Host, venues & cities
Beirut is at the crossroads between East and West and has been reborn seven times from its ashes. This resilient capital is an Arab metropolis with all the flavours of a contemporary European city. The Beiteddine Art Festival is one of the leading festivals in the Middle East. It takes place in a large and magnificent 200-year old Palace in the Chouf Mountains.
Host
The Beiteddine Art Festival was founded during the Lebanese Civil War in 1985. The festival, which started locally, has managed to raise international interest and has become the best-attended festival in the region. For the last 30 years, more than tens of thousands of spectators have been attracted its beautiful location in the palace courtyards. The Beiteddine Art Festival is regarded as a great space for encounters for all those who believe that culture and art have a fundamental role to play in the development of society.
Nora Joumblatt, President Beiteddine Art Festival
"This vibrant and resilient city is the cultural hub of the Middle East. It is renowned for its festivals and artistic activities, universities, free press and its rich history, as well as for being a dynamic financial and banking center. Come and discover the cradle of civilization, and experience the successful encounter between East and West, and between tradition and modernity, in one of the ten liveliest cities of the world, the city of Beirut."
Why Beirut?
Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, is a cultural dynamo. An overwhelming number of cultural events such as artistic workshops, theatre plays, concerts and exhibitions of all kinds are presented to the public on a regular basis. In Beirut, art can be found everywhere, as more than 5000 artists are active in the city.
Nada Sardouk, Director General Ministry of Tourism
"I hope you have witnessed how Beirut is vibrant. Live Love Lebanon. We have to live our life, love our country and open our mind, to reach the other. You will find this in every festival here, despite the very black context we have in the Middle East, despite everything that is happening here in Lebanon."