Creative Exchange Features Al-Bustan
Powered by Springboard for the Arts, writer Nicole Rupersburg interviewed Executive Director Hazami Sayed for "Artists with Impact" series.April 24, 2019 | Nicole RupersburgAl-Bustan plants the seeds of Arab culture and community in Philadelphia
“With only a small staff, Al-Bustan has evolved into a significant multi-disciplinary arts organization with a focus on education and community engagement. The nonprofit organizes and hosts artist residencies, annual cultural celebrations, music performances, open mic nights, community dinners, community cleanups, and so, so much more..”How do you like to collaborate?Collaboration informs most of what we do. Our core staff collaborates on a daily basis, each bringing their strengths and insights to the work we do. We invite artists of diverse backgrounds to collaborate with other artists throughout the year. We collaborate with community partners, peer organizations, individuals, and others in whatever project or program we undertake.“An Immigrant Alphabet” is a prime example in which the artist we commissioned, Wendy Ewald, approaches all her creative work through a collaborative process, as she did with the Northeast High School students, Al-Bustan and many other communities around the world.