SWANA & Arab Events in NYC This Month

An oil painting workshop for intermediate painters (prerequisite: Oil Painting for Beginners)

A book launch party for Maha Hashwi's poetry collection 'The Pomegranate is a Grenade.' The event features a conversation between Maha Hashwi and Mahogany L

NYC-based Persian musician Mehrnam Rastegari — master Kamancheh player, singer, violinist, and award-winning composer — performs live at Barbès in Brooklyn

Gideon Forbes Quartet showcases original music and arrangements drawing on jazz and Arabic music traditions

AMEJA presents a special screening of Kareem Rahma's documentary 'Keep the Meter Running' at the Tribeca Screening Room

A documentary by Thierno Souleymane Diallo about the search for Mamadou Touré's 1953 short film Mouramani, rumored to be the first film made by a Black African director

Jazz drummer Savannah Harris presents DUAL featuring Miriam Elhajli, as part of her Continuum Fellowship residency with the Jazz Generations Initiative

Speed Sisters (2015, dir

Lucie Pohl's Immigrant Jam Comedy features NYC's funniest immigrant and 1st generation comedians

Mati Diop's award-winning debut feature and Cannes Grand Prix winner is a neocolonialist ghost tale set in Dakar, following Ada as she sacrifices her passion for a construction wor…

A double feature screening: Halima Ouardiri's Mutts (2019, 18 min), filmed in a Moroccan dog sanctuary as metaphor for refugee struggles, paired with Ramin Bahrani's Man Push Cart …

A work-in-progress screening of Caveh Zahedi's film documenting a chaotic 2022 production of James Joyce's Ulysses staged with minimal resources

A newly restored political fable by Heiny Srour (1984, Lebanon, 90 min) that weaves together folklore, oral testimony, archival footage, and fantasy sequences to uncover the collec…

Lucie Pohl's Immigrant Jam Comedy features NYC's funniest immigrant and 1st generation comedians

Brooklyn's favorite nightlife stars Papi Juice make their grand return to Little Island for six signature evening parties with featured guests

We are pleased to announce the opening reception of 33°30′36″ N, 36°17′28″ E by Muna Alfadl at Astoria Art Center on Saturday September 5th from 6-9 pm.

Barzakh Cafe presents CAFE AMAN PROJECT as a new monthly residency celebrating Greek Anatolian music and dance

A literary reading event featuring Arman Salem, Mohammed Hakima, Marcos de la Fuente, Paula Serrano y Alejo de los Reyes, and Miguel Marqués, with an open mic for audience members …

Labor Day celebration featuring arab-house and afro-house music with surprise guest YASMINA

An intimate live performance by Egyptian/Syrian singer-songwriter Mira Bahgat, bringing her debut EP to life through a fusion of old-school jazz, neo-soul, and Arabic musical herit…

Iranian-Canadian singer-songwriter Asal (Asal Karimzadeh) performs at Irving Plaza on her Kiss the Sun Tour, supporting her recently released studio album "Missing Something." The …

Cafe Kadhem is celebrating their first anniversary with a birthday party featuring various birthday cakes and treats

A luminous portrait of Lebanese-American poet and artist Etel Adnan, capturing her painting, visiting friends, and reflecting on mountains, trees, and language during the last five…

Founded in 1979, El-Funoun is one of Palestine's leading traditional dance companies presenting a free performance and workshop of dabke dance as part of their third annual US Tawa…

Come see some of the funniest comedians this side of the Jordan River for an evening of laughter and comradery

A four-week course exploring erotic literature and art from the SWANA region, featuring works by Ghada Samman, Salwa Neimi, Joumana Haddad, Forugh Farrokhzad, Nizar Qabbani, and vi…

Award-winning comedian Tahaa Kahn returns with his second special, "72 Virgins," a razor-sharp comedy show about his Pakistani roots, travels across Europe, and family dynamics

Misison:

Volunteer meeting and art build organized by the Shut It Down 4 Palestine Coalition, featuring political orientation from the Palestinian Youth Movement, the People's Forum, and th…

A three-film program by Palestinian filmmaker Mahdi Fleifel exploring immigrant and refugee narratives

Abbas, a Cairo-born sound artist, presents a multidisciplinary performance celebrating legendary Nubian/Egyptian musician Mohamed Mounir

Join Kareem Rahma and a panel of comedians and cultural icons for a night of hot takes and strong opinions

Join Kareem Rahma and a panel of comedians and cultural icons for a night of hot takes and strong opinions

This September, join House of Leyli for the first gathering in a monthly Persian Tea Meditation Circle: a series exploring the seasons of life, shaped by what our community is seek…

