OK - so the Middle East may be constantly in the news at the moment. But if we're honest, when it comes to Arab culture, most of what we know we've reaped from a package holiday to Sharm el Sheikh and a wander up the Edgware Road of a summer evening.
Well it looks as if Boris et al are going a little way to redress this, with nearly a month of Arabic cultural happenings this July. Shubbak (which is the Arabic word for window) will run from 4th - 24th July, and will feature hundreds of artists performing at over 30 venues.
Events range from the likes of this weekend of free lectures at the ICA to concerts at the Barbican (the Night at Tahrir Square - aka the soundtrack of Egypt's revolution - looks amazing). There's a particularly impressive calendar of stuff going on at the Serpentine. Details of the festival are still being arranged, but if you are interested you can register to receive updates or follow Shubbak on Facebook and Twitter.
Photo/Simon Crubellier
