Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Analysis 'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance Backlash erupts after dancers perform to Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” exposing the tightrope between Sharaa’s outreach to the West and pressure from his Islamist base. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Culture The weight of war: Erdal Duman’s sculptures probe politics of violence As missiles cross again Middle Eastern skies, Turkish artist Erdal Duman’s brightly colored weapons ask an uncomfortable question: When does war really begin? Turkey
Culture 'Gesture of resistance': Gaza war and Iran repression in Oscars spotlight This year’s Oscars nominations include Middle Eastern films whose themes of war, government violence and protest have shone a spotlight on politics at home. Iran
Can YouTube series compete with Egypt TV dramas during Ramadan? A group of Egyptian actors known for their award-winning play "1980 and Above" try their hand at a Ramadan series on YouTube. Egypt
Ancient city of Mardin gets big dose of contemporary art Contemporary artworks at the 4th Mardin Biennial pay homage to the heritage of Mardin, a multicultural city with a strong Assyrian, Arabic and Armenian past. Turkey
Egyptian artists outside Cairo struggle for spotlight The #Art_Has_No_Place campaign intends to break the monopoly of Cairo as Egypt's cultural capital. Egypt
Ramallah festival takes dancing to the streets The latest edition of the Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival gained international recognition through the participation of international dance troupes. Palestine
Israeli play digs into Hamas tunnel "In the Tunnel," a satirical play by Israel's Gesher Theater, asks its audience to decide every night if there is hope for a solution at the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel
Culture Alert: Fairs and fears of the future The Middle East culture scene in May includes street festivals, book fairs and visions of a dystopian future. Palestine
Iran’s Fajr film festival grabs headlines with Oliver Stone The Fajr International Film Festival's ambitious director is determined to get the festival top rankings by focusing on regional issues and high-profile guests. Iran
Palestinian writers rejoice as one of their own wins 'Arab Booker' With his dystopian novel “The Second War of the Dog,” Ibrahim Nasrallah won the 2018 International Prize for Arab Fiction in yet another victory for Palestinian literature. Palestine
Egyptian artist brings Saudi women, men to same stage The Egyptian theater troupe Masrah Masr enjoys popularity across the region, but can it become a model for Saudi Arabia's performing arts scene? Saudi Arabia
Iraqi comic strip collective tells stories of war, rebirth Mesaha, an Iraqi comix group, had its first European debut at Switzerland's Fumetto festival, yet visa obligations stopped the artists from presenting their own works. Iraq
Iranian sculptor's desire for artistic freedom takes him across region Iranian Kurdish sculptor Seywan Saeedian's life takes him across borders in a conflict-torn region, where artistic independence often comes at a steep price. Turkey
Trailblazing Israeli-Druze photo artist fights against tradition Through her photos, Ameera Ziyan showcases the changes the Druze community is undergoing in its attitude toward art and gender equality. Israel