An oil painting open studio session for intermediate painters at Atelier Dalal, a Lebanese-owned creative studio in Brooklyn

A developmental reading of Defne Ozkan's adaptation of Haldun Taner's 1978 Turkish play, which satirically explores the lives of actors during the early days of the Turkish Republi…

An oil painting workshop for intermediate painters (prerequisite: Oil Painting for Beginners)

A developmental reading of Defne Ozkan's adaptation of Haldun Taner's 1978 Turkish play, which satirically explores the lives of actors during the early days of the Turkish Republi…

The Secret Trio delivers a unique fusion of Middle Eastern, Balkan, and jazz music, blending microtonal modes, improvisation, and dance rhythms

Celebrate the launch of Reptiles Have Feelings, Too, a new zine by Dahlia Dandashi, published by SIDE QUEST

A self-led figure drawing session hosted by Seeds of Liberation where artists can unleash their creativity and connect through art

Cellist and bandleader George Crotty integrates the sounds of South Asia, the Middle East, and North America into his trio's cinematic compositions, in a free performance at Lincol…

A one-hour stand-up comedy show by Yesh Malik exploring the intersection of growing up gay and Iraqi-Assyrian through character-driven physical comedy and personal storytelling

A unity dinner bringing Christians and Muslims together to honor peace and build community

The spirit of the night is κέφι

Theodora is a singer, songwriter, and filmmaker

Internationally renowned pianist and composer Serouj Kradjian performs with his band alongside world-famous violinist Samvel Yervinyan

Show is cancelled

Holy Martyrs Church of Bayside, NY holds its 70th annual "Armenia Way Festival" on Saturday, September 12, from 12 noon to 7 pm

Emil Wakim is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor based in Brooklyn

An electronic indie dance journey that pulls you into the unexpected

The Brooklyn Nomads bring their live show to Brooklyn for a night featuring Arabic songs audiences know by heart, originals, instrumentals, and stories told between sets

A Moroccan Affair blends Moroccan heritage, vibrant craftsmanship, and modern couture into a timeless celebration of elegance

An 11-hour day and night club takeover celebrating Laylit's 8-year anniversary as a platform for Arab/SWANA music and artists

Laziza's first Lebanese Cookout celebrating community and Lebanese heritage

A double feature pairing Andrei Ujică's 2021 essay film '2 Pasolini' (11 min) with Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1965 documentary 'Sopralluoghi in Palestina per il vangelo secondo Matteo' …

A DJ event featuring Benji B and Nabihah Iqbal at Public Records, a venue committed to providing a safer space that rejects all forms of discrimination

A mutual aid benefit show for the Shanhab family in Gaza, featuring performances by Malaya Sol, Ashni, Aida O'Brien, and a special guest

Saint Levant performs live at Brooklyn Paramount

Arabic story time for children ages 10 months-4 years at Huda restaurant

Saint Levant performs live at Brooklyn Paramount

An interactive live journalism show about the devastating impacts of Israel's use of drones in the besieged Gaza Strip

Filmmaker Colette Ghunim's award-winning debut documentary follows journeys with her parents to find the ancestral houses they were forced to flee as children in Mexico and Palesti…

Celebrate talented Muslim women creating change through their art! Featuring performances by the 2026 cohort of The Mouth of the Sun, a creative writing incubator program

NYC's first Queer Salsa/Bachata Experience featuring a meet-and-greet, dance class with a surprise guest artist, social dancing, and performances

​​Studio Bumi is a food-experience studio creating the conditions for belonging, one table at a time

A DJ night featuring DJ Quazar, DJ Abbi Abraham, DJ Sabreen, DJ Ana Gha, and DJ Sarah Sadaka at Newtown Radio in Brooklyn

NOORIYAH presents The Hello Tour, a North America tour featuring artists Nanoos and Maiya

Anees performs live at Irving Plaza in New York

Bassem Youssef brings his comedy show "The Belly of the Beast" to New York

Menna Salon, Vol

A Muslim matrimonial singles event at Central Park, organized by the Right Muslim Social App, featuring one-on-one conversations in a safe, halal environment for Muslim professiona…

Ren Rave NYC celebrates its first anniversary with a renaissance fantasy dance and drag party

Namito brings Persian-inspired electronic music, deep grooves, and nonstop dance floor energy to Eden NYC

RAD Arts Foundation presents an evening with internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, music scholar, and setar virtuoso Mohsen Namjoo and his band

A daytime dance event at Refuge, a 500-capacity underground nightclub in East Williamsburg featuring a custom 4-point sound system

The Takeover Comedy Show comes to Brooklyn featuring host Ali Mohammad Rizwan and comedians Omar Regan, Ahmed Al-Kadri, Usman Habib, and Said Durrah

