Arts challenging 50 years of occupation (2017)

Call to artists worldwide

Works submitted will be shown on/near the Wall in north Bethlehem
December, 2015
Dear friends,
The latest wave of repression in the occupied Palestinian territories once more
underscores the unsustainability of the Israeli occupation. Yet this occupation is
also the longest in modern times. In just a years time, in 2017, the occupation of
the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza will have lasted 50 years. To
commemorate this symbolic year and to give momentum to the public challenge
of occupation and the demand for the implementation of the legal rights of the
Palestinian people, AEI and Palestine Link make an appeal to artists worldwide to
prepare a performance or artistic product about the theme of occupation.
It is suggested to give artistic form to what occupation means to the artist or
a group of artists. The product or performance will be put on display or will be
played in front of/on the Wall around Rachels Tomb (north Bethlehem) during
the year 2017. The preferred language, if language is needed, will be English.
We invite you to send digitally or physically an artistic work on occupation, or to
come over to show the work or performance yourself in front of a local and
international audience. The overall project will be largely a voluntary effort and
the organizers will not be able to accommodate any costs made. However, we do
commit ourselves to show artistic works according to our abilities and according
to any guidelines given as long as they fit the occasion and context of display.
For instance, it would be in principle possible to have a song or drama performed
in front of the Wall by local amateur actors or singers when arranged well in
advance. Also, slides of paintings or other visual arts could be shown on the Wall.
We are ready to be in contact with you about any thematically or practically
related questions you may have.
In order to organize and plan well, we request works to be ready at the very
beginning of 2017 (January 1, 2017). This gives a years space and time for
artistic inspiration and implementation. The display of works on or near the Wall

in northern Bethlehem will be done with attention to local and international

publicity. The basic line will be a simple but clear End to occupation.
When you decide to participate in this event it will be helpful to stay in contact
at an early moment. We therefore ask you to submit an idea for your
contribution before April 1, 2016. Please describe your idea in general terms
and indicate what kind of practical support you would need in order to present a
display of your work.
AEI and Palestine Link will work together with other local and international
organizations to publicize the call as widely as possible, and to implement the
activity. A decision about the precise moment of opening the event in 2017 will
be made in the latter half of the year 2016. While the opening of the event will
be jointly done for all the submitted works, it would be possible to raise special
publicity for individual events during the year at a moment that the artist(s)
would have the opportunity to come over.
We deeply thank you for your participation and solidarity, and for spreading the
word.
With seasonal greetings,
The initiators:
Arab Educational Institute
Palestine Link

Arab Educational Institute: www.aeicenter.org

Palestine Link: www.palestinelink.nl
For contact: info@aeicenter.org with cc to ghadazeidan@palestinelink.eu
Toine van Teeffelen
Consultant
AEI-Open Windows
www.aeicenter.org
AEI: Voices of Palestinian sumud
(sumud = steadfastness, resilience)