs: A History (Allen Lane, November 2009).
  • The Frankincense Trail: Four part BBC2 series, aired during August and September 2009, exploring the coexistence of modernity with ancient traditions in the Arab world.
  • Kamal Boullata: Author of Palestinian Art: 1850 to the Present (Saqi Books, February 2009).
  • Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival: Annual Arab arts and culture festival which works to raise awareness and promote an understanding and appreciation for Arab heritage.
  • Maysaloun Faraj: Artist, curator and editor. Curated over 15 visual art exhibitions since 2000, focusing on contemporary art from Iraq but also the Arab world. Co-founder of ayagallery, London.
  • Peter Mortimer: Author and founder of The Shatila Project, children’s theatre company. During 2009 Mortimer brought 10 children and 5 school teachers from Shatila, West Beirut to perform in the North-East of England.
  • Offscreen Education Programme CIC: Promotes educational and cultural exchanges between young people and artists in the UK and the Arab world; hosts workshops and develops educational resources for young people; provides a platform for artists from the Arab and Western worlds to showcase their work.
  • Unipal: Educational programme which takes young British volunteers to Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon to provide English language teaching.

The panel, chaired by Dr Shelagh Weir, will meet in late April after which the winner will be announced.

Panel: Dr Shelagh Weir (Chair); Prof Maisa Farid; Malu Halasa; Heather Masoud; Prof Tim Niblock; Margaret Obank; Nadim Sawalha.

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December 2009

THE ARAB BRITISH CENTRE INVITES NOMINATIONS FOR ITS ANNUAL PRIZE OF £5000. THE PRIZE CELEBRATES THOSE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE BRITISH PUBLIC’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIFE, SOCIETY AND CULTURE OF THE ARAB PEOPLE.

The prize is open to candidates of any nationality and working in any field. You are also warmly invited to nominate any author, artist, filmmaker, play, programme, exhibition or organisation who you think is worthy of this Award. In addition to the prize money, the ABC will provide the winner with opportunities to promote his or her work more widely.

“At a time when the public hears little but news of violence and human suffering in the Middle East, this imaginative and timely enterprise by the ABC will honour and encourage those who have the capacity to bring to British audiences the rich and enduring life, society and culture of the Arab people.”

Sir Marrack Goulding

Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations

Previous winners and specially-commended candidates include: Zaytoun CIC; Al Saqi bookshop and publishers; IB Tauris; Professor Tim Niblock; Raja Shehadeh; Margaret Obank; Maysoon Pachachi; Dr Venetia Porter; and Reem Kelani.

 

The winner of the 2010 prize will be chosen by a panel of distinguished Arab and British experts with a wide knowledge of the cultures of both the Arab World at the United Kingdom.

The group will be chaired by Dr Shelagh Weir, Research Associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and authority on Palestinian and Yemeni culture.

The six judges are:

  • Prof Maisa Farid, Cultural Counsellor and Director of the Egyptian Cultural Centre and Educational Bureau in London;
  • Malu Halasa, Editor and Journalist;
  • Heather Masoud, Co-Director of Zaytoun CIC, 2009 Award Winner;
  • Prof Tim Niblock, Professor of Arab Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter, 2009 Award Specially-Commended Candidate;
  • Margaret Obank, Founder and Director of Banipal literary magazine and Banipal Books, 2008 Award Specially-Commended Candidate;
  • Nadim Sawalha, Actor.

Nominations are welcome, either directly from individuals or organisations that wish to be considered for the award or from third parties who want to nominate a particular individual or organisation. Please note that previous winners and the specially-commended cannot be considered for nomination for five years and two years, respectively. All other former nominations can, of course, be re-submitted.

The closing date for entries is Friday, 5th March 2010. Nominations should be made in the form of a completed application form (attached below). Please email completed forms to imogen@arabbritishcentre.org.uk

The shortlist of applicants will be published in April 2010, followed by the announcement of the winner and presentation of the award by Dr Shelagh Weir at a ceremony shortly thereafter.

For further information, please contact:

Imogen Ware on E: imogen@arabbritishcentre.org.uk or T: 020 7832 1310

Download the nomination form here

Images above from left to right:

Calligraphy: © Mustafa Ja’far|2009|arabigraphy.com

Artwork: detail from NAJD|Mohammed Farea|2008|Courtesy of Offscreen CIC

Photography: © Saeed Taji Farouky |taji.co.uk