Unheard-of Ensemble presents an electroacoustic commission by Matt McBane exploring underwater topographies, paired with a performance by Mehrnam Rastegari Trio

Sufi Sessions is an intentional listening experience led by Omar ؏, exploring soulful & devotional dance music from around the world

A private screening of "The Court of History," a docudrama set in a fictional court in a future, post-Islamic Republic Iran, where those who exercised power are held accountable fo…

Join Kareem Rahma and a panel of comedians and cultural icons for a night of hot takes and strong opinions

Join Kareem Rahma and a panel of comedians and cultural icons for a night of hot takes and strong opinions

Organized during the United Nations General Assembly session in New York, this rally calls on the international community to demand an end to the execution crisis in Iran, where th…

Book release celebration for EMPIRE, the sequel to HEIR by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir

Shot over five years by a collective of four Palestinian and Israeli directors, No Other Land documents Masafer Yatta as a frontline of Palestinian resistance

Altın Gün brings their North America Tour 2026 to Brooklyn Steel

Serkan Tumer, a Turkish singer-songwriter, delivers an intimate performance of original songs woven with personal stories and select cover interpretations

A film screening and fundraiser organized by Balady Film Club at Mayday Space in Brooklyn

An exhibition tracing more than 250 years of activism in New York City, organized around four tactics: demonstrations, organizing, art and media, and direct action

A fun musical charity event raising money to help provide nutrition and medical aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

Nouhi's Nomad performs rock music at Bowery Palace in New York

A celebration of the launch of Read the World A to Z, a series of 26 translated novels representing countries from Argentina to Zambia

Legendary Egyptian Hip-hop artist Shahyn performs live in NYC for the first time ever at Music Hall of Williamsburg

If you are interested to understand the roots of Raqs Sharqi, those classes are made for you! We will approach the technical vocabulary in a unique way : studying the music, the hi…

North American premiere of NAZA, a documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (two of the co-directors of the Oscar-winning No Other Land) that reveals the systems behind Israel'…

Join Soumaya Marose for a dynamic three-hour dance workshop in New York City exploring the rich traditions and expressive movement of North African and Middle Eastern dance

Club Joon at Sea is a posh event hosted by Club Joon taking place at Skyport Marina

Beirut Nights In presents Beirut To Nyc, a music event taking place in New York

A free screening of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Cutting Through Rocks" (2025), which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

A free hour of readings celebrating the late Lebanese-American poet and painter Etel Adnan (1925–2021), drawn from the book My Center is Not in the Solar System: Tributes to Etel A…

A program of short films including Bani Khoshnoudi's "Elegy for the Forgotten, On an Endless War" (Iran/France, 23m, North American Premiere) — an essay film juxtaposing photograph…

Freedom Frames is a docuseries following immigrant joy in NYC, created and hosted by actress/filmmaker Ava Yaghmaie (Fleishman Is in Trouble, Hulu/Disney+'s Furious).

A rare reunion performance by SHUSMO, the Arabic music fusion band founded by Palestinian-American musician Tareq Abboushi

A rich documentary by Maiken Baird about the life and mind of Edward Said (1935–2003), the brilliant Palestinian-American professor, author, and world-renowned advocate for the Pal…

A world premiere documentary by unorthodox Iranian filmmaker Mani Haghighi profiling Nasser Bakhshi, an Iranian painter, conceptual artist, collector, and curator whose monumental …

A documentary by Maiken Baird about Edward Said, the Palestinian-American professor, author, and world-renowned advocate for Palestinian liberation

A documentary screening of "Do You Love Me" by Lana Daher, a personal journey through Lebanon's audiovisual memory composed of archival footage spanning 70 years

Performance artist, translator, musician, and vocalist Haleh Liza Gafori presents an evening of music and poetry featuring her acclaimed translations of 13th-century mystic Rumi, w…

Rite of Strings brings together Iranian santoor player and composer Ehsan Matoori, Grammy Award-winning bassist Edward Perez, violinist Eylem Basaldi, and Grammy Award-winning drum…

A screening of Do You Love Me, a documentary by Lana Daher composed entirely of archival footage spanning 70 years of Lebanon's audiovisual memory

A world premiere documentary by filmmaker and photographer Tala Hadid, immersing herself in the rugged, fraternal world of a group of horse-riders in central Morocco participating …

Six-5 Society celebrates its first anniversary with a rooftop party featuring backgammon play areas for all skill levels, live DJ music, and opportunities to make meaningful connec…

Ali performs at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn

Mo Amer performs a one-night-only comedy show at the iconic Radio City Music Hall