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LONDON –
Grand Junction has announced its programme for the Elixir Festival taking place from April 12, celebrating Arabic artworks culturally resonant for local communities and wider London audiences. Connecting the diverse cultures that make up West London’s community, the Elixir Festival will showcase a vibrant line-up of international and local contemporary artists as part of the two week-long festival.
Hosted in the Grade 1 listed Grand Junction at St Mary Magdalene’s in Paddington, the Elixir Festival will present a rich programme of theatre, music, workshops and food created by contemporary artists from the Middle East, North Africa and Anatolia.
Created in partnership with Arts Canteen and Shubbak Festival, the Elixir Festival is rooted in the Arabic al-‘iksīr is a symbol of healing and will serve as a remedy for cultural connection.
Highlights of the festival’s programme include “The Olive Jar,” a play celebrating West London’s Arab communities and the extraordinary stories that ordinary people can tell.
Created through workshops with the community local to the Grand Junction, the play explores the rich heritage of Londoners from Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Algeria and Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Award-Winning sibling duo The Ayoub Sisters will present an unmissable evening of masterful violin and cello playing infused by Arabic and Celtic influence.
The programme also includes a performance by Palestinian singer Ruba Shamshoum, who will present a unique fusion of poetic dream pop, jazz and Middle Eastern soul. Performing songs from her albums Shamat and Risha, the singer will rivet stories of femininity.
On the programme, there is a special Eid celebration edition of Grand Junction’s To The Table food sharing event, featuring a community meal, music, comedy, storytelling and creative activities.
Jamarabia Live Music Sessions led by Syrian violinist Bassel Hariri (also known as USTAVI) will feature a selection of classical Arabic Tarab songs and poems bringing together the finest Arab artists in London.
“We are incredibly excited to be working once again with our brilliant partners Arts Canteen and Shubbak Festival. The word ‘Elixir’ is rooted in the Arabic term ‘al-iksīr,’ and we chose it for the profound meaning it brings around healing and its power to remedy ills, something that is much needed in the world right now. The festival line-up is a celebration of the brilliance of artists from the Arab world and Anatolia working in the UK today, continuously broadening perceptions and enriching our cultural landscape,” said Creative and Community Director Lucy Foster.
“Amidst these very dark times, we believe the purpose of art and culture is to reflect the times and shift the narrative. Elixir Festival brings us together for an exciting and eclectic mix of collaborations and creative events this coming April. It is an important opportunity for conversation and cultural and artistic exchange in London, we are thrilled and honoured to be working with our partners Grand Junction for the third year in a row,” said Arts Canteen Creative Director Aser El-Saqqa.
Shubbak Festival CEO Alia Alzougbi said, “Shubbak Festival is warmed to be working in community with Grand Junction again, this time in the necessary space that is the Elixir Festival. Now, more than ever, platforming the polyphonous artistic expression of the region is a duty we must all hold firmly and with reverence. We stand to bear witness to the humanity and valuable cultural contribution of Arab & SWANA artists and communities and are delighted to be doing this with such devoted partners as Grand Junction and Arts Canteen.”
Grand Junction is a multi-arts venue and community culture hub based at St Mary Magdalene’s Church in West London. Its mission is to create and present an eclectic and collaborative programme of music, arts and performance for young people, families, and adults.
Ten minutes’ walk from Paddington Station and beside the Grand Union Canal, the church is one of the finest Neo-Gothic churches in the country.
Managed by Paddington Development Trust, in 2019 the Grand Junction project saw the church open for the first time as a venue. The church was built in the 1860s and 1870s by the great Victorian architect G E Street, who orchestrated the best artists and craftsmen of the day to produce a masterwork combining architecture, sculpture, stained glass, and arguably the most remarkable painted ceiling in an English parish church. From the mid-20th century, the church fell into disrepair. It has since been lovingly restored, with a beautiful new building with a café, learning studio and visitor facilities added alongside, which was designed by Dow Jones Architects.
Established in 2010, Arts Canteen curate and produce events, exhibitions and festivals that support emerging, mid-career and established artists from the Arab world and surrounding regions, bringing their work to new audiences in the UK and beyond. Shubbak Festival is the UK’s largest biennial festival of contemporary Arab culture, bringing new and unexpected voices alongside established artists to London every two years.
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