Lebanese artist Qasim Istanbul, founder of the Lebanese National Free Theater, has launched an initiative to bring theater and arts to marginalized areas in Lebanon. The project, which began in 2008, aims to break the cultural centralization and achieve cultural balance by providing art spaces in villages and towns. The initiative allows young people, children, women, and people with disabilities to participate in the arts. Istanbul's project has already reached several areas, including Nabatiyeh, Tripoli, and Beirut.
The project has evolved from mobile performances to establishing permanent cultural spaces. These spaces host festivals, theater performances, cinema screenings, music and dance events, and training workshops. The initiative also includes the renovation of closed cinemas, which are transformed into independent cultural spaces open to the public. The goal is to provide a platform for artists from different countries to showcase their work.
Istanbul's initiative adopts the concept of "inclusive arts," where people with disabilities participate in training workshops and theater performances. The project also organizes cinema screenings that cater to the needs of the deaf and blind. This approach allows everyone to access and participate in cultural and artistic activities. The initiative has become a platform for social and cultural exchange.
The Lebanese National Theater has become a presence in three cities: Tyre, Beirut, and Tripoli. These cultural spaces have not only played a role in promoting cultural activities but have also served as shelters for displaced people during times of conflict. The initiative has demonstrated that art can be a powerful tool for social cohesion and community building.
Istanbul's project continues to evolve, with the "Bus of Art and Peace" traveling to different areas to provide film screenings, training workshops, and theater performances. The initiative aims to reach areas that lack cultural services and to bring children from displacement centers to theaters. The project also facilitates the transportation of audiences to attend performances in Beirut, Tripoli, and other cities.
The initiative is part of the work of the "Tiro for Arts" association, which manages the Lebanese National Theaters in Tyre, Beirut, and Tripoli. The association offers free training workshops in various fields, including painting, handicrafts, storytelling, and dance. The initiative also organizes festivals, including the Lebanese International Theater Festival and the Tyre International Film Festival.
Istanbul emphasizes that the initiative is based on the belief that culture and arts are not exclusive to a particular group or city but are a right available to everyone. The project demonstrates that theater can be a space for meeting, sharing, and embracing, whether in times of stability or crisis. The initiative continues to promote cultural exchange and social cohesion in Lebanon.
Key points
- The initiative aims to break cultural centralization and achieve cultural balance by providing art spaces in villages and towns.
- The project adopts the concept of "inclusive arts," where people with disabilities participate in training workshops and theater performances.
- The initiative has become a platform for social and cultural exchange, promoting cultural cohesion in Lebanon.
