The activities of the Al-Toub Cultural Festival, organized by the Center for Arts and Heritage in cooperation with The Freedom Theatre, concluded recently. Held from December 20 to 26, 2025, the festival transformed Askar Camp into a vibrant cultural hub for six days, featuring performances by six theatrical troupes from various Palestinian cities.
Diverse Artistic Performances and Community Engagement
The festival’s artistic program featured a series of theatrical performances that garnered widespread acclaim for their professional and interactive nature. Highlights included:
”The House” by Kafr Qara Theatre.
”Mairamiyyeh” by Al-Harah Theatre, described as a highly professional and powerful performance.
”My Precious Gem” by The Freedom Theatre, and the “Sarāb” (Mirage) show by the Palestinian Circus School, which recorded the highest attendance with 140 spectators.
The play “15-16” by The Freedom Theatre, followed by the festival finale, “The White Asylum of Lemons,” a joint production by Dhanaba Theatre and the Center for Arts and Heritage.
Logistics and Challenges
Despite the artistic success, organizers highlighted several challenges. The festival coincided with the academic exam period, which impacted overall attendance numbers. Furthermore, security conditions and incursions in the Jenin and Qabatiya areas disrupted the movements of The Freedom Theatre staff. Limited funding also posed a hurdle in providing full financial support and transportation for all participating troupes.
The event was made possible through partnerships with several entities, including the Popular Services Committee of Askar Camp, Askar Youth Center, Project Hope, the British Teachers’ Union, and the Asda’a Media Network.
Future Vision
Organizers aim to evolve the festival into a comprehensive national event by expanding its geographical reach to both Nablus and Jenin. Future plans include forming a professional jury to provide critical evaluations and awarding prizes for top performances to elevate the festival to a prestigious national level.
In their concluding remarks, the organizers emphasized that this festival serves as the “first brick of an ambitious project” intended to become a cornerstone of the nation’s cultural landscape.
