Fatih Gençkal is a performing artist and curator from İstanbul, currently based between İzmir and London. With a background in contemporary dance, theater, and political science, his work is an exploration between performance and socio‑political commentary, weaving personal and collective narratives. Conversation is at the heart of his research practice. By creatively engaging with other artists and cultural actors, he seeks to create occasions that bring out meaningful encounters and reflections on contemporary artistic and political practices. He often explores themes of displacement, identity, and the ephemeral nature of human connections to create immersive experiences that challenge and engage audiences.

Fatihs artistic and curatorial practice approaches performance as a site of knowledge production and political engagement, emphasizing the transformative potential of art in reflecting and shaping cultural landscapes. His works take different shapes, blending narrative and performativity to provoke thought and dialogue. Weaving connections with lost (hi)stories, fugitive peoples, smuggled goods, and cast‑away (artistic) practices is where his research interest takes place—mostly in the form of performance and writing.

He is co‑founder of tibia x fibula, where he creates live experiences and other cross‑disciplinary work, and A Corner in the World, where he develops events and content at the intersection of arts, culture, and social sciences. He is also the İzmir coordinator of Spaces of Culture, an advisory committee member for Komünitas İzmir, an expert committee member of the FANAK Fund, and served as a Mophradat grants selection committee member in 2020.

Before that, he co‑founded Studio 4 Istanbul, a company creating work for theater and film, as well as the award‑winning Köşe performance space in the Yeldeğirmeni neighborhood of Kadıköy, İstanbul. His work has been presented at Theater Freiburg, TheaterFormen (GER), Julidans (NL), PS122 (USA), Untimely Festival (Iran), BIPOD (Lebanon), and İstanbul Theater Festival, among others. His artistic collaborations include work with award‑winning companies such as garajistanbul, TalDans, and İstanbul National Theater. He was resident co‑curator at bomontiada ALT in İstanbul from 2017 to 2019 and performance curator with Darağaç in İzmir in 2020.

Fatih has taught at universities and other institutions including Haliç University, Eskişehir University, and the Center for Contemporary Performing Arts at Istanbul Municipal Theater.

He is the recipient of the Direklerarası New Space Manager Award (2015), the New Theater Magazine Contribution to Turkish Language / Best Translation Award (2018), and was a nominee for the New Theater Magazine Beklan Algan Actor Award (2014).

Mohammad Abbasi (1977) is an actor, dancer, choreographer, theater director, and filmmaker. He studied theater at Teheran University and worked with the Mehr Group as an actor. His piece Recall Your Birthday was shown at the Fadjr  Festival, and his first dance video I Am My Mother won international prizes and was shown at a number of festivals, including Dancing on the Edge. From 2008-2010 he studied at Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in Angers, France. Upon his return to Iran, he began to organize underground workshops in contemporary dance and initiated both the Invisible Center of Contemporary Dance and the underground UNTIMELY Solo Dance Festival.

In 2013 he was invited as an artist in residence to The Netherlands to re-create Recall your Birthday. He worked on this together with the original cast members Ali Moini and Ehsan Hemat, for the evening So You Think You Can Dance in Iran, coproduced by Movies that Matter, Korzo, and  Dancing on the Edge.

Amirali Ghasemi (b. 1980, Iran) is a curator, media artist, and graphic designer based between Tehran and Berlin. He graduated in 2004 with a BA in Graphic Design from Central Tehran Azad University, focusing on research in digital art history. In 1998, Amirali founded Parkingallery, an independent project space in Tehran, and in 2002, he launched Parkingallery.com, an online platform for young Iranian artists. Amirali has shown his photographs, videos, and design works at various festivals and exhibitions internationally.

As a curator, he has directed numerous exhibitions, workshops, and talks for Parkingallery projects, such as Deep Depression (2004–06) and Sideways in Tehran (2008). He co-curated The Urban Jealousy, the 1st International Roaming Biennial of Tehran (2008–09), and eight editions of the Limited Access Festival for moving images, sound, and performance (2007–19). He has also been involved in projects for institutions, project spaces, and universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Serbia, the UK, Egypt, Turkey, the United States, Brazil, Canada, France, Sweden, and India.

