June 2015: Arab and Arabic Literary Events Calendar

If you have events you’d like to add, please email them in or add below:

June 1

Discussion of Taha Hussein’s The Days (Boulder, USA)

A book-group discussion of The Days: His Autobiography in Three Parts by Taha Hussein at the library in downtown Boulder, Colorado. More here.

Syrian Art in Diaspora (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

The exhibition “Syrian Art in Diaspora” opened at the end of May and runs through June 21, showcasing paintings, cartoons, photographs, poems, poem-films, and architectural designs, incuding work by Syrian poet Ghayath al-Madhoun. More here.

June 3

Egyptian novelist Mohamed Rabie at Townhouse Gallery (Cairo, Egypt)

Mohamed Rabie will read out excerpts from those books that have strongly affected his novel, Mercury. As a backdrop, there will be music by Henryk Gorecki and Pärt, composers whose music accompanied Rabie during his journey of finishing his novel. More here.

June 4

Banipal book group: African Titanics (London, England)

The group will be discussing African Titanics by Abu Bakr Khaal, translated from the Arabic by Charis Bredin. Read a review here. More on the book-group event here.

June 6

Robert Irwin reads from Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange (Liverpool, England)

Historian and writer on Arabic literature Robert Irwin will give a talk on this medieval fantasy collection, translated from the Arabic. Part of the Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival (LAAF). More here.

Opening of International Theatre Festival of Tyre (Tyre, Lebanon)

Runs through June 10. This year’s edition is devoted to the Lebanese theatre artist Raymond Gebara.

June 10

And Other Stories reading group: The Gist of It (London, England)

The next book in the And Other Stories Arabic reading series is The Gist of It, a collection of short stories by Syrian author Rasha Abbas. In London, the group will be meeting to discuss on at 7 p.m. at the Riverside Terrace Cafe at the Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX. You can read from the book at English PEN Samples.

Ancient Routes – Alia Alzougbi and Louai Alhenawi (Liverpool, England)

A storytelling event featuring Arab, Kurd and Yazidis, stories and music – from the humane and wise to the humorous and absurd. Part of the Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival (LAAF). More here.

June 11

From the Mouths of Stories: New Songs for Old (Oslo, Norway)

Marina Warner and Tamim al-Barghouti will read from work in progress inspired by myths and legends,  from the Thousand and One Nights and contemporary Europe to the poetry of ancient Babylon and Iraq today.  More here.

June 26

New Arab American Theatre Works Festival (Minneapolis, USA)

A new collective of Minnesota-based Arab American theatre artists founded by Taous Claire Khazem, Kathryn Haddad, and Mohammed Yabdri. More here.