Latest news with #Lebanese-French
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
EIF bosses clash with city council over event permits
Organisers said they were "disappointed" at the outcome but hoped an upcoming review of licensing charges by the authority would bring costs down in future. City of [[Edinburgh]] Council's fee structure for public entertainment licences (PELs) - permits for events open to the [[pub]]lic required to ensure safety and compliance with regulations - provides discounts for some some groups including charities. However the council says this is not applied "where there is clear commercial activity". On Monday, less than two weeks before the start of the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), councillors considered an application by the EIF Society, which is a registered charity, seeking a partial refund of licensing costs for events at the University of Edinburgh's Old College Quad and Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens. Read more The value of the discount sought was not made public, however PELs range from £1,454 for a venue with capacity of up to 200, to £5,808 for a capacity of up to 10,000. Lebanese-French dance company Maqamat are due to perform at the Old College Quad over four nights in August with tickets priced at £30. The Ross Bandstand will host a free 'big singalong' event featuring Dougie Maclean on August 3 to mark the start of festival season in Edinburgh, followed by Norwegian folk ensemble Barokksolistene alongside Scottish musician Donald Shaw and his ceilidh band the following night, costing £20 a head. Council reports by head of regulatory services, Andrew Mitchell, said these were ticketed events and the licensing department "understands that any monies raised will go back to the Society". He said charges for licence applications "are used to offset the significant costs which are incurred in dealing with licensing issues in the city". However a spokesperson for EIF said events at the Ross Bandstand and Edinburgh College Quad were not being run on a commercial basis "and will not generate a profit". They said: "They are deliberately programmed to engage a broader audience, with an average ticket price of just £25, and thousands of people will attend events in Princes Street Gardens completely free of charge. "As a registered charity, we operate on a not-for-profit basis and subsidise these events significantly to ensure wide public benefit. "Any reduction risks setting a precedent. However, the committee has the discretion to waive fees where it considers this appropriate." Councillors on the licensing sub-committee unanimously refused the fee reduction on the advice of officers. An International Festival spokesperson said: 'We're disappointed by the decision of the Licensing Sub-Committee. "We understand the basis for licensing charges will be reviewed at the upcoming Culture and Communities Committee meeting and we look forward to that discussion.' More from our Edinburgh correspondent It follows a decision by councillors last month to turn down a similar request by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, also a charity, for a discount on its £18,163 PEL bill for fringe performances on the Mound Precinct and High Street. Officials said in a report published last month the Fringe Society was yet to pay its licensing fees and the council was "processing these applications without payment". They added: "This is not normal practice - irrespective of any request to reduce a fee, payment must be made at the time of application." They said the Society has paid commercial licensing application rates since at least 2012 and discounts "operates commercial arrangements whereby it allows other businesses to sell goods from stalls within the licensed footprint. "It is the understanding of the Directorate that these arrangements are strictly commercial."
CairoScene
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Mario-Georges, Razeen & MOR.LOV Release ‘Nazel'
In their new single 'Nazel', Mario-Georges, Razeen and producer reimagine the Arab world through layered vocals, nostalgia-heavy lyrics and rich sonic storytelling. Jul 17, 2025 Floating between memory, place and migration, 'Nazel' is a collaborative single that brings together three artists whose lives, sounds and stories span continents. Lebanese-French vocalist Mario-Georges, Sudanese artist Razeen, and Berlin-based producer come together to create a track that feels both intimate and expansive, drawing sonic lines between Beirut, Khartoum, Jaffa and Yaafour. With a voice dipped in soul and poetry, Mario leads the track into emotional terrain, his Arabic lyrics calling out across distances and borders that feel both real and imagined. Razeen's verses add depth and resistance, drawing on diasporic duality with his unmistakable delivery. Meanwhile, lays down a textured production that melds piano, ambient pads, and syncopated percussion, making the song feel like a quiet storm. Lyrically, Nazel is a letter to all the places and people we still carry. The refrain 'رح نرجع جيران' (We will be neighbours again) resonates like a hopeful invocation for a scattered generation.