Amirali was the guest curator for CCBRUGGE in 2010, and IRAN&CO is his ongoing curatorial project—an exhibition and archive of Iranian art representation beyond its borders. Alongside his independent curatorial programs like The Invisible Present (Brazil, USA, Germany, Iran), he has guest-programmed for many festivals, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam (2013), the 36th Göteborg Film Festival, and the 10th Beijing Independent Film Festival.

In the summer of 2014, Amirali co-founded New Media Society, a network-based research platform and library. He joined the Postgraduate M.A. Course “Art in Context” at the Berlin University of the Arts in 2015. In 2017, he returned to Tehran to focus on his curatorial and research projects at New Media Society. Some of the participatory projects he has led for NMS include Mapping Karimkhan, Animation Walks in Tehran, Vienna, and Isfahan, and Knockout Tournament. He also worked on projects like Arbitrary Lines and Immediate & Remote in collaboration with Aaran Projects, Tehran.

Together with Shahab Anousha, Amirali co-founded the MOTAVALI Performance Platform just before the pandemic hit. In March 2022, he founded the artist-run nomadic project space Room for Doubt in Tehran, which moved to Berlin in May 2023.

He is currently working on texts, photography projects, archives, and time-based media, in addition to writing about Iranian early video art, new media, and moving images.

Amirali lives and works in Berlin.

Arezoo Khazanbeik is an Iranian architect, heritage specialist, and cultural producer based in Belgium. Her work focuses on architectural conservation, cultural heritage, and community-oriented cultural practices.

She has extensive experience in community participation in heritage preservation and has contributed to several bottom-up initiatives across Iran, Morocco, Belgium, and Uzbekistan. Her practice centers on connecting local communities with heritage conservation processes and promoting participatory approaches to safeguarding cultural heritage.

Alongside her architectural work, she has developed a strong engagement with performance and stage production. After several years of experience in set design for theatre and performance projects in Iran, she continued her collaborations in Belgium as a set designer and producer.

In recent years, through her involvement with YouYou Group, a vocal performance ensemble, she has taken on roles as coordinator and artistic director of the group. This work has allowed her to further explore community-based practices, with a focus on intangible heritage, collective memory, and collective voice and sound practices.

Helia Shadifar is an Iranian interdisciplinary artist currently based in Tiohtiá:ke (Montréal), and an MFA candidate in Studio Arts–Intermedia at Concordia University.

Her practice engages repetition and duration, exploring the body as a site of memory and how lived experience leaves traces within images and time, often using materials from everyday life, archives, and non-artistic recordings. Her recent work reflects on experiences of displacement, approaching language as a shifting site of home.

Sepehr Sharifzadeh is a curator, festival researcher, and cultural intermediary originally from Iran, now based in France. His practice bridges performing arts, cultural policy, and international collaboration, with a focus on building meaningful connections across artistic communities and geographies and bringing access.

Originally trained as a playwright and having worked as a filmmaker and actor with several national awards and international recognition early in his career, Sepehr later shifted his focus from creating works to creating contexts, moving into production, curation, and cultural facilitation.

Over the past decade, he has worked across Europe, Australia, and Iran, developing projects that foster exchange and dialogue between artists and institutions. He co-curated and co-founded initiatives such as Re-connect, a global online festival supporting collaboration beyond dominant infrastructures, and New Narrative Showcase, a platform for Iranian and diasporic artists.

A natural network builder, Sepehr is the founder of PADA (Producers, Agents and Distributors Alliance), a peer network of over 160 performing arts professionals across 30 countries. He serves on the Advisory Committee of IETM, is a Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow, an ISPA Fellow, and an alumnus of The Festival Academy, where he sits on the Alumni Steering Committee.

He is frequently invited by festivals, networks, and cultural institutions to give keynotes, moderate discussions, or facilitate sessions on international collaboration, curating, and the politics of cultural exchange. His work consistently seeks to connect people, ideas, and practices across borders, shaping spaces where collaboration can emerge from genuine encounter and mutual care.

