Arts Festival D-CAF continues to shed light on a list of performances and exhibition spaces that innervate the historical and cultural value of venues hidden in the heart of Cairo.
George Maher
This year, the festival is bigger, richer, and more equipped than ever to continue celebrating Downtown Cairo’s most historic and cultural destinations through multicultural art that never seems out of place, no matter its location, in addition to extending outside of Downtown. From cultural hotbeds to modern crowd pleasers, festival-goers are sure to experience downtown’s true essence in more than one way with more than 17 venues, hosting dozens of events.
One of Cairo’s most gorgeous longstanding establishments: the Sultan Qaitbay Complex at the core of the City of Dead; a jaw-dropping, multi-function construction site has been a part of Cairo for around 700 years now. With foundations that date all the way back to Egypt’s Fatimid era during the 7th Century, the City of Dead area has developed over the years to become a true cultural hub. The famed necropolis is now predictably considered one of Cairo’s more enduring tourist destinations due to its rich history and ideal location at the heart of the city. After being impeccably renovated by Archinos Architecture, the Sultan Qaitbay Complex will host a memorable street performances on the 23rd of March. “At this point, we’re trying to move beyond just our nucleus, to make D-CAF a festival that is centered in, but not limited to, Downtown Cairo,” explained Festival Director and Performing Arts Curator, Ahmed El Attar.
D-CAF has chosen to complement the new locations with crowd-pleasing returning venues this year. Iconic locations such as Zawya Cinema, the GrEEK Campus and other culturally significant spaces such as Balassi Institute, Institut Français, and Goethe Institut will also take part and display contemporary art at its finest. D-CAF’s favorite, the vital art domain Falaki Theatre, will host some of the festival’s biggest performances.
What’s more, D-CAF’s venue selections have once again enormously benefitted from invaluable logistical support from the festival’s co-founders; Al-Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment. Not many things have contributed to D-CAF’s success over the years as much as this key partnership. Over the past five years, the alliance has allowed the festival to prioritize the revival of Downtown Cairo, and breathe new life into many key venues that are deeply interwoven into its cultural legacy. D-CAF’s eagerness to integrate culture and art simply fits perfectly with Al-Ismaelia’s penchant for modernizing downtown spaces. “Al-Ismaelia has always believed that downtown is a place for all Egyptians. It should be accessible and welcoming to all socio-economic classes, that’s why Al-Ismaelia has always focused on art as a unifying force,” affirmed company Chairman, Karim Shafei. This fits perfectly well with D-CAF’s Arts For All Programme, which stands for the same principles; art must be accessible for everyone.
D-CAF has been a key benefactor of just that, utilizing various of Al-Ismaelia locations as part of its venue choices from its very first edition. These renovated spaces at the heart of downtown are exceeding their full potentials, with their modern structure being put to good use by the festival’s contemporary nature.
Take for instance, the remarkable Kodak Passageway on Adly Street; the building’s esteemed history -it was Kodak’s second store worldwide- took a modern twist in 2008, when it was purchased by Al-Ismaelia. Six years later, it underwent a complete renovation that was inaugurated during D-CAF’s 3rd edition. Since then, what used to be a one-sided passageway between Adly and Abdel Khalek Tharwat streets has undergone total renovation.
Now, the Kodak Passageway has been transformed into a green oasis that’s full of culture and life. The beloved space will be among this year’s venue selections. In doing so, Kodak Passageway will follow in the footsteps of the Al-Ismaelia owned Old French Consulate, which similarly shouldered the bulk of the program in 2015. “It is very rare to find an organization that believes in art as much as Al-Ismaelia,” noted El Attar.
D-CAF moves outside of Downtown to Azhar Park for its opening concert. Azhar Park’s stunning greenery in the heart of Cairo, feels like an oasis, with its stunning open theatres; Lake Theatre, and El Genaina Theatre.
The partnership isn’t limited to a certain programme; Performing Arts, and Music programmes have frequently been an area of common interest between the two parties too. The rooftop of the iconic Abdel Khalek Tharwat building -which overlooks Abdel Khalek Tharwat, Adly, and Talaat Harb streets- was kick started after its renovation with a D-CAF performance. The alluring Viennoise Hotel has similarly played host to numerous festival activities throughout the years.
For the duration of the festival itself, D-CAF’s staff calls an Al-Ismaelia-owned apartment in Huda Shaarawi Street its home. This year, the festival will even be using another floor of the building as a performance venue, which will also host the revamped and new Roznama Studio Programme: In Collaboration with D-CAF for 6 months. “The festival has always remained true to its mission of bringing contemporary art to Egypt,” asserted Shafei. “We always wanted it to be an accessible event that never felt commercial. We believe that our biggest impact is when we can make everyone believe in downtown once again.”
