The Liverpool Arab Arts Festival plans to celebrate the end of Ramadan with a jam-packed nine day festival in the city centre.
LAAF is the UK’s biggest annual celebration of Arab arts and culture and this year will be no different with the addition of many more events included to this year’s festivities.
Beginning on July 6, the festival begins with a celebration marking the end of Ramadan, with the Eid on the Square Stage hosting some of the best Arab musicians in the UK.
Just some of the artists taking to the stage in Tiber Square on Lodge Lane are Anwar Ali, Dave Owen, Sounds of Yemen and Reham Al-Hakimi.
Away from the music, Kuwait-born food writer Sarah Al-Hamad will lead a guided tour on the Lodge Lane Food Tour through the diverse independent restaurants Liverpool has to offer.
The festival runs until July 18, with events taking place over the nine days, in line with the city-wide celebration 67-17: 50 Summers of Love as The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album turns 50.
LAAF’s theme in line with the celebration is ‘The Space Between Us’, a lyric from the song ‘Within You, Without You’, off the iconic record.
On July 15 at the World Museum, people of all ages can discover fascinating stories and wonderful traditions of the Arab diaspora.
Also added to the line-up are London Syrian Ensemble, a collective of some of Syria’s most talented musicians within the UK, who’ll play a variety of classical Syrian songs.
Liverpool Central Library will be a new location for LAAF this year, hosting the gripping workshop As Far As My Fingertips Take Me, curated by Tania El Khoury.
The workshop will allow people to communicate with a refugee through a gallery wall, as they share their personal experience of border discrimination through touch and sound.
Also at LAAF this year in Bluecoat, Literatures From Banned Countries will bring writers together from seven of the banned countries by President Trump controversial immigration ban.
Taher Qassim, Chair of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, said,: “We work hard to bring the best and most exciting talent to Liverpool each year, and 2017 is no different.
“While the events, from music to dance to performance to a food-led celebration, are very different, many of them share a common theme – that of bringing cultures closer together.
“And of course, the theme of this year’s LAAF explores the boundaries and spaces between us.
“It’s certainly going to be a stimulating, thought-provoking and entertaining nine days.”
For a full breakdown of what’s on at LAAF and for ticket information, visit arabartsfestival.com.