Writer and Director - Artistic Manager at Mraya Theater Project
Anna Akkash is of Syrian nationality. BA in English/ BA in Theater Studies, Damascus/ MA in Cultural Sciences, majoring in Theater and Performing Arts, Tunisia. Founder and artistic director of Mraya Theater Project 2017. She worked as a teacher at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts and at the National Theater in Damascus as a dramaturg, writer, and assistant director. Since 2013, she has been working as a theater director. She is a multi-award-winning playwright. She is also a screenwriter for a number of short films and Syrian TV shows, in addition to her work as a drama consultant on several Syrian films. She works in translation from English and Russian, in addition to conducting studies and research in theater, with the most notable works being 'History of Costumes' and 'The Historical Origins of the Monodrama
General Director
Marina Barham, cofounder and General Director of Al-Harah Theater, and Al-Harah Performing Arts Training Center (PARC), Palestine. Chairperson of the Palestinian Performing Arts Network, Vice President of the Euromedinculture Network. Ex-Vice President of TAMASI Performing Arts Network. An active cultural operator in Palestine, the Middle East, and Europe. One of the first trainers in the field of cultural management in the Arab world and a participant in writing the first Arab guide on cultural management through the Cultural Resource Foundation in 2006. She taught in the first Master's Degree program in cultural management in the Arab world at King Hassan II University in Morocco, which was established by the Cultural Resource. Produced many theater productions and coproductions. Managed and organized several international, regional, and local tours. Managed several Euro-Med projects funded by the EU and organized and managed the Palestine International Theater Festival for Children and Youth and the Yalla Yalla Street Festival in Palestine
Arts Manager, Stroyteller and Facilitator
Mostafa Mohamed is an arts manager, facilitator, and theater artist from El-Minya governorate in Upper Egypt. He is also a skilled storyteller, focusing on engaging children and young audiences. He studied arts management online with the DeVos Institute, University of Maryland, and has held various roles at AFCA Arts Center and the Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children in Cairo over five years. He has worked with Megraya for Trainings and Arts Development on several projects as a consultant, and as a fundraising mentor through AFAC’s Arts and Culture Entrepreneurship Program. Recently, he became the Executive Director of the Eazees International Women’s Theater Festival. Mostafa has managed several capacity-building programs for local artists, such as Teatro Alsaeed Performing Arts Incubator, and has trained arts managers through programs like Creative Circles, supported by the EU, EUNIC, and the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. Previously, he worked remotely for three years in the UAE's startup ecosystem, gaining valuable experience in management and fundraising. Over the years, he has fundraised a total of 4.4 million Euros to support diverse arts and entrepreneurship initiatives. He has participated in numerous capacity-building workshops and programs, including brAIn ERA, a recent Erasmus+ training in Greece on AI in youth work; the New Generation Residency Program at Schöne Aussicht Festival in Germany; the CREACT4MED summer school for creative entrepreneurs at StartUB, University of Barcelona; and Broadening Horizons, an artist development program by Leeds 2023. He is an alumnus of the Global Cultural Relations Program (GCRP2021) by Goethe-Institut in Brussels, a Global Fellow of the International Society for Performing Arts (ISPA 2022), and a member of the Next Generation Network of ASSITEJ since November 2023
Artist
Enas Mouhammed Housaineh, born in Tartus in 1976, holds a degree in theater studies and a degree in Arabic language. She is the director of the interactive theater program in the "Miraya" theatrical project and a trainer of interactive theater trainers since 2013 to the present. She coordinated the theater program at the Anis Saada Association from 2020 until February 2023. She designed a program to use theater in psychosocial support for women. She is an expert in psychodrama and a social worker using theater for psychosocial support and community development with several NGOs. She coordinated activities for the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) program at the Blue Wing Foundation in 2019 and 2020. She is also a trainer at amateur theater workshops and a theater trainer for children and adolescents from 2005 to the present. She has been working as a dramaturge and director for several theatrical performances from 2008 to the present.
