At this pivotal juncture, Palestine is reaffirming its historical struggle and its right to narrate its events and dictate its future. This determination unfolds in the face of systematic and violent efforts by the settler colonial machine, which is operating at an unprecedented genocidal scale, to fragment, erase, and displace the Palestinian people from their land and realities. The current events are redefining many concepts related to Palestinian identity, cultural, and urban heritage, as well as understandings of diaspora, refuge, resilience, land, and return, among other tenets. This recentering of the struggle thereby calls for the continuous advancement and development of its own modes, meanings and methods, against those imposed by settler colonial forces upon Palestine at all scales.

Darat al Funun is currently accepting applications for participation in the 2024 Projects at The Lab program. This call offers an opportunity to reflect on the significance of artistic and cultural practice today within the context of the Palestinian struggle. It calls for a reconsideration of the forms and expressions of artistic resistance, exploring its possibilities and broader implications. The call thus takes “this moment” as a provocation to contemplate the Palestinian context and the cultural, legal, geographical, and historical dimensions associated with it today.

We invite artists and creatives from all disciplines to submit their proposals to experiment and develop their ideas and practices at The Lab. We are particularly interested in contributions that adopt experimental, collaborative practices and interactive approaches across different artistic fields. If your project is selected, we will provide you with The Lab space during the agreed period, along with any required materials or equipment if available at Darat al Funun. We will also assist in producing and installing the works according to the agreed production plan, budget, and timeline. Darat al Funun will help promote the project through its social media channels and website, allocating a basic amount to cover production costs (this does not include covering any other expenses).

Deadline for applications: 18 April 2024.