The promotion of Palestinian cultural life has been has been neglected due to 43 years of Israeli Occupation. There are very few cultural professionals in Occupied Palestine, and almost no professional training programs to educate and prepare young adults to become cultural leaders. Palestinian youth living in the northern Occupied West Bank, in particular, have very little exposure to cultural activities—both Palestinian and international—and few opportunities to engage in cultural activities and express their creativity.

The Freedom Theatre is countering these trends by providing the only professional acting school in the northern West Bank. As a theatre school, our first aim is to empower young Palestinian adults, providing them with the tools to be able to free their minds and bodies and deliver messages of freedom to both Palestinian and international communities. Students learn how to work well within a group, using, while simultaneously developing, their own unique talents. Using theatre to imagine new realities, the students learn to think of themselves as liberators working to free their homeland, rather than victims living under occupation.

The Freedom Theatre Acting School, established in 2008 is dedicated not only to training Palestinian adults to become cultural leaders and educators but also to promote ideas of freedom and unity. Through our work, we are hoping to overcome prejudices and discrimination whether political, geographical, religious, or gender-based.

HOW WE DO IT…

The Freedom Theatre Acting School is a three year rigorous training program for students who have finished high school. It is of a high professional standard and covers all aspects of theatre– highly professional productions that are experimental, but also based in Palestinian tradition. Students enrolled in this intensive three-year study program are introduced to various methods and approaches for entering into the world of theatre and the performing arts from around the globe. Working in the theatre, our students are taught about all aspects fundamental to the creation of theatre; after completing the program, they will not only be skilled actors and directors, but also producers, theatre managers, playwrights and drama teachers.

The acting school is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency(SIDA) and Freedom to Create, a global philanthropic organization.