Co-Founder and Technical Director at Recrew for production Services
Mram Abdel Maqsoud, born in Egypt in 1988, graduated from Helwan University with a bachelor's degree in Theater. In 2010, she began her career as a writer and theater director, but her passion for live performances quickly drew her into stage management and its technical work. This allowed her to tour the globe with theatrical companies to Europe, Asia, and other continents. In 2014, she joined Orient Production as the production manager and technical director for D-CAF festival, 2BE continued festival, El Genina Theater, in addition to being a space manager at Rawabet Art Space until 2024. Besides her job, Mram gives extensive workshops on stage management and production management independently and in collaboration with Goethe Institute, Emad El Din Studio, Nahdet El Mahrousa, Tarkeeza, Basita, and several other cultural institutions. In 2024, she established her own company, 'Recrew,' which aims to provide production services for all types of events, including organizing and production crews, theater management staff, equipment, and any technical support needed to execute successful events.
Artist
Eid Aziz is a vdirector, actor, arts and community engagement professional, Arts Consultant , and Co-Founder of Taqas Theatre School. His expertise includes visual production, brand management, and digital media
Cultural Manager and Filmmaker
Nada Riyadh is an Egyptian filmmaker and cultural manager. She has managed many multidisciplinary art projects with a focus on women's issues and body politics. Her latest work is writing and directing, with Ayman El Amir, "THE BRINK OF DREAMS," a feature documentary film about an all-female Southern Egyptian theatre troupe that won L'Oeil d'Or for Best Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024. She is an alumna of various international film programs, including Cannes’ La Fabrique & Next Step Program, Abbara by the Cultural Resource, Swedish Institute Leadership Program, Berlinale Talents, American Film Showcase, and Film Independent. In 2016, she co-founded Felucca Films, a socially engaged production company based in Cairo. Felucca Films aims to help filmmakers from the MENA region explore and shape their own personal voices through capacity-building programs and producing unique and original fiction and documentary films.
Artist and Culture Manager
Motaz is a visual artist and cultural manager passionate about using art and culture to transform communities. He co-founded 6 Bab Sharq, an art space in Alexandria, Egypt, to support emerging artists, highlight underrepresented talents, and create a dynamic platform for the local art scene. In 2023, he participated in a fellowship program in Washington, D.C., which enriched his perspective and professional expertise. In 2021, he participated in the TANDEM 360 program, leading a cross-cultural music residency in Egypt and Jordan. This experience reinforced his dedication to fostering impactful interdisciplinary projects. Motaz began his career in the film industry as co-director of the documentary "Dark Red." Since 2019, he has worked as an assistant film producer, managing production logistics, collaborating with directors, coordinating editing schedules, and arranging finances. Motaz’s work has been featured in exhibitions across Egypt as an artist. His photography project, Scars of the Past, was published in Brownbook magazine. Currently, he is developing a new photography series and an experimental documentary film.
Theater Director and Cultural Mediator
Med. Reda El Azami is a dedicated cultural mediator, theater director, and audiovisual creator based in Tangier, Morocco. He holds a diploma in professional theater training from the Regional Directorate of Culture in Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima. Since 2018, he has been refining his craft through extensive training in theater, including improvisation, dramaturgy, and scenography, under the mentorship of renowned professionals like Ahmed Sbiaa and Mahmoud Chahdi. His professional journey reflects a passion for the arts and a commitment to community engagement. He has had the privilege of playing key roles in various cultural institutions, including the Ali Zaoua Foundation, where he served as a cultural mediator and socio-cultural animator. As a director, he has brought compelling narratives to life on stage, with productions like “Les rêves de Ghalia” and “Sans sucre.” In addition to his theater work, he is also an accomplished audiovisual creator, directing and writing documentaries and short films that explore social themes. His commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists is evident in his teaching experience, where he has led workshops in theater and creative writing across various cultural centers. He continues to blend artistic creation with community-driven projects in Morocco’s cultural landscape.
Director of Development at AFLAMUNA
He has studied filmmaking (a bachelor’s he completed) and sociology and cultural policy (a master’s he dropped out of). He is the Director of Development and Communications at AFLAMUNA, where he supports filmmakers from all around the Arab region. He leads on fundraising, strategy, and program design, and has created projects such as the open access streaming platform AFLAMUNA.online.
IT Help desk Mgr. - Cultural Project Mgr. - Festival Logistics
Aihab Mohammad is a skilled IT professional and cultural enthusiast from Egypt. With a strong foundation in Information Systems and Database Programming, he has honed his expertise in managing complex IT infrastructures. Currently, Aihab serves as the IT Manager at Orient Productions, a leading organization in the Egyptian arts and culture scene. In this role, he oversees the IT operations for the company and is responsible for the logistics of the prestigious D-CAF festival. Beyond his technical skills, Aihab is passionate about the arts and has been actively involved in various cultural initiatives, including photography, writing, and cultural management.