Said Zarzar Said Zarzar is Creative Manager of Holy Land Trust where he has worked since August 2012. As an events coordinator, his responsibilities include acting as art director for the annual Bet Lahem Live Festival, working on the Holy Land Trust’s Travel and Encounter programme logistics and coordinating many other events. Said graduated from Bethlehem University with a Bachelor’s degree in Literature and Translation in 2010, but his real passion is theatre. At Holy Land Trust, Said can channel this passion into positively impacting the community. He believes theatre is a weapon, and through acting, dancing and putting on productions, performers can use their voice and skills to tell their stories without being rejected or ignored.

Iman Aoun is Co-Founder and Executive Director of ASHTAR Theatre (A theatre maker). She is an award-winning actress who works in theatre, TV series, and films. Started her acting career with El-Hakawati Theatre Company in Jerusalem in 1984. Co-founded ASHTAR Theatre in 1991. Ms. Aoun received various notifications for her work from different countries and international organizations and festivals. In 2020 was a finalist at the Gilder/Coigney Award – NYC. She runs ASHTAR International Youth Theatre Festival since 2012. Written and published several articles on the subject of theatre in Palestine, and co-written two books on theatre training. Panelist in a number of international conferences and World Summits, part of UNESCO Arts-Lab. An internationally recognized theatre trainer specialized in Theatre of the Oppressed. She is the initiator of various international projects, most notable: “One Hundred Artist for Palestine” in 2003 with IETM, “The Gaza Monologues” in 2010, 2023 and "The Syrian Monologues" in 2015, and “Letters to Gaza” in 2024. www.ashtar-theatre.org, www.gazamonologues.com, www.ashtar-youth-festival.com

Rula Khoury is an art curator, historian, and critic based in Haifa. She holds Master’s degrees in Art History (Haifa University) and Art Criticism (School of Visual Arts, New York).  Rula was the General Director of the Arab Culture Association in Haifa and the director of Khalil Sakakini Culture Center. Her curating experience includes curating locally and internationally, Biannales and street exhibitions. Published critic pieces for Independent Online Art Magazine, Tohu Magazine and Tribe Photo Magazine, as well as published two books for children one was a collaboration with Barjeel Foundation. She has also been an instructor and advisor in higher education institutions, the history of Palestinian art. And now establishing a new art gallery in Jaffa “Al-Tahonah” as well as part of The Lost Paintings project, which uses art to confront cultural erasure and ongoing violence in Palestine.

Muhannad Hariri is a Lebanese interdisciplinary writer and teacher who is currently finishing a PhD in Dublin. The subject of their dissertation is the concept of evil in Kant’s Philosophy of Religion. Muhannad’s research on evil extends beyond Kant to various 20th century thinkers. Since Oct. 7th, 2023, Muhannad has been posting about the Genocide in Gaza and other related issues. This daily practice manifested over the last year in several interrelated forms ranging from detailed descriptions of violent imagery to short philosophical reflections on politics, violence, technology, and climate catastrophe.

Ireri Mugica continuously finds her passion by finding ways for 'impossible projects' to happen. After ten years dancing professionally in Mexico,
Ireri has fully immersed in performing arts management & production, fostering international cooperation and Mexican artists’ mobility. 

She has been an active members of International networks like the Momentum Program at Scotland, as an International delegate for Mexico, the International Society for the Performing Arts, where she is been Global Fellow from 2020-2023; the Festival Academy, where she is member of the Steering Committee; the Cultural Leaders cohort of 2021 of the British Council Mexico, and others. This work has been oriented on promoting mobility cooperation agreements forMexican artists, as well as actively advocating for fairer conditions for artists from the Global South working internationally.

As a performing arts producer and manager, she leads the producing and promoting boutique abra projects, tending to several Mexican artists, among them Festival Morelos Danza; and international artists like Sebatsian Garcia Ferro and Barcelona International Dance Exchange. 

