TASHATTOT presents: SWANA Literature & Art Festival

Join us for the very first edition of Tashattot’s SWANA Literature and Art Festival in Brussels! The festival entails a book fair that serves as a platform to showcase and sell publications from the South West Asia and North Africa region, highlighting the richness and diversity of its contemporary literary and cultural production. Beyond the book stands, the program includes several activities connecting literature with illustration, audiovisual arts and more.

The book fair includes the works of publishing houses, design studios, bookstores, research publications and artists, including; Alifbata, Alhayya Magazine, the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Amr Aboulhuda, Asma Laajimi, Barrack Rima, Charbel Alkhoury, Christina Atik, Flyers for Palestine, Haleh Chinikar, Huwawa, Journal Safar, Karen Keyrouz, Khan Aljanub, Learning Palestine, Mophradat, Nour Hifaoui, Nebila Oguz, Plan Bey, Postmortem, rile* Books, Rita Habib, Sabbar, Samandal, Think Tanger, Trigger, and more.

PROGRAMME

Friday 5 June

16:00  doors open
16:00—22:00  book fair in the concert studio
18:00—19:30  writing workshop ‘Mapping Our World’ with Marina Mardas
20:30—21.30  concert A Separation from Habit by Joy Moughanni

Saturday 6 June

16:00  doors open
16:00—22:00  book fair in the concert studio
18:00—20:00 conversation ‘Paper Assemblies’ on Trigger#6: Assemblies
20:30—21.30  drawing performance ‘What Shimmers, Burns’ by Marina Mardas and Karen Keyrouz
21:30—23:00  DJ set by Mayss

• Tashattot (Arabic for dispersion) is a socio-cultural collective based in Brussels that aims to connect artists and cultural practitioners from the SWANA region who find themselves scattered around different European countries and cities. 

Tashattot offers a platform for expatriate artists to showcase their works and engage with diverse audiences, through the curation of an array of artistic initiatives including exhibitions, events, workshops, residencies, performances and more. 

SWANA Literature and Art Festival is developed with the support and collaboration of Sarah Abu Ghazal and Zaydoun Hajjar.

Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Tanseqeye Shaabeye collective – التنسيقية الشعبية. They support Lebanon Emergency Relief, which uses the funds to provide food for those affected, purchase tents and mattresses, supply hygiene products and baby food, and fund basic infrastructure and more.