Shubbak Festival in the UK Returns with Bold Programming

Shubbak Festival, Europe’s largest platform for contemporary Arab arts, returns from 23 May to 15 June 2025 with its boldest and most expansive edition to date. Taking place across London and beyond, the 2025 festival promises a dynamic lineup of performances, exhibitions, and cultural events that celebrate the diverse voices of the Arab world and the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region.

Founded in 2011, Shubbak Festival is the UK’s premier celebration of contemporary Arab culture. Named after the Arabic word for “window,” Shubbak offers a glimpse into the rich creative landscapes of the Arab and SWANA world. With each edition, the festival invites audiences to experience the diverse perspectives of Arab artists through cutting-edge performances, visual art, talks, and installations—bridging communities and enriching global cultural dialogue.

This year’s festival will spotlight both renowned and emerging artists, presenting world premieres, UK debuts, and pioneering new commissions. Staying true to its values of inclusivity and intersectionality, Shubbak 2025 will amplify underrepresented voices—Black and Afro-Arab artists, LGBTQI+ creatives, women, and disabled communities—while exploring the power of artistic expression to build unity, inspire hope, and spark change.

“In this time of unrelenting brutality, the role of art has never been more urgent,” says Alia Alzougbi, Artistic Director & CEO. “Shubbak Festival 2025 believes art can both hold the grief of the present and inspire us to imagine new possibilities. This year’s programme is a testament to the power of collective creativity—bringing together builders, healers, disruptors, lovers, archivists, and dreamers.”

Shubbak 2025 launches at the Southbank Centre (24–25 May) with MILK, a visually arresting and politically charged performance from Palestine’s Khashabi Ensemble, directed by Bashar Murkus and Khulood Basel. The largest Palestinian theatre production to be staged in the UK in over 25 years, MILK explores the fracturing of time in the face of disaster—a fitting opening to a festival that centers Palestinian voices and cultural resistance.

Throughout the three-week celebration, Shubbak will transform the city with groundbreaking artistic interventions and immersive performances.

The Line Up

The People’s Catwalk: A radical public fashion show by 3EIB, reclaiming the word “3eib” (عيب) as a symbol of defiance and pride, featuring inclusive models and a pop-up market with 50+ SWANA fashion brands.

The Love Behind My Eyes by Ali Chahrour: A poetic dance work inspired by Arabic legends of love and loss (The Lowry and The Place).

Koulounisation by Salim Djaferi: A thought-provoking blend of theatre, storytelling, and visual art confronting colonial legacies (Battersea Arts Centre).

Language: No Broblem by Marah Haj Hussein: A sharp theatrical exploration of language, identity, and power (BAC and Bradford 2025).

SADA – Voices of Palestine: A musical journey at the Barbican featuring artists DAM, Rola Azar, Dana Salah, and a live DJ set (6 June, with MARSM).

Naseer Shamma: The oud maestro brings his globally acclaimed compositions to the Barbican for a grand finale (15 June).

Reimagining Ibn Battuta’s Travels: A multi-country community theatre project led by Tanushka Marah and Yasmeen Ghrawi, exploring migration and border narratives (Grand Junction, W2).

In 2025, Shubbak continues its tradition of showcasing work that lives at the intersection of art and activism:

Talking Textures (Coal Drops Yard): A visual celebration of textured hair and cultural identity curated by Yasemin Hassan (23 May–15 June).

Nazar by Lara Habib Kobeissi: A one-to-one live performance on memory and migration using digital immersion (Live Art Development Agency).

Memory of Birds by Tania El-Khoury: A meditative sound installation suspended in trees, exploring trauma and healing (Richmond Arts & Ideas Festival).

The Art of the Palestinian Poster (P21 Gallery): A compelling exhibition from Zawyeh Gallery curated by Malu Halasa, tracing Palestinian resistance through poster art.

An Artist’s Manual Against Apartheid (AAMAA): A digital toolkit co-created by Farah Chamma and LIEV (chamæleon), offering resources for cultural resistance (supported by Amnesty International UK and others).

In a special partnership with PalArts Fest (26 May–2 June at Theatro Technis), Shubbak 2025 presents a series of theatre works from across Palestine:

Application 39 by Ahmed Masoud: A satirical imagining of Gaza hosting the 2048 Summer Olympics.

Manjal by Tarweedeh Collective: A fusion of folk music, poetry, and modern sound.

Merguez by Sami Abu Wardeh: A comedic solo performance following a mistaken identity with absurd consequences.

Return to Palestine by The Freedom Theatre School: A stirring exploration of identity and belonging from a Jenin-based ensemble.

Shubbak Festival 2025 is supported by an array of committed partners and funders, including British Council, Arts Council England, Galilee Foundation, Amnesty International UK, Drosos Foundation, Flanders State of the Art, Counterpoints Arts, Creative Europe, and many more.

Main Image: Khashabi Theatre MILK. Photo by Khulood Basel