Hadi is a Jordanian curator, choreographer, and Artistic Director based in Amman, Jordan. 

Hadi is the Founder and Artistic Director of Studio 8 in Amman, a leading platform in Jordan for dance and performing arts. Additionally, he serves as the Director and Co-Curator of the IDEA Festival, a bi-annual International Contemporary Dance Festival aimed at positioning Jordan as a hub for innovative choreographic work. 

Since 2014, Hadi has collaborated with numerous artists, cultural producers, academics, and researchers worldwide, expanding his global network and consolidating his reputation within the field. He has actively participated in talks, seminars, festivals, and exhibitions, contributing to the exchange of ideas and perspectives.

Curruntly, Initiating the "Sahra Sharq Gharb: Arab region meets the Global South '' artistic residency series, Hadi aims to bridge connections between South and East. This initiative brings together artists from diverse regions for a 20-day residency in the desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan.

Hadi's latest full-length performance, "Crossing," showcases his collaborative approach, involving visual, sound, and light artists. The performance has been showcased in prestigious venues globally, including the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, the Asia Culture Center in Korea, the Marche Festival in Morocco, and the Akropidita Festival in Greece.

Besides his curatorial and artistic roles, Hadi has collaborated and worked as a cultural expert at various arts organizations, including Halaqat, a project organized by Goethe-Institut Brüssel and Bozar in Brussels, The Prince Claus Fund in the Netherlands, ProHelvetia in Switzerland, Drosos Foundation in Switzerland, Erasmus+, and others.

As the Artistic Director and Co-curator of IDEA Festival, Hadi aims to elevate Jordan in the global dance scene, fostering connections between local and international dance professionals. The festival showcases cutting-edge works from around the world and facilitates intercultural understanding and capacity building.

Hadi holds a B.A. in Business Administration and a Master's degree in Cultural Anthropology in Dance Knowledge, Practice, and Heritage from the Norwegian University of Technology and Science and the University of Roehampton in London. He is fluent in Arabic and English.

Vanessa Bowles is a Lebanese/British producer and director based in London since she moved from Beirut in 2011. Her film ‘Kill Zone: Inside Gaza’ has aired recently on Channel. Vanessa has also directed Queer Egypt Under Attack' in 2023 and has produced multiple award-winning documentaries and current affairs films and series, like 'Once Upon a Time in Iraq' (2020) which won a BAFTA, a Grierson, and a Royal Television Society, among others, and 'Saudi Arabia Uncovered' (2016) which won an Emmy award, the Royal Television Society TV journalism award & Jury Grand Prize at the Golden Nymphs. 

Vanessa is a speaker in the session Voices From: Reclaiming the Narrative

Carol Sansour, born in Jerusalem, is a Palestinian poet and cultural producer based in Athens, Greece. Her work is marked by a bold exploration of identities that transcend national, gender, and religious boundaries, making her an advocate for cultural transformation. Sansour's debut poetry collection, في المشمش (In the Time of the Apricots), was published in 2019 as a trilingual edition, followed by her second collection, Jamila, in 2022. Her poetry has been featured in prestigious international journals such as Words Without Borders, Exchanges, and Arabpop , and has been showcased at renowned festivals like the Festival d’Avignon and the Institut du Monde Arabe. Her works have been translated into several languages, including English, French, German, Swedish, Greek, and Italian. In addition to her literary contributions, Sansour is the director of the Athens Palestine Film Festival and the founder of Dounias, a non-profit organization dedicated to producing and exhibiting Palestinian and Arab art and culture in Greece. Carol Sansour is also an Onassis AiR Fellow for the 2024/25.

Carol Sansour is a speaker in the session Voices From: Reclaiming the Narrative.

Marina Barham is co-founder and general director of Al-Harah Theater and Performing Arts Training Center (PARC), Palestine. She has produced many theatre productions and organized Yalla Yalla International Children and Youth Theater Festival in Palestine. 

