'Your chance to contribute to an amazing art festival dedicated to building cultural bridges, and celebrating Muslim heritage.'

Qaisra Shahraz FRSA, Founder and Director of MACFEST

What is MACFEST? 

Debuting in Manchester, UK in November 2018, MACFEST is a 10 day festival offering 40 events celebrating literature, art, music, food, comedy, film, performance and culture.

Aim

It aims to bring Muslim and non Muslim communities together, promote social inclusion; and break down barriers.

Mission

Muslim Arts and Culture Festival will celebrate the diversity and richness of Muslim heritage. It will engage people of all ages and denominations, including school, college and university students and local communities.

Where?

The festival will be held in Manchester's iconic British Muslim Heritage Centre, The Manchester College, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Central & Longsight library, Abraham Moss High School, Manchester Central Mosque, University of Manchester, Elizabeth Gaskell House, Manchester Museum, Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Resource Centre & The Turkish Centre.

Literature

'Relish the magic of the philosopher Poet, Maulana Rumi's 'Alchemy of Love' with Gulcin Bulut, Pasha Abdollahi, Masoud Ghasemi, Farshid Mahyari and the Sahba Ensemble'.

• Be enchanted by Multi-lingual readings & ‘Mushaira’ by Circle of literary Friends.
• Celebrate famous Muslim writers of the past; from Bosnia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Nigeria, Bengladesh, Egypt
• Enjoy the written word extravaganza by local Muslim poets, and Momtaza Mehri, the Somali Young People’s Poet Laureate for London.

Leila Aboulela

• Get to know the writing lives of two award winning and internationally renownednovelists; the Sudanese writer, Leila Aboulela, and Qaisra Shahraz, moderated by Libby Tempest, Chair of Elizabeth Gaskell House

Muslim societies in Britain

• 'Exploring our Roots' - celebrating with Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Resource Centre  the rich cultural heritage of Manchester's Muslim diaspora communities.
• ‘Muslim women speak out; politics, celebrations and challenges’ with Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Salma Yacub and Baroness Manzila Pola Uddin.

Music

Enjoy the musical extravaganza, and performance with artists from different Muslim countries and University of Manchester students.

Art

‘Celebrating the splendour of the The Arts of the Ottoman and Safavids empires’ with Dr Salim Ayduz and Zahra Amini

Film screenings

• Documentary; ’Being Muslim Today: Travels in Europe.’ By Akbar Ahmad, Award winning author, broadcaster and former diplomat
• Film, ‘Finding Fatima’-Introduced by Aamir Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal.
• Documentary; ‘Celebrating 100 years of votes for women’ by Mahboobeh Rajabi
• Documentary; ‘Female, Muslim and British’ with Julie Wharton and Somali young women.

Supported by

Penny Appeal

Read Foundation

Sultan Ahmet Grill Restaurant, Rusholme

My Lahore

FFEU

This is your chance to contribute to an amazing festival dedicated to promoting harmony and celebrating the rich Muslim heritage of the diaspora Muslim of the UK