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	Arab Culture

LATEST NEWS

Summer at the V&A

This summer the V&A Museum is hosting a fun-filled celebration of Arab culture, supported by the Saïd Foundation. Add a splash of colour, a dash of pattern and help bring a giant Islamic dome to life; try Middle Eastern drumming, hear classical Arabic music and explore cinematic delights; stamp your feet, clap your hands and experience a poetry extravaganza exploring characters from the 1001 Arabian Nights. The Arab World Family Learning Programme will bring the museum to life and give families the chance to learn more about Arab and Islamic culture together through games, music, hands-on activities, performance and storytelling.

The highlight of the summer's festivities will be the Arabian Nights Family Festival on Sunday 8 August. Returning to the V&A for a second year, Arabian Nights is an exciting day of free family activities where you can find out more about the Arab world as you listen to stories, dance to traditional sounds, create funky beats, feast on Arab food and much more.

Meanwhile, families can discover windows filled with brilliant colours and dazzling patterns in the Islamic Middle East Gallery and then make window designs at the free drop-in design workshops taking place from Sunday 1 to Friday 13 August. From 1 July, pick up a free Middle East Marvels Backpack from the Information Centre and journey across the V&A with fantastic jigsaws, stories, puzzles and games.

All events are free and no booking is required.

Arabian Nights 2010
Free Fun Art Festival
Sunday 8 August, 10.30 - 17.00
Throughout the Museum

A World of Windows
Drop-in Design Special
Sunday 1 - Friday 6 August and Sunday 8 - Friday 13 August, 10.30 - 12.30 and 14.00 - 17.00
Lunchroom, Sackler Centre

Middle East Marvels Backpack
Daily from 1 July, 10.30 - 17.00
Information Centre

Find out more by visiting the V&A website.

Tate Britain - Launch of MA Module in Illuminating Cultures

As part of Tate Britain's Illuminating Cultures programme, funded by the Saïd Foundation, Tate have been working with Goldsmith's College (University of London) to develop a module as part of their MA in Education: Culture, Language and Identity.

The module is set to begin in January 2011 and will focus on Tate's growing collection of Middle Eastern and North African art works. It aims to extend critical and contextual understandings of current global contemporary art practices, while considering how art practice confronts and explores issues of culture and identity in order to develop pedagogical strategies to use these across educational contexts. The interrogation of art works will be informed by reference to contemporary theory in critical and cultural studies.

Putamayo Presents Acoustic Arabia - Saïd Foundation receives 1% of proceeds

We are very excited to announce a partnership with the world music publishers Putumayo for their CD Acoustic Arabia. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will be donated to the Saïd Foundation. Take a look at the link below to find out more and to sample the music. You can also forward this link to anyone you know who might enjoy this wonderful collection of music from across the Arab world.

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Discover the Arab World : an exciting new resource for teachers

The British Museum has recently published an important new resource about the Arab world for schools, following extensive research and consultation with educators, museum professionals and other experts. Written by the British Museum's Arab World Education Officer, Discover the Arab World is an innovative free resource for secondary school teachers, available both online and in printed form. It is designed to support teachers in exploring relevant and challenging issues about the Arab World and to help their students develop a greater awareness and understanding of Arab culture.

Using 30 key objects in the British Museum's collection, Discover the Arab World supports teaching about Arab people and culture at Key Stages 3 and 4 in Art & Design, Religious Education, Citizenship and History within cross-curricular themes. So far, more than 180 secondary schools have signed up to receive a copy.

A key object: Limestone memorial bust of Tamma. Palmyra, Syria, about AD 100-150. (Copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum)

For more information:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/learning/schools_and_teachers/secondary/middle_east_and_islamic_world.aspx

The resource pack can be viewed online at:
h ttp://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/Arab_World_Resource_Web.pdf