Identity
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Identity
Hyde Park Developments Supports the Arts, Music, and the Revival of Egypt's Cultural and Artistic Heritage Two Concerts to Celebrate the Legacy of Dalida
Cairo – May 28, 2025 Reaffirming its leading role in supporting culture, music, and the preservation of heritage, Hyde Park Developments is sponsoring two tribute concerts honoring the iconic international artist Dalida, under the title 'Bent Shoubra'. The concerts will take place on 30 and 31 May 2025 at the Mövenpick Theatre in Media Production City, reflecting the company's continued commitment to delivering refined cultural and musical experiences that enhance the lifestyle offerings within its communities. The two-night event will celebrate Dalida's illustrious career, showcasing her most beloved hits spanning over three decades of musical brilliance. Directed by Mirva Kadi, a Lebanese-French artist known for her standout performances at major venues such as the Beiteddine Festival and Casino du Liban, the concerts will also feature a special appearance by Egyptian singer Heidi Moussa, a classically trained vocalist from a musical family who honed her talent under Maestro Selim Sahab at the Cairo Opera House.
Time Out
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The V&A East Storehouse has just revealed details of its first events and exhibits
May is a landmark month for the capital's key cultural institutions. Alongside the opening of Soho Theatre Walthamstow and Tate Modern's huge 25th birthday celebrations, the month sees the opening of another major new venue, the V&A East Storehouse, in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The purpose-built space housing over half a million artefacts from the V&A archives is due to open at the end of the month. It just announced further details of its inaugural displays and some of its first events, alongside sharing the first pictures from inside the building. V&A East promises to be 'a new kind of museum experience' offering visitors an insight into the workings of a major museum, letting them explore how objects are curated, acquired and cared for. Alongside storage space for over 1,000 individual archives, 250,000 objects and 350,000 library books, the space's central Weston Collections Hall features over 100 mini displays that have been hacked into the ends of its storage units. Further details of the artefacts that will feature in these displays have just been revealed. Highlights include works by Hew Locke and Zaha Hadid, a model of the London 2012 Olympic cauldron designed by Thomas Heatherwick and several new aquisitions, from the likes of Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi, Lebanese-French artist Najla El Zein, and London-based Zimbabwean ceramicist Xanthe Somers. One particular highlight is the 11-metre-wide stage cloth Pablo Picasso designed for the Ballets Russes' 1924 production, Le Train Bleu, which is displayed for first time in over a decade. The museum also shared exclusive images of some of the displays. The museum has also revealed the details of its Order an Object experience. The service allows visitors to access any object in the Storehouse collection free of charge, seven days a week, allowing unparalleled access to a host of treasures including Japenese tea ceremony sets, Leigh Bowery outfits, ancient Egyptian shoes and mid-century design classics. Bookings go live for this on Tuesday May 13 via the V&A website. Also just announced are details of some of the first live events taking place at the site. These include back2back: Archival Bodies (Saturday, June 7), a free one-day event where the Storehouse will play host to site-responsive installations, immersive experiences, ambient DJ sets and live performances inviting visitors to engage with the V&A collections in unexpected ways, and a new programming strand, A Life in the Work of Others, where a guest speakers will be invited to share some of the creators and pieces that have shaped their own practice. The inaugural edition of this takes place on Thursday, June 26 with Turner Prize-winning artist Jasleen Kaur. The V&A has also revealed details about its staff uniforms. Designed by Hackney Wick-based fashion designer Robyn Lynch, in collaboration with V&A East's Youth Collective, the uniforms feature burnt-orange, box-fit vests inspired by 1990s fishing gear. The V&A East Storehouse throws its doors open on Saturday, May 31, and will be open seven days a week, from 10am to 6pm most days, with late openings until 10pm on Thursdays and Saturdays. We can't wait to have a good old poke around.
National News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- National News
Berri broaches general situation in Lebanon, region with French Senate delegation, receives Public Works Minister, Middle East Institute delegation
NNA – House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Monday received at the second presidency headquarters in Ain El-Tineh, a delegation from the French Senate, which comprised Chairman of the Committee for Liaison and Solidarity with the Minorities in the Middle East, Etienne Blanc, Vice-President of the Senate Loïc Hervé, and Vice-President of the Committee for Solidarity with Minorities. Also attending the meeting had been Speaker Berri's Advisor, Dr. Mahmoud Berri. The discussion reportedly touched on the general situation in Lebanon and the broad region, in addition to the Lebanese-French bilateral relations. Speaker Berri also received Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, with whom he broached the general situation, the latest political developments, and matters related to the Ministry of Public Works. Berri later met with a delegation of researchers from the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, headed by retired General Joseph Votel, in the presence of Berri's Media Advisor, Ali Hamdan. The meeting reportedly addressed developments in Lebanon and the broad region, as well as the repercussions of Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon and its violation of Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement. ================ L.Y
