Palestinian artists around the world are being blocked from performing, blocked from travelling, as the ongoing genocide in Gaza continues, while artists in Ireland have freedom of movement and practice. In response, Friends of The Freedom Theatre Ireland (Cairde Amharclann na Saoirse in Éirinn), have invited 18 Palestinian artists to perform in Ireland.
The Freedom Theatre will perform in Ireland for the very first time. The theatre is currently occupied and its building has been ransacked, and the Jenin refugee camp forcibly evacuated. Co-founded in 2006 by Juliano Mer Khamis, a Palestinian–Jewish actor and director, who was assassinated in 2011 because of his belief in art as a form of resistance and liberation.
For decades, the theatre has been a vital cultural and political institution, nurturing generations of artists through cultural resistance grounded in dignity, imagination and collective survival. Friends presents Seachtain Saoirse don Phalaistín, a curated week celebrating cultural resistance at Project Arts Centre headlined by Return to Palestine.
Landmark
Featuring a new visual Art process by Tuqa Al-Sarraj, staging the award-winning Palestine: Peace de Resistance by Sami Abu Wardeh, and the music of Ahmed Eid, the week will be a landmark cultural and political event creating a conversation about freedom, occupation, resistance, and the power of art to speak across borders.
The Freedom Theatre is a cultural and artistic centre in Jenin Refugee Camp in the West Bank. Co-founded in 2006 by Juliano Mer Khamis and Zakaria Zubeidi, the theatre’s commitment to cultural resistance makes it a beacon of hope and change. It uses theatre and art as tools of cultural resistance, giving voice to communities living under occupation.
It engages the young generation, providing them with theatre tools to navigate the challenges of life under occupation. By staging original productions, The Freedom Theatre reflects, comments upon, and challenges contemporary Palestinian society. The theatre school empowers people to voice their stories and advocate for change.
Title: Seachtain Saoirse don Phalaistín
Dates: January 26-31 2026
Location: Project Arts Centre, 39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.
Tickets: https://projectartscentre.ie/events/seachtain-saoirse-don-phalaistin/