Journalist and Researcher
He holds a PhD in political economy and is a field researcher at Cairo University. He is a Media Consultant at UNESCO Media and Information Alliance. He has a master's degree in "The National Reconciliation Process in Burundi since 2000," in which he developed the first integrated strategy for national reconciliation, consisting of an economic, political, and media aspect, in addition to other academic contributions related to the use of economic and political tools in the peaceful settlement of conflicts, at the Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies, Cairo University. He is also a researcher at the Washington Institute (USA) and leads the Synergies with Sustainable Development Goals Working Groups at the UNESCO Media and Information Alliance. He was a member of the international organizing committee for UNESCO Global Media Week 2020–2021. He is the founder of "Elmoustkbal SDGs," an initiative aimed at using media to raise awareness about climate change and the water shortage challenge in the MENA region.
Marketing, Communications, and PR expert
With over 14 years of experience in international and local NGOs, including 10 years at a senior level, he specializes in marketing, communications, and public relations. Currently serving as the Director of Marketing and Communications (MarCom) at Bethlehem University, he leads initiatives that uphold and enhance the institution's reputation while fostering meaningful engagement with diverse audiences. Additionally, he is a marketing lecturer at Dar Al Kalima University, where he shares his expertise with the next generation of professionals. His professional journey is complemented by extensive experience in training and coaching in digital marketing and communications. He has conducted numerous workshops tailored to NGOs, businesses, and individuals, focusing on practical tools and strategies to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape. As a PhD candidate in Marketing at Jaume I University in Spain, he is focusing on contemporary marketing in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), exploring how organizations can effectively harness AI technologies to drive innovation and engagement. His academic background, supported by a Master's degree in International Cooperation and Development (MICAD) from Bethlehem University, equips him with a unique blend of theoretical insight and practical expertise. Committed to advancing marketing practices and empowering others, he excels in brand management, digital strategy, stakeholder relations, and media communications, with a passion for leveraging AI-driven solutions to shape the future of marketing and communications.
Art Manager and Deputy of the Cultural Attaché at the French Institute
Heba elCheikh is currently the Deputy Cultural Attaché and responsible for cultural programming at the French Institute in Egypt. She is also a consultant and trainer in the field of art management and creative entrepreneurship. She has extensive experience as an outdoor art curator and producer, as well as a street and community arts project evaluator. In 2018, she became one of the local associates of the NESTA Culture Entrepreneurship Programme in Egypt. Heba is a Clore Fellow (UK) for the year 2016-2017. She studied French, translation, and journalism, and in 2012, she earned her Master’s degree in Arts Management with a focus on community arts and evaluation from the Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU), the Netherlands. In 2011, she co-founded Mahatat for Contemporary Art. Believing in the democratization of the arts, she aims to decentralize art, making it accessible to everyone through arts in public spaces and community arts projects. Her professional experience spans culture management, curation, facilitation, evaluation, content development, and training in the fields of creative entrepreneurship and art management. elCheikh is also a published author. She released her first travel book in Arabic in 2017 with Kotobna.net and in 2015, she published her thesis, Community Arts Evaluation Practices in Egypt, with Lap Lambert Academic Publishing.
Founder, Creative Invest_CI, Founder MaMa, Executive Director at Shelter Art Space
An accomplished professional with 17+ years of progressive international experience in arts management, production, and consultancy in the creative economy across the Arab and Mediterranean regions. A creative economy entrepreneur with proven expertise in executive management and strategic planning in the arts. She obtained her BA in Business Administration from Alexandria University and is an international fellow in Arts Management and Strategic Planning in the Arts from the DeVos Institute in Washington, DC, USA, and the Business School of the Arts at the University of Maryland (College Park). Her current focus is on institutions’ strategic development in art and education, designing diverse programs that address community engagement and foster partnerships. She has a credible history of working with public, private, and civil society partners to deliver programs across the creative sectors, particularly in the arts, education, and creative economy research and policies. Chaymaa is the founder of Creative Invest, an intermediary agency for boosting creative investments, and she serves as the Executive Director of Shelter Art Space (Egypt). She previously held the position of Art Manager at the Anna Lindh Foundation. Recent years have seen a shift in her role as a creative industries policies researcher, working with major institutions in Egypt and Africa. Her latest roles involved expertise engagement with UNESCO, followed by comprehensive creative industry mapping in Morocco in collaboration with CChub (Africa), Heva Fund, and the MasterCard Foundation.
