The Arts and Literature Unit
Performing Arts
CAP offered 18 grants in the fields of production and specialised training, eight of which were assigned to performing arts projects for children. These were awarded according to the guidelines of a new grant that CAP introduced in partnership with the Ford Foundation, called the Let’s Perform for Children project. CAP also awarded 17 scholarships to students of the performing arts, including those involved in music, theatre, and dance, at institutes and universities in the United States, Canada, the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Syria, Jordan, and elsewhere. Of those students who have been awarded grants in previous years, four have now completed their study and training programmes.
Along with these projects, CAP also supported, and/or collaborated with, and/or organised 13 performing arts programmes, encompassing music, theatre, and dance events. Among these activities were nine festivals and four concerts, including: the fifth annual Shepherds’ Nights Festival in Beit Sahour; the Jerusalem Festival 2012; the second Wad Ash-Sha'er Festival in Anabta, Tulkarm district; the first Palestine Youth Festival in Arraba, Jenin district; the fourteenth International Palestine Festival; the seventh annual Music Days Festival in a number of Palestinian cities, villages, and camps; the fourth Wein A Ramallah Festival; the seventh annual Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival; a performance by singer Nai Barghouti in Beirut; a performance by the Ali Omar Quartet at the Boston Film Festival; and two performances of compositions by the late musician Rawhi Khammash.
In cooperation with the British Council, CAP also introduced a series of music management webinars, and a workshop entitled, Choreographing with the Lens. CAP also supported the actor Hassan Taha (Haifa) to participate in a masks workshop in Italy.
As part of the Performing Arts Summer School, and in partnership with the Royal Flemish Theatre (Brussels), CAP organised seven performances of the play Keffiyeh / Made in China, written by Dalia Taha and Joris Van den Brande, and staged from 18–28 April in Hebron, Bethlehem, Golan, Haifa, Ramallah, Tulkarm, and Jerusalem. Performed by five Palestinian and five Belgian actors, the play was attended by nearly 1,100 people overall. It opened at the Royal Flemish Theatre in Brussels and was staged there seven times.
As well, ten Palestinian dancers are in the preparatory stages of a production entitled, Badkeh, in partnership with the KVS and Les Ballets C de la B in Ghent, Belgium. Ten participants were selected from various disciplines, such as modern dance, Capoeira, breakdance, dabke, and circus, to participate in the eighth Summer School Course. This was held in May at the Talitha Kumi School in Beit-Jala. It concluded with some of the works that were developed in preparation for the final work shown in Belgium.
Visual Arts
CAP organised the sixth Young Artist Award (YAYA) from 3–15 November, 2012, held at the Al-Mahatta Gallery, the Franco-German Centre, the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre, the A.M. Qattan Foundation in Ramallah, and the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Gaza[AP1] . YAYA works to promote and support young Palestinian artists, and took place as part of Qalandiya International’s programmes (please add the website of QI), a collaboration that includes the following institutions: the A. M. Qattan Foundation, the Riwaq Centre in Ramallah, Al-Ma’mal – Foundation for Contemporary Art in Jerusalem, the Palestinian Art Court in Jerusalem, the International Academy of Art Palestine in Ramallah, the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre in Ramallah, and the House of Culture and Art in Nazareth.
Along with the Young Artist Award, Qalandiya International’s activities between 1 – 15 November 2012 consisted of magnificent art programmes such as the Riwaq Biennale, an exhibition entitled On the Doors of Paradise, a retrospective exhibition of the late Mustafa Hallaj, and a number of other exhibitions and art events in the cities of Ramallah, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Gaza, Ibwein, Al-Dhahiriya, Haja, and Jama’een. More than 5,000 people attended these events.
The YAYA 2012 jury included artists, curators, and art critics from Palestine and abroad. They awarded first prize to Jumana Manna (Jerusalem) for her work, Imaginary Cities – a work in progress, and second prize to Dirar Kalash (Haifa) for his work, Stonified Voice. Third prize was shared by Inas Halabi (Jerusalem) for her work, Safi, and Mirna Bamieh (Jerusalem) for her work, The Mined Land of Ours. Reem Shilleh and Yazan Khalili worked at the YAYA exhibitions in Ramallah, and Muhammad Musallam in Gaza.
