Top 3: Free art & culture events to see at Celebrating Syria 2020’s virtual festival

More than 100 new cartoons from 32 different Syrian artists feature in Cartooning Syria, a digital art exhibition that runs throughout Celebrating Syria 2020 and showcases work reflecting upon the chaotic nature of 2020 whilst keeping Syrian issues at its heart. Starting life as a physical exhibition in Amsterdam in 2017, the gallery has since found success in places like Norway and Germany. However its appearance during Celebrating Syria 2020 marks the first time its images have been made available online.

We Are Not Princesses is a powerful documentary focusing on four Syrian women living as refugees in Beruit who come together to share their personal stories of love, loss, pain and hope through a performance of the Greek play Antigone. Filmed back in 2014, the film was created by following a group of female refugees who took part in a drama workshop to create performances which ultimately debuted at the Al Madina Theatre in Beirut. Stick around after the film for a special in-conversation event with its director, Itab Azzam.

End Celebrating Syria 2020 in style with a bumper double-bill performance featuring two DJ sets that mix Arabic traditions and modern, contemporary sounds. Hello Psychaleppo combines melodic strains of Tarab with eye-watering visuals that engage the soul and move the body – while Boshoco – AKA DJ duo Nihad Alabsi and Philippe Zarif – splice Arabic sounds with a heady dose of techno and house. They’ll be on hand on Friday evening to soundtrack your night and lead you right into the weekend.