Naseej Initiative: New Artistic Collaborations and Partnerships Across Six Syrian Cities
Ettijahat – Independent Culture announces the collaborations and partnerships selected for support in the current edition of its Naseej initiative. The selection committee has chosen to support six artistic collaborations that bring together a mix of cultural entities, as well as collaborations between entities and individual artists. These collaborations are active in various Syrian cities and span a wide range of artistic practices, including music, theatre, and visual arts, alongside interdisciplinary projects, reflecting the scope of the submitted proposals and the richness of their themes.
The Naseej initiative seeks to empower cultural and artistic practitioners to develop spaces for research, collaboration, and engagement with varied audiences across the Syrian landscape. This is achieved by supporting touring performances and joint artistic events and facilitating their presentation to the public in the different regions and governorates of Syria.
The initiative continues to support artistic collaborations and partnerships in its second edition and is now accepting applications from cultural and artistic entities, collectives, and their partner artists. The call for applications remains open until midnight on 15 January 2026.
To apply and view the frequently asked questions, please click here. To learn more about the Naseej initiative, please click here.
Supported Projects
Ta’lila | Taradud & Daraa Eyes
A musical and artistic collaboration featuring live performances and interactive workshops on music production techniques. The project aims to introduce contemporary artistic experiences to audiences in the city of Daraa through a blend of Syrian musical heritage and contemporary electronic production. It seeks to strengthen connections between artists and audiences, create spaces for experimentation, and contribute to the sustainable development of the local cultural scene.
Music in the Garden | Al-Nahda Association & Dulama Shehab
This project presents musical performances in Tishreen Park in Damascus and supports young musical talent by providing a platform to showcase their work to a broad audience. The programme includes rehearsals held in an open public space, allowing audiences to enjoy the artistic atmosphere and participate in a community activity. It fosters social and cultural interaction among young people and the wider community, while offering additional support to local artists.
Geographies of Belonging | Metamorphosis & Bassmet Wattan
The project seeks to reconnect the city of Aleppo with its surrounding countryside after years of war-induced isolation, through the collaboration of two cultural collectives – one urban and one rural – working together to rediscover shared heritage in folk tales, poetry, agricultural practices, and the arts. It is grounded in the belief that cultural learning and enrichment are essential for empowering young people, and that creativity can build bridges across divides.
Pulse of Theatre | Step Team & Adonia Collective
A youth-led initiative that opens a new space for expression and creativity in the city of Salamiyah. It includes workshops on the fundamentals of theatre, leading to the development of a participatory performance to be presented to audiences in the city. The initiative views theatre as a space for dialogue and cultural exchange, and as a way to nurture and develop young artistic talent. This collaboration lays the groundwork for sustainable creative experiences and revitalises the cultural role of the city.
Grape Harvest | Fananoun Labs & Haky Space
The project offers workshops on artistic improvisation, enabling participants to narrate their personal stories through a range of artistic forms – from written texts and musical performance to visual artworks – and to share them with the public, who will also be invited to take part in moments of improvisation. The project seeks to create an expressive space for young people who have lived through the painful events experienced by the city of Sweida.
Cloud Sites | Gardenia Choir & Rami Issa
The project presents Under the Clouds, a musical–theatrical performance staged in the city of Tartous. The work places women’s voices at the centre of the narrative, drawing on the epic of Al-Zir Salem through the perspectives of Jalila, Al-Yamama, Dabah, and Al-Basus to explore themes of memory, justice, and moving beyond vengeance. Through songs from different Syrian communities, the performance reflects on the impact of war on families and opens space for dialogue with local audiences.
The selection committee was composed of visual artist and community activist Reem Al-Masri, playwright and theatre director Omar Abusaada, and journalist and musician Nagham Arnouk.
Selection Committee Statement
The projects submitted to the Naseej initiative reflect promising creative energy and a sincere desire among many applicants to translate their ideas into meaningful artistic and social initiatives. Several proposals demonstrated a strong understanding of how to design artistic projects that speak to the immediate issues and concerns of their communities.
Despite the wide range of submissions, themes related to war and social fragmentation featured prominently in many projects, underscoring the continuing need among artists to interpret their context and engage with it creatively. The committee encourages applicants in future editions to explore additional important and sensitive themes, such as environmental issues and women’s freedom and rights, and to develop proposals that contribute to imagining and shaping the future.
The committee encountered challenges in evaluating certain proposals due to the absence of a clear timeline or sufficient implementation details needed to understand the project’s trajectory and anticipated outcomes. The committee also invites applicants to consider the sustainability of their initiatives and to cultivate partnerships with a long-term collaborative vision, in ways that reinforce each project’s presence within its communities and amplify its impact.
Finally, the committee expresses its optimism about the spirit of enthusiasm and the commitment to collective work evident in many proposals. It values the efforts of artists to connect culture with community and is confident that this orientation provides a crucial foundation for cultivating a more vibrant cultural landscape that remains closely engaged with its audiences.
This initiative is supported by the Embassy of France in Syria and Stichting DOEN.
