This piece was written for Egypt Independent's final weekly print edition, which was banned from going to press. We offer you our 50th and final edition here.
From street art to a kitsch 1970s film, books that capture the zeitgeist to a striking (...)
For many people in Egypt, art is considered a luxury — a hobby for rich folk rather than an advisable or respectable career path. Sadly, due to years of institutionalized negligence mixed with staggering poverty, the role of art in society has (...)
It's easy for underground musicians to feel misunderstood in Egypt — and especially so if you're a female, ex-heavy metal drummer who is dedicated to creating a unique hybrid of Arabic, indie pop-rock music that's void of explicit politics.
Known (...)
Since their formation in 2005, the Egyptian ultras have been called everything from “thugs” to “soccer hooligans.” They have been marked as “anarchists,” and, most recently, branded as “protectors of the 25 January revolution.” But these (...)
ALEXANDRIA — Part cafe, part performance space, part gallery and even part music studio, Teatro Eskendria is aiming to be not just a place for social gatherings, but a cultural center, and a hub for dialogue and creative expression in the Alexandria (...)
The story of the Libyan diaspora spreads back over several decades. Since Muammar Qadhafi's 1969 military coup, thousands of Libyans have been fleeing the despotism of his demagoguery and authoritarian rule. While many Libyans sought refuge in the (...)
On a breezy Cairo evening in mid-July, rapper Youssef Altay and electronic music producer Ahmed El Ghazoly are holding court outside the underground club Malouk in Mohandiseen. In typical summer fashion, the electricity has blown out on the entire (...)
When visiting Egypt's many beachside towns along the Red Sea coastline, it is difficult to look past the recent outbreak of colorful kites that adorn the blue skies.
Kiteboarding has taken Egypt and the international water sports community by storm, (...)
Now in its fifth edition, the Spring Festival organized by Al Mawred Al Thakafy (Culture Resource) returns to Egypt and the region this Friday with socio-political vengeance.
Through a series of workshops, public discussions, storytelling, music, (...)
Since the Jan. 25 uprising, Downtown Cairo has been the stage for some of the greatest acts of protest in modern Egyptian history. And while the once burgeoning opposition movement has been diminished to a near memory, the iconic neo-classical (...)
The worlds of hip hop music and dance merged into a melody of artistic expression last week when the internationally acclaimed Rennie Harris Puremovement Dance Company (RHPM) visited Egypt in a cross-cultural exchange program aimed at preserving and (...)
The annual Cairo Jazz Festival is upon us, and its organizer Amro Salah promises that jazz will pervade the city for three consecutive days with a series of live concerts, educational workshops and jam sessions.
Marking its fourth annual year, (...)
The cacophony of noise in Cairo is enough to drive a person mad. The sirens, ambiguous sounds of gunfire (or fireworks?), the out of tune Imams blaring sermons through distorted speakers, the bikya man's piercing holler around every corner, the (...)
Over the past months, Egypt-US relations have been put on the line as a result of the arbitrary raid on pro-democracy NGOs, including mostly American-funded organizations. The clampdown has left a cloud of ambiguity over official bilateral (...)
Midway through Italian DJ Marco Passarani's performance this past Thursday at the Cairo Jazz Club, two things became instantly apparent about the local dance music scene.
Firstly, and sadly, there is no legitimate dance music scene in Egypt. The (...)
This time last year, Egypt was in a state of celebration. Seemingly free from the shackles of the Hosni Mubarak regime, Egyptians danced in the naivety of the reverberating chant, “the people and the army are one hand.” Shortly afterwards, Egypt (...)
At Al Masar Gallery, an exhibition simply titled “Bahgory on Revolution” is currently on display.
George Bahgory is one of a handful of artists who have become household names in Egypt. In a place that is often incompatible with contemporary (...)
“You are my brother and I love you/I love you when you bow in your mosque/kneel in your temple/pray in your church”
When listening to Egyptian singer Tony Kaldas' song “Anta Akhy” (You Are My Brother), with lyrics borrowed from poet Gibran Khalil (...)
Egypt's repressed musical community is about to see the value of its creative ambitions grow significantly, enabled by groundbreaking networking and music-discover tools for musicians, fans, venues and the entertainment industry, all available on (...)
Nearly one year ago, the unprecedented 18-day occupation of Cairo's Tahrir Square — which led to the fall of autocrat Hosni Mubarak — has become a global symbol for citizen activism and peaceful dissidence against despotism.
As the first (...)
This past Sunday, the Future Shorts film festival seamlessly emerged in the Amuse Lifestyle Concept store located in Zamalek, Cairo — becoming the 132nd location added to the London-based pop-up festival.
Set up in 2003, Future Shorts provides a (...)
“The Green Wave” is a protest film, a lesson in endurance, and a terrifying exposé of the staggering human rights violations committed in the aftermath of the 2009 Iranian presidential election.
Ali Samadi Ahadi's documentary mixes mobile phone (...)
CAIRO: Operated by volunteer physicians, nurses, medical students and interns; numerous field hospitals, clinics, and makeshift pharmacies have appeared downtown to aid the hundreds of injured protesters battling police on Mohamed Mahmoud (...)
A sensational discovery 89 years ago by archaeologist Howard Carter turned the unknown pharaoh Tutankhamun into an international superstar. For years, Tutankhamun, his treasures and his tomb have been touring the globe with an ambassador-like (...)
Emerging 10 months after the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, and in the midst of Egypt's most significant parliamentary elections — the Panorama of European Film is coming back to Cairo against all odds.
Misr International Films is gearing for (...)