Her experience includes management of several Euro-med projects funded by the EU. She is vice president of Palestinian Performing Arts Network, Euromedinculture Network, and TAMASI Collective for Performing Arts. 

Marina is a trainer in the field of cultural management in the Arab world and an active cultural operator in Palestine, the Middle East and in Europe. She has spoken on the importance of performing arts in Palestine and the Arab world at several European conferences, festivals and events. She holds an M.A. in teaching English and an M.A. in media studies.

Marina participated in the Sharing Places Lab in Blanca, Spain.

Marina was speaker in the session Voices From Palestine and Lebanon.

Founding member and co-artistic director Aurelien Zouki studied theatre in Paris, where he worked as an actor with different directors such as Gilles Zaeppfel, Bruno Thircuir, Jean Bellorini, and Nathalie Garraud. He has also participated in choreographic creations in France and Italy, where he was a performer with Rafaella Giordano. In 2007, he moved back to Beirut and co-founded Collectif Kahraba, with whom he created several theatre, dance, and puppet performances (Landscape of our tears, Origin of a Tale), that toured in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Qatar, Russia, Romania, UK, France, Belgium, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland... 

Always interested in body language and all forms of dance expression, Aurélien participated in mask, butoh, and contemporary dance workshops in Europe and Lebanon. In 2010, he took part in Takween Contemporary Dance Intensive Training. Since 2011, he has also been the co-director of Nehna wel Amar wel Jiran, a multidisciplinary outdoor festival organized by Collectif Kahraba. 

Aurélien’s path has also led him to give workshops to all kinds of groups, amateurs or professionals, as well as marginalized populations or domestic workers in different contexts all around Lebanon. In parallel to his artistic activities, he attended several workshops and training sessions in cultural management.

Aurelien participated in the Atelier Beirut 2022 (as partner and expert) and in The Island Lab.

Aurelien was a speaker in the session Voices From Palestine and Lebanon.

Omar Abi Azar is a theatre director and founding member of Zoukak Theatre Company.

He was the dramaturge and director of several of Zoukak’s performances that toured in various cities in the Middle East, Europe, the United States, South America, South Asia and Africa.

He was commissioned by international festivals, theatres and universities to create original work: NYUAD’s Performing Arts Center, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center, University of Houston, Texas, Theaterfestival Schwindelfrei Mannheim, Williams College, Massachusetts, among others. He was artist in residence with Zoukak at the Lift Festival, London, Sundance Theatre Lab, Utah among others.

Since 2008, Omar leads psychosocial interventions with Zoukak, targeting various communities in different regions of Lebanon and abroad (in Serbia and in Calais’ Migrants’ Camp, France); giving drama-therapy workshops and creating collective performances with various groups.

Since 2013 he co-curates “Zoukak Sidewalks” an international performance festival, and “Focus Liban” a platform showcasing and supporting the work of artists residing in Lebanon. Omar holds a BA in Theatre from the Lebanese University, Institute of Fine Arts (2006).

Omar participated in the Atelier Beirut 2022 (as partner and expert).

Omar was speaker in the session Voices From Palestine and Lebanon.

​George Matar is a dedicated Palestinian cultural activist with extensive experience in the performing arts. He serves as the Production Manager at Al-Harah Theater and is the Executive Director of the Baladi Center for Culture and Arts in Beit Jala. George is currently pursuing an MA in Community Development at Birzeit University. He holds a BA in Business Administration and a diploma in Marketing from Bethlehem University, as well as a professional diploma in Cultural and Arts Management from Al-Harah Performing Arts Training Center – PARC and a higher diploma in NGO Management from Birzeit University.

With a robust background in theater, George has managed production for over 50 plays at Al-Harah Theater and has produced and choreographed several folkloric performances for the Baladi Center. His deep insight into the cultural landscape of Palestine and the Arab region is complemented by international experience, including an internship at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland (2017) and training in Production Management at Piccolo Teatro in Milan, Italy (2016). George is also the main coordinator for the Palestine International Theater Festival for Children and the “Yalla Yalla” Street Festival, both organized biannually by Al-Harah Theater.