The UK's longest-running Arab arts festival returns
Now two decades in, the festival has grown from grassroots beginnings into an internationally recognized celebration.
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Running through to July 20, this year's program explores how memory, heritage and longing shape artistic expression across the Arab world and its diasporas.
The dynamic, bilingual line-up spans film, music, literature, performance, food and family activities — all underscored by deeper reflections on identity, loss and cultural continuity.
Arab News spoke with Taher Qassim, originally from Yemen, who founded LAAF in 1998 as a community-led effort to foster cultural pride and preserve Arab identity in Liverpool.
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'The theme of 'nostalgia' is a reflection of both how far we've come and where we began,' Qassim said. 'Twenty-three years ago, we set out on a path that was uncertain but filled with excitement and purpose. We knew we wanted to create something that represented the Yemeni and Arab presence in Liverpool, but we didn't yet know how to express it.'
What began as a handful of cultural activations has since evolved into a platform for Arab artists. 'From those humble beginnings … the festival began to blossom,' he said. 'Today, we proudly offer a platform to artists from across the Arab world, Europe, the US, and beyond — something we could only have dreamed of.'
Two events stand out for him: 'Arabs Are Not Funny' and 'The Book of Sanaa.' The former, he says, 'directly challenges the long-held stereotype that Arabs lack a sense of humor. It's refreshing, bold and liberating — exactly what the festival stands for.'
The latter brings together literature, poetry, food, and a model of Yemen's historic capital.
'The richness of this event would've felt like a fantasy to us two decades ago. Now, it's a reality — something we've made possible through years of dedication and community.'
Qassim, who was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2008 for services to community cohesion, handed over the festival's leadership to his daughter, Afrah, who now steers LAAF with the same vision and care.
Today, LAAF is no longer seen solely as a festival for the Arab community. 'That perception has shifted dramatically,' Qassim said. 'People from all backgrounds and ages attend and engage. The festival has become a space for dialogue, curiosity and connection.' As he put it, 'Conversations happen naturally — before, during and after events.'
One event he hopes visitors will not miss is the now-iconic 'Family Day' at the Palm House in Sefton Park. 'It's become the signature event of the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival — our legacy day,' he said. 'Families travel from across the UK, Europe, and even further afield to be part of it. The atmosphere is joyful, welcoming, and truly inclusive … a vibrant, heartwarming celebration of Arab culture at its best.'
Some events require tickets, but 'Family Day' — an afternoon of music, crafts, performances and community — is the grand finale and free to all.
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Later, he and his son Jack toured America on the travel show 'Ozzy & Jack's World Detour,' where the pair visited such places as Mount Rushmore and the Space Center Houston. Osbourne was honored in 2014 with the naming of a bat frog found in the Amazon that makes high-pitched, batlike calls. It was dubbed Dendropsophus ozzyi. He also met Queen Elizabeth II during her Golden Jubilee weekend. He was standing next to singer-actor Cliff Richard. 'She took one look at the two of us, said 'Oh, so this is what they call variety, is it?' then cracked up laughing. I honestly thought that Sharon had slipped some acid into my cornflakes that morning,' he wrote in 'I Am Ozzy.' Thelma Riley and Osbourne married in 1971; Osbourne adopted her son Elliot Kingsley, and they had two more children, Jessica and Louis. Osbourne later met his wife, then Sharon Levy, who became her own celebrity persona, when she was running her father's Los Angeles office. Her father was Don Arden, a top concert promoter and artist manager. She went to Osbourne's hotel in Los Angeles to collect money, which Osbourne had spent on drugs. 'She says she'll come back in three days and I'd better have it. I'd always fancied her and I thought, 'Ah, she's coming back! Maybe I have a chance.' I had pizza hanging from my hair, cigarette ashes on my shirt,' he told the Los Angeles Times in 2000. They married in 1982, had three children — Kelly, Aimee and Jack — and endured periodic separations and reconciliations. He is survived by his wife Sharon Osbourne and his children.