Cultural Manager andTheatre Practitioner
Anas Younes is a theatre practitioner, cultural activist, and expert in civil society initiatives, with over a decade of experience in merging arts and activism. He holds an MA in Theatre Studies from USJ and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Cultural Policy and Management at the University of Groningen. His career spans roles in NGOs, cultural program development, and governance, with a focus on civil society, politics, and culture. Anas' artistic practice began in civil society interventions, using theatre, writing, and workshops to advocate for social change. His expertise includes facilitating dialogue among artists, activists, and academics, and he is deeply interested in the intersection of art, society, and politics.
Arts Manager & PR consultant
Basma Hamed is a communication consultant, trainer, and producer based in Cairo. Specializing in public relations and digital media for the creative industry, Hamed has built her career in various cultural institutions locally and internationally since 2013, following a transition from television production, which she had practiced since 2006. She has been the Public Relations Manager at Orient for Film and Theater Productions since 2013, overseeing a portfolio that includes the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF), Temple Theatre Company, and Studio Emad Eddin. Additionally, she has managed communications and projects for the Jameel House in Cairo since 2016, and for the Hakawy International Festival for Children since 2018. In 2014 and 2015, Hamed served as the press officer for the 7th and 8th editions of the Panorama of the European Film at Zawya Art House Cinema. More recently, she worked as a producer for Insong episode by the San Francisco Opera, a communications consultant for the AFCA Art Center and Racotis Art Gallery, and a mentor for three artists from Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan as part of the Bastia Fellowship 2022. Keen to expand her expertise beyond Cairo, Hamed managed PR for the Arab Arts Focus showcase in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2017, and again in its 2018 edition in Avignon, France.
Creative Producer and Music Festival Producer
Othman Nejmeddine is a creative producer with 15 years of experience in the performing arts sector, specializing in music management and production. His previous executive positions include Deputy Director of Visa For Music’s professional market and festival, President of MoMEx (Moroccan Music Export Office), Production Manager of L'Anthologie de l'Aïta, and Director of Les Etoiles du Souss Cultural Space. His work spans both the institutional and independent sectors. Currently, he serves as an advisor to UNESCO's music department in Morocco and as an international business developer for the French NGO CitéMonde, where he is also the executive producer of their grand chorale Urban Voices in Morocco. Othman’s current focus is on developing sustainable economic models for the cultural sector. He provides strategic consulting services to cultural institutions while maintaining an active role in production for both institutional and independent cultural spaces.
Anthropologist and Cultural Manager
Ruba Totah is an anthropologist and social historian. She holds a PhD from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany (2021). Her research lies at the intersection of anthropology, cultural history, and performing arts, with a regional specialization in the Middle East. Her research interests include transnationalism, intercultural and cross-cultural performing arts spaces, and religiosity. Her work illustrates how constructions of performativity, religiosity, and transnationality shape communities' interactions. She envisions creating an academic and public international dialogue on the performance of cultural heritage as a tool for diplomacy. To date, she has delivered original insights regarding the impact of religion on performance heritage and contemporary performance within a colonial and post-migrant context. Her research has benefited both academic and performing arts communities locally and internationally, particularly those interested in performing arts in conflict areas, such as the International Federation of Theatre Research. This is especially valuable as she introduces Southern perspectives to explain the governmentality of performing arts mediums.
Director of international development (SACEM)
A music industry veteran with extensive experience in artist management, festival programming, and international development, currently serving as the Director of International Development at SACEM.
Co-Founder - Basita Live
With 11 years in digital marketing and communications, he promoted major cultural events for the Abu Dhabi Festival and co-founded Basita Company and Basita.live.
