Shubbak: A celebration of contemporary Arab culture
A huge festival will take over South London venues this summer bringing performances, music, literature and art from the Arab region.
Shubbak – meaning ‘window’ in Arabic – is the UK’s largest festival of contemporary Arab and South West Asian & North African (SWANA) artists’.
In the decade since its launch, it has served as a catalyst for several unsung, emerging artists now globally recognised.
From vibrant public squares to intimate galleries, gardens and theatres Shubbak 2025 will run from May 23 to June 17.
Kicking things off at the Southbank Centre, with an alternative public fashion show, The People’s Catwalk.
SWANA designs will dress members of the Arab and SWANA community of all ages, shapes, sizes and (dis)abilities.
The show is presented by 3EIB, in collaboration with Creative Space Beirut and Nol Collective, and commissioned by Shubbak Festival.
Following this, a night dedicated to celebrating and uplifting queer SWANA creatives has been curated by NAFS نَفْس,.
Founded in 2019, NAFS has worked through exhibitions, workshops, and cultural events, to create spaces for the community to connect, express and advocate for change.
Moving over to Battersea Arts Centre in Lavender Hill, Franco-Algerian artist Salim Djaferi will present his documentary theatre performance, Koulounisation.
The show examines how language shapes historical narratives and invites audiences to consider the impact of language on identity and memory.
Heating things up, the festival will head to New Cross Road for a night where punk, hardcore and hip hop collide in an explosive night of music.
Raising funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Palestine Action legal defence fund, this annual event has grown into a powerful act of resistance and solidarity.
The shared experiences of the LatinX and Arab/African diasporas will be explored through the workshop Embrace: A Collective Voice – Finding Roots, whilst audiences will learn colonialism’s impact on native languages through Marah Haj Hussein’s surreal performance Language: No Broblem.
Elsewhere in the festival, experience the soul-stirring mastery of oud virtuoso and composer Naseer Shamma at the Barbican Centre. With more than 120 original compositions, Mr Shamma’s blend of traditional Arabic melodies and contemporary influences has captivated audiences worldwide.
Head to Crypt Gallery in Euston road where Rise, Habibi will see feminist cult classics brought to life in an exhibition where poetry and art become fused, or find an analogue photography series, Talking Textures, exploring the relationship between beauty and cultural heritage showcased in the light boxes of Lower Stable Street in Kings Cross.
Shubbak Festival was first launched by the Mayors office in 2011 as a one-off event and finale to a three part series.
Prior festivals featured India and China – in 2007 and 2008 respectively – and were organised to honour the capital’s emerging, economic nations.
But the urgency of the Arab uprisings that same year triggered the organisers to create a more permanent cultural engagement with the Arab world to trace its shifting political and societal transformations.
To find out more, and purchase tickets, vitis: www.shubbakfestival.co.uk
Pictured top: Naseer Shamma will perform at the Barbican centre this June as part of the Shubbak Festival 2025 (Picture: Barbican)
