Four years ago, I found myself behind the lighting desk at the very first PalArt Festival. Even then, it felt special.

There was something extraordinary about seeing Palestinian artists taking to the stage in London, some for the very first time. There was an excitement backstage that was impossible to ignore — a sense that we were creating space for stories that deserved to be heard, stories that so rarely found a home on British stages.

I don’t think I realised then that I’d still be part of that journey four years later.

Since that first festival in 2022, I’ve had the privilege of working on three editions of PalArt. One year I even produced The Shroud Maker, Ahmed Masoud’s darkly funny and deeply moving one-woman play set in Gaza, which I’m delighted to see returning as part of this year’s programme.

Somewhere along the way, PalArt stopped being just another project I worked on. Every festival became a celebration of Palestine’s real identity.

There was something extraordinary about seeing Palestinian artists taking to the stage in London, some for the very first time.

Each year has brought together remarkable artists — including award-winning actor and comedian Alaa Shehada — introduced audiences to powerful new work and proved that there is a real appetite for Palestinian theatre in London. But this year feels different — not because the festivals before it weren’t successful, but because this fifth edition reflects just how far PalArt and its celebration of Palestinian culture have come.

This September, for eleven days, the Pleasance Theatre will become home to the largest gathering of Palestinian theatre, comedy and music the festival has presented to date. Seven productions, artists from across Palestine and the diaspora, live music, talks and workshops will fill the building with creativity, conversation and community.

Watching that growth has been one of the greatest joys of being involved.

I’ve watched artists make their London debut. I’ve seen audiences leave theatres laughing, crying and continuing conversations long after the performances ended. I’ve watched friendships and collaborations form across borders. And every year, I’ve seen more people discover Palestinian culture through art rather than headlines.

That’s what makes PalArt so important to me.

It reminds us that Palestine is not only a place of struggle, but also of extraordinary talent. That theatre can be an act of resistance — but it can also be funny, joyful, tender and surprising. That Palestinian stories aren’t asking for permission to exist. They’re simply taking their rightful place on our stages.

As Ahmed Masoud, founder of PalArt Collective, says:

“I am very pleased to see the biggest gathering of Palestinian theatre and artists. Where our spaces have been shrinking, the stage opens a world for us to raise our voices and tell our story. This year's festival goes from history to the future with lyrical elegance.” Ahmed Masoud

That feels like the perfect description of this year’s programme. From the return of The Shroud Maker to the devised brilliance of Return to Palestine, the futuristic imagination of 2077: Who Wants to Survive, and stories travelling from Gaza, Jenin, Haifa, Ramallah and the Palestinian diaspora — this year’s festival reflects the incredible breadth of Palestinian theatre today.

Looking back at that first festival, I’m struck by how much has grown. Not just the programme or the number of artists, but the community around it. Every edition has built on the last. Every artist has helped open the door a little wider. Every audience member has become part of the story.

Now, four years on, it feels as though London is ready to embrace Palestinian theatre in an even bigger way. And after having the privilege of watching PalArt grow from the wings, I couldn’t be more excited to see where this year’s festival takes us.

Book your tickets and discover what’s on via the Pleasance Theatre.

Giulia Basana is Amos Trust’s Events Manager. She has worked on three editions of PalArt Festival, including as producer of The Shroud Maker. This year’s festival takes place at the Pleasance Theatre in London from 23rd September – 3rd October.

PalArt Festival 2026 is made possible through a combination of funding, partnership and in-kind support from organisations and institutions, including Amos Trust, Amnesty International UK and Arts Council England.