In cooperation with the French Cultural Centre, CAP organised the photography exhibition The Six Yard Line, by French photographer Emily Joubrier, at the Foundation's premises. Grants were given to support projects, art exhibitions and participation at international events. Among these grants was the support given to a retrospective exhibition of the late Mustafa Al-Hallaj, entitled Travellings in the Meaning, organised by the Palestinian Art Court. CAP supported an exhibition for the artist Monther Jawabreh (Bethlehem), entitled As Was Once Known, shown in Bethlehem, Nablus, Birzeit, and Majdal Shams. CAP also supported the participation of artists Husni Radwan (Ramallah) in the International Symposium of Painting in Greece, Mohammad Al Madhoun (Gaza) in the Azmour Festival of Fine Arts in Morocco, and Mohammad Harb (Gaza) who took part in a video workshop in Morocco.
Literature
The Young Writer of the Year Award (YWYA) 2012 was awarded by a jury of Palestinian and Arab writers and critics. The YAYA Award in poetry was won by two poets, with recommendations to publish their two collections: What if We Were Ghosts by Samar Mahmoud Abdel Jaber (a Palestinian born in Kuwait and currently living in Oman), and Four O’clock at Dawn in the Market by Tarik Ameen Khalifi (Nablus). The Short Story Award was jointly won by two writers: Nadeem Ziad Abdelhadi (from Jenin and residing in Jordan) for his collection, The House of Jabal Amman, and Suhail Matar (Haifa) for North of Andalusia, West of the Nation. Two entries were highly commended: Departure that Listens to the Family by Ali Abu Ajamia (Hebron), and a collection of short stories, Little Joys, by Abeer Khushayboun (Haifa). Both were recommended for publication.
The YWYA jury also commended Youssef Subhi Al Qudra (Khan Younes) for his collection of poetry, He Absconded in Interpretation, and Samia Mustafa Ayyash (from Tulkarm, residing in United Arab Emirates) for his short story collection, Strawberry, Cake and Chocolate. Both were recommended for publication.
CAP supported the participation of Palestinian writers in a number of international activities and festivals, including Fatina Al Gurra and Sumayya Al Sousi (both from Gazawho) at the Literary Salon Programme at the University of Colombia, New York; Dalia Taha (Ramallah), Najwan Darwish (Jerusalem), and Akram Muslim (Ramallah) at the Hay Festival, Beirut; Asmaa Azaiza (Daboria) at the celebration of the 45th edition of the literary magazine Banipal: Magazine of Modern Arab Literature in London; and Asmaa Ghanem, Yara Saqf Al Hayt, and Omar Youssef Naser at Former West, a contemporary art project at the House of World Cultures in Berlin.
Art and Literary Residencies
Seven young artists have been accepted to take up art residencies. Dina Matar (Gaza), Mohammed Al Madhoun (Gaza) and Noor Abu Arafa (Jerusalem) joined a four-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, as part of the Foundation’s partnership with the Welfare Association, the Consulate General of France, and the Palestinian Ministry of Culture.
As part of a partnership between the A. M. Qattan Foundation, the Consulate General of France, and the Paris Municipality, musician Tarik Hamdan (Ramallah/Amman) took up a four-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in music and literature, while Wadi’ Hanani (Nablus) and Abdulsalam Shahada (Gaza) took up residencies in cinema. Meanwhile, artist Ayid Arafa (Al Duhaysha Camp) took up a five-month residency at the Cittadellarte Pistolettoe Foundation, Italy.
Publications
A catalogue entitled Brief Encounters was published to document the Young Artist of the Year Award (YAYA) 2012. Edited by Mahmoud Abu Hashhash and Nicola Gray, the catalogue focuses on the ten nominated works for the final stage of YAYA, and includes contributions from Jane Fisher, Nicola Gray, and Hassan Khader.
Guest House
Eight artists from Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Scotland, and Canada stayed at the Foundation’s guesthouse. Most came to work on projects and to undertake various cultural initiatives within the local community.
 |
| Artist Hassan Taha in the training workshop ‘Appearing with Masks’ in Italy |
 |
| Focus groups including a number of CAP beneficiaries and partners in preparation for the Programme's retreat |
 |
| Keffiyeh/Made in China, produced by the Foundation and The Royal Flemish Theatre as part of the Performing Arts Summer School (PASS) |
 |
| Winners of the Young Artist of the Year Award (YAYA) 2012, with members of the jury and Foundation staff |
 |
| Inas Halabi, Safi, YAYA 2012 |
 |
| Photography exhibition Six-Yard Box, by the French Photographer Amelie Debray at the Foundation |
 |
| Dirar Kalash, Stonified Voice, live audio-visual performance, at the opening of Qalandia International Festival 2012 |
|
|