Al Makan Art Association

Al Makan Art Association was established in 2006 in Syria as a non-governmental, non-profit organization.
Aim of the Organization
The association aims at increasing artistic and cultural exchange between East and West and contributing to the arousal of the Syrian art movement on Arab and international levels, plus its joining of contemporary world movements. Since 2010, it has focused on working through culture to empower young people and give them access to knowledge; building among other things their feeling of confidence and civic education skills, and promoting their active contribution to their societies.
Approach
Al Makan Art Association generally provides workshops on team-building, methodology on how to research and document culture and heritage, as well as more practical teachings like how to use cameras and online media. It has recently organized seminars on project planning and management, cultural marketing and cultural journalism in order to build the capacity of youth who are active and interested in these fields.
The Mustafa Ali Gallery, housing the association's office, functions as a human resource donor for it, contributing part-time of its full time secretary, accountant and maintenance workers.
Current Projects
Caravan of Poetry and Music
Running in 2011, this action is related to music, poetry, cultural journalism and cultural management. Project activities take place in Latakia, Nebek and Damascus, and revolve from the visibility side around a poetry caravan involving poets and musicians from Sweden and Italy.
Al Makan Art Association implements this project, which is mainly funded by EU through a cultural grant, with its partners COSV (Italy) and Baghdad Café Cultural Society (Sweden).
Aux Rives de la Soie
Al Makan Art Association is facilitating the publishing of a book on Syrian brocade called On the Shores of Silk, with author Florence Ollivry and the publishing house Editions du Rouergue.
Capoeira Classes for Children
Since the beginning of 2011, Al Makan Art Association has been hosting volunteers and professional trainers of the CapoeirArab Project to give Capoeira classes to children, especially those who are most vulnerable. Capoeira is a sport that combines both martial arts and dance and that originates in Brazil.
The EU Film Festival 2011
The Association organized the EU Film Festival 2011, in collaboration with the EU Delegation to Syria, the Syrian National Film Organization and participating European embassies and cultural centers. The festival was postponed in August 2011 to the following year. Information about the Festival could be reached through its official website.
Art Library
The Association's staff and some volunteers are organizing a small library with a focus on arts. Most of the books are currently donated by Sculptor Mustafa Ali in addition to a few other individuals. The library will be open to public in 2012.
Previous Projects
Youth and Heritage
Implemented in 2010, Al Makan Art Association was the main local implementer of this EU funded project.
The target group was 16-25 year-olds and the purpose was to give them more access to their cultural and heritage, make them discuss and relate to culture and heritage and teach them how to work together.
Project activities took place in Palmyra and Sweida, where 20 people of both genders were selected in each location after an application process. The groups documented oral heritage and researched elements constituting the cultures of their communities today. They were supported with training, equipment and facilitation to do such work.
Young participants later exhibited their work in two mobile exhibits, in buses, to continue the main aims of highlighting cultural assets for the local community and bring them closer to their heritage, in addition to promoting both internal and cultural tourism, thereby also enhancing the sustainability of the cultural heritage. Exhibits toured the Governorates of Sweida and Homs, then visited Damascus.
This project was implemented by Al Makan Art Association in cooperation with COSV, the (ifpo) and the Syrian Organization for Sustainable Tourism, and was supported by the Syrian Ministries of Culture and Tourism and funded by the EU Delegation to Syria through an annual cultural grant.
Middle East Expedition 2010
The Middle East Expedition is a project funded by MS Actionaid Denmark and implemented by a Danish charity organization called Middle East Expedition.
In 2010, Al Makan Art Association facilitated the implementation of the project in Syria, where local youth joined those from Lebanon, Jordan and Denmark to carry out small projects focusing on arts, the environment and media. After the conclusion of the project, the Association organized a follow up activity with Syrian participants, revolving around music, video-art and graffiti.
The Street on the Stage - a Multicultural Way to Theatre
Implemented in 2008, Al Makan Art Association was a partner in this EU funded project, facilitating and hosting the activities of the German Street Theater Company Grotest Maru, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut in Damascus and Ricerca e Cooperazione (Italy).
Seasons of Tal Al Hijara
Tal Al Hijara is the street in Al Amin Quarter in Old Damascus, where the office of Al Makan Art Association is located. This project, funded by the EU and implemented in 2007, aimed at bringing the children and inhabitants of Al Amin Quarter closer to art through public activities; especially that the Quarter hosted 23 artists' ateliers and two galleries then. The project was implemented in cooperation with Ricerca e Cooperazione.

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