Creative Music Expert, Artist and Producer
Tunisia
Imed Alibi is a Tunisian musician and composer, currently the director of the Carthage International Festival (CIF). Throughout his 20 years of activity, Imed’s experience spans from music performance and composition to artistic direction, cultural management and project consultancy. He worked as the artistic director of Carthage Music Days in 2019, and for Sousse International Percussion Festival for 3 years. In addition to his career as a musician and composer in different projects and collaborations (Les boukakes, Emel Mathlouthi, Natasha Atlas, Rachid Taha, Justin Adams, Michel Marre, Mounir Troudi....) he has collaborated as a jury member of Visa for Music in Morocco, Babel Music XP in Marseille (previously Babel Med) and Music in Africa. As an artistic advisor, he worked with Le Silo in South of France for 5 years, and recently with Candid Foundation in Germany on Alhan Libya project. Experienced artistic director and programmer who has travelled to more than 60 countries, specializing in innovative commissions to world artists in different art , from digital to large public art, local and international partnership with diverse communities, strategic development and thinking. Alibi graduated recently from the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin.
Manager, Artist, Entrepreneur
Egypt
Founder and Director of “Nowhere Online Music Platform” since 2012. He consulted, coordinated and curated several culture projects and events as a freelancer. He also trained and lectured in workshops on filmmaking, VJ, in Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon and Uganda. Emad is a highly prolific filmmaker, having directed a rich diversity of short fictions, documentaries and others since 2002. He was the director of the cultural program at the Jesuits cultural center for 14 years. He built strong relationships with bands around the Arab region. He has designed several musical events within Egypt for the Jesuit cultural center, French Institute, and Goethe institute and other independent ones.
Song Writer, Singer and Producer
Egypt
Aziz Maraka is a well established Jordanian Song Writer, Singer and Producer, he is considered an inspiration to Jordanians at his age and younger. Sending out a clear message that Jordan youth have an identity to present and a place in the world’s history of arts to record. Aziz started playing the piano at a very young age and was later awarded a scholarship funded by the Plus Program scholarship department of cultural education in the States and the King Abdullah Foundation for Development to be part of a leadership program to pursue his bachelor’s degree in music composition from the University or Arkansas.
Producer, Production and Technical Manager
Syria
Producer, Production and Technical Manager with 22 years of experience in the UAE Media, and Cultural Sector. I am a Syrian technical and artistic producer, currently working as a Senior Technical Manager at the Culture Foundation’s Theatre – Department of Culture and Tourism, where I manage all technical aspects of the performing arts programme and theatre events. My experience includes conducting productions for institutions and events such as the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, Abu Dhabi Art, National Geographic, Abu Dhabi Education Council, Executive Affairs Authority, Abu Dhabi Ports Company, Formula 1, ADNOC, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, among others. I have also worked on several Hollywood and Bollywood movies such as Born Legacy, Star Wars, Fast and Furious, War Machine, Tiger, and Saaho.
Founder and the artistic director of AFCA for Arts and Culture and Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children in Cairo, Egypt
Egypt
MOHAMED ELGHAWY is the founder and the artistic director of AFCA for Arts and Culture and Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children in Cairo, Egypt. Recently, he has also taken up the role of artistic director for the Brabants International Kinder Festival – BRIK in Breda in the Netherlands. Mohamed is a fellow of the International Society for the Performing Arts - ISPA. A Chevening Scholar, Mohamed studied cultural leadership with the Clore Leadership Programme in the UK from 2013-2014 and he previously studied Arts Management at the DeVos Institute of Arts Management in Washington DC, USA. Mohamed is an alumnus of the European Festivals Association (EFA) and a MENA ‘cultural innovator’ through the British Council. He also an alumnus of the Emerging Leaders Institute – APAP|NYC and a Board Member of International Performing Arts for Youth – IPAY in USA Born in Egypt, Mohamed’s background is as a theater director. His focus is on theater for children and young people and he is driven to ensure that the art work for the younger audience must be of equal quality as that which is made for adults. His goal is to make high quality performing arts accessible to every child and believes strongly that it is their right to enjoy, discover, participate and live such experiences with their families, schools, NGOs or friends without discrimination for any reason. Mohamed therefore produces shows with professional artists for children and young people and tours them locally, nationally and internationally. Mohamed also has experience in teaching theater and has worked with many schools and institutions to design and implement their own arts education programs, long-term strategies and monitoring and evaluation systems. He has participated in many international festivals and conferences and as a consultant has delivered training in theater, arts education and arts management.
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