On 25 May, the Culture and Arts Programme (CAP) announced that four artists from Gaza, Jenin, Ramallah, and Majdal Shams have been awarded residency grants at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France. The grant aims to provide artists with opportunities to enjoy new experiences, forge connections with the wider art world, and develop new artistic projects.
Director Khalil Al Muzayyen from Gaza, writer Ahlam Bsharat from Jenin, and dancer and choreographer Sharaf Darzaid from Ramallah will hold the residency this year between July and November. They will work on their individual cinematic, cultural, and performative projects. They were selected by a jury consisting of the supervisory authorities on this grant.
Fine artist Salama Safadi from the Occupied Syrian Golan will also hold a residency for four months at the Cité Internationale des Arts from July 2014. He has been selected from a group of artists participating in the final stage of The Young Artist of the Year Award organised by CAP. This session of residency, which is one of three annual opportunities, was limited this year to the field of fine arts.
The residency grants are provided by a partnership between the Foundation, the French Consulate in Jerusalem, and the Municipality of Paris since 2010. The jury who select the recipients is provided by the Welfare Association, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, the French Consulate General in Jerusalem, and the A M Qattan Foundation.
Within the residency, each artist is able to work in a special studio at the Cité Internationale des Arts. Living expenses and travel costs are also provided.
In 2012, the Municipality of Paris awarded residencies to Tarik Hamdan from Ramallah (Culture and Music), Wadee Hanani from Ramallah, and Abdul-Salam Shehadeh from Gaza (Cinema). In the field of fine arts, grants were awarded to Dina Matar from Gaza, Mohammed Al-madhoun from Gaza, and Nour Abu Arafa from Jerusalem.