MazaJ: Festival of Experimental Middle Eastern Music

Seth Ayyaz - Zenith Foundation

Seth Ayyaz, curator of the MazaJ Festival, presented a series of project proposals and an invitation to potential collaborators. The festival is the musical manifestation of the Zenith Foundation in London, which offers a platform for independent cultural production focusing on the Arab region and its Diaspora. The first project seeks to connect with individuals and institutions to create new work in response to the changing sonic environment in Egypt and work towards creating a sound survey within the region. Ayyaz also spoke of the need for the festival to develop its network. Strategies include an advisory panel to establish a curatorial strategy, the development of a commissioning strand with a focus on wider sonic cultures, and the development of a group residency to allow participants to come together, exchange and make work.