Liverpool Arab Arts Festival Comes To Liverpool Next Week
LAAF (Liverpool Arab Arts Festival) is the longest running annual festival of Arab arts and culture in the UK. Returning for its 23rd year this July, the festival theme is Nostalgia, which will be explored through a diverse range of disciplines, including music, theatre and performance, visual art, spoken word, literature and film.
The full 2025 lineup has now been released with more information about the festival in both English and Arabic here.
MUSIC
AKRAM ABDULFATTAH
Akram Abdulfattah is a Palestinian-American violinist who combines jazz with middle eastern and Indian music. Akram’s music is influenced by Hindu, Turkish, and Persian styles, reflecting the rich legacy and culture of oriental sounds in a modernized fashion.
In 2023, his multinational group visited the UK for the first time, performing a debut London show, and appearing at Knockengorroch and Cambridge Folk festivals. Akram’s talent has received international recognition as he’s won prestigious awards and engaged in various international and cross-culture projects.
‘A truly gifted violinist, with agility, virtuosity, and a deep spiritual and emotional connection. His music is rooted in Middle Eastern traditions, but his musicality extends way beyond geographical boundaries.’ Brian Keane, American multiple Emmy winning composer, renowned guitarist, and Grammy winning producer.
SATURDAY 19 JULY, 8PM
PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOM, SUGNALL STREET, LIVERPOOL, L1 9BP
TICKETS
FAMILY DAY
Get ready to experience the return of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival’s closing Family Day spectacular at the iconic Sefton Park Palm House.
Immerse yourself in a FREE afternoon of authentic Arab art, culture and community during this joyful celebration.
Featuring music and performance by leading musicians, our Family Day also brings an array of creative workshops, mouthwatering cuisine and exciting children’s activities.
There will be over 20 stalls featuring authentic crafts, traders and so much more.
LAAF’s annual ‘Family Day‘ celebration is an unmissable highlight in Liverpool’s cultural calendar.
SUNDAY 20TH JULY, 12-5PM
SEFTON PARK PALM HOUSE, LIVERPOOL, L17 1AP
The Egyptian Jazz Project with the Harfoush Jazz Band
Ahmed Harfoush is a London Based Egyptian jazz vocalist and founder of the Egyptian Jazz Projekt, a jazz revival of 1950s Egyptian iconic pop songs. The band has performed at Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, the Giza Pyramids, Dubai Opera, the Egyptian Art Academy in Rome, the London Jazz Festival and Egyptian embassies in London, Berlin, Vienna and Melbourne.
Ahmed Harfoush, vocals
Dan Hewson, keyboards
Ian Marcus, double bass
Dom Hall, drums
Frank Griffith, clarinet
London Arab Band
Info coming soon on arabartsfestival.com/events/family-day-2025.
Farah Fersi
Farah Fersi is a musician, composer, and virtuoso of the kanun, a central instrument in the Arab musical tradition. Known for her distinctive ten-finger technique, she brings a contemporary and deeply personal approach to the instrument, exploring its full expressive potential.
Her musical universe weaves together Arab classical heritage, jazz, Sufi poetry, and global influences. Through this refined fusion, she bridges tradition and innovation, giving the kanun a renewed, emotive, and modern voice.
She has performed as a soloist on prestigious stages across the Middle East and Europe, including the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Tunisia (Carthage), Germany, Qatar, Spain, France, and other countries. She also performed alongside Jordi Savall as part of his festival and participated in the “Yemeni Symphony,” presented in Paris, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.
Farah is currently developing original works that blend music with other art forms, including her latest project, Dha7ka – Sourire, which will soon be presented in the Middle East and Egypt. She is also preparing for her upcoming tour in the region, which promises to be a significant milestone in her artistic journey, opening new paths for collaboration, dialogue, and cultural exchange. With artistic integrity and a bold vision, Farah Fersi continues to expand the boundaries of the kanun, offering a universal, sincere, and deeply human musical experience.
Al Awadhel Yemeni Band
We are excited to welcome back the Al Awahdal Band – performing traditional and contemporary songs transporting you to Yemen and beyond.
Yaser Awdhali is a Yemeni artist and composer from Aden, Yemen. He began his artistic career in childhood, learning to play the oud at a young age, influenced by his father, the great artist Ahmed Omar Awdhali who had a long and well-known career in the Gulf states.
Artist Yaser participated in school activities and wedding events across Yemen and continued his artistic career until he moved to the United Kingdom in 2000. Artist Yasser founded a band called Al-Awhadel Band and participated in numerous concerts and festivals across Britain and numerous European countries, the Gulf, and the United States. Artist Yasser Awadhli has proven himself and earned the title of Artist of the Diaspora. He also has many of his own songs, all of which are composed by himself.
Host Amina Atiq
DJ Jaques Malchance
Plus:
Liverpool Arabic Centre – children’s cultural activities
Children’s Storyteller – Elias Matar
Calligrapher – Hafifa Ahmed
You can find out about more of the events for Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2025 here. And visit arabartsfestival.com.
