[anthemculture]

Afghan Exports on Display at World’s Largest Food Fair

Exporters of high-value Afghan food products will showcase their goods for international buyers this week at the Gulfood Exhibition, the world’s largest food and beverage trade show. Over 50 Afghan businesses are attending the five-day exhibition in Dubai from February 17 to 21 to meet prospective buyers, with over half of them displaying Afghanistan’s finest fruits, saffron, nuts, spices, vegetables and juices. According to a USAID statement, last year, Afghan businesses inked over $30 million in signed and potential deals for Afghan agricultural products. Read More via Khaama. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

In Search of London's 'Lost' Art Deco Cinemas

If you take a stroll along the western end of Hackney Road in east London - and keep going as far as number 211, you wander past a ghost. It is not entirely unlikely that you might find yourself here, heading away from the cool bars that line Shoreditch High Street where these two arterial routes meet - or, perhaps, ambling towards the new restaurants which, for the last five years, have been opening on this busy thoroughfare, closer and closer to Hackney proper. Equally, it is very likely that you may fail to spot the phantom on the kerb - as there is no evidence of it beyond the developers' wooden boards fencing off the site, and the first signs of the new development rising up behind. But if you feel a tinge of sadness on the air, it is because number 211 was once home to the Odeon Hackney Road - and, as of April 2018, it is not. What was once a colossal, palatial cinema with 1,926 seats will soon be ten-storey block of luxury flats. Read More via Telegraph. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

A Slice Of Sri Lankan Culture, The Dance Way

Delhiites are in for a veritable cultural treat from the island nation of Sri Lanka with a dance and drum show on February 5, 6.30 pm onwards, at the Charkha Museum Open Air Theatre (opposite Khadi Gramodyog) at Connaught Place. The dances will be performed by a 20-member troupe belonging to the Sri Lankan navy. The cultural performance has been jointly organised by the Sri Lanka High Commission and the New Delhi Municipal Council. According to the Sri Lanka high commission, the cultural evening will showcase various dance forms from across the island nation. Read More via SNIWire. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Finland’s Favourite Novel Takes to the Stage

Ulla-Lena Lundberg’s novel Ice was awarded the Finlandia prize, Finland’s most prestigious literary award, in 2012. With domestic sales of almost 150 000 copies, it has become one of the most cherished Finnish novels of the decade. Partly based on the life on Lundberg’s own family on the isolated island of Kökar, Ice has attracted much interest from theatres, but the Finnish National Opera was the first to get permission to adapt it for the stage. The libretto follows the key events and characters of the rich novel, with music that rings with the changing seasons and the ever-present threat of ice. Read More via OopperaBaletti. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Davido, Cardi B, Meek Mill, Others to Perform At Belgium Festival

Nigeria's popular singer Davido has been listed to perform with other international artiste at the 2019 VestiVille Festival in Belgium. The 'Aye' crooner recently had is first sold-out show at O2 Arena, London. VestiVille is a brand new music festival in Lommel, Belgium. The festival is positioning itself to become the premier hip hop and urban music experience in Europe. Read More via AllAfrica. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Chinese Lantern Festival Opens in Albanian Capital

Chinese Ambassador to Albania Zhou Ding speaks at the opening ceremony of the Chinese Lantern Festival in Tirana, capital of Albania, on Feb. 1, 2019. Albania joined the celebration of the Chinese New Year, with a ceremony marking the opening of "Happy Chinese New Year-The Chinese Lantern Festival" event in the capital Tirana on Friday evening. Read More via ECNS. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Puerto Rican Women in the Independent Art Scene

With the internet being so easy to access, it has become easier for independent artists to find an audience and let their work be known. As a result, a variety of movements, collectives, and scenes have found a way to pave their path. The independent art scene in Puerto Rico is no different. Recently, many artists from a variety of disciplines have found platforms that have made it easier for them to share their work. In addition, small businesses such as Electroshock in Santurce and Rio Piedras, bars like Off The Wall in Mayaguez, and libraries like La Casita Books and Gifts in Aguadilla have provided up-and-coming artists a space to display their talents. “Puerto Rican Women Killing It in the Independent Art Scene” is a series of interviews that provides a glimpse at some of the women who have recently gained recognition in the art scene. Though the artists are asked similar questions, some are asked queries surrounding their work, specifically. Read More via HerCampus. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Film About Japanese-Russian POW Romance Gets Crowdfunding Project for Screening in Russia

In an age fraught with international tensions, a new movie co-produced by Russia and Japan sends a powerful message that love transcends language and borders. A beautiful yet tragic love story has always been as good a way as any to tug at audiences’ hearts, and it looks like a collaborative creative effort between Russia and Japan has produced just such a movie. The film, titled Sorokin no Mita Sakura (“The Sakura that Sorokin Saw”), is a love story set in the city of Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture on the Japanese island of Shikoku against the historical backdrop of the Russo-Japanese War. Read More via SoraNews24. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

East Africa’s First Dedicated Creative Fund Wants to Turn the Region into a Global Arts Hub

The current state of East Africa’s creative industry is usually discussed in the context of one word: potential. Across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, the sector continues to face major hurdles including scarcity of funding and the fragmented nature of cultural and creative guilds. There has also been a lack of artist-friendly policies and mentorship from high-profile industry players. This has undermined the ability of creative ventures to thrive, limiting the opportunities to create jobs, boost tourism, and deepen national identities and heritage. The Nairobi-based HEVA Fund, which describes itself as the region’s “first fully-fledged” creative catalyst program, has been trying to change that. Read More via QZ. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Czech National Symphony Orchestra Celebrates 100 Years Of Leonard Bernstein

State Theatre New Jersey presents the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in a program celebrating 100 years of Leonard Bernstein's work on Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 3pm. This concert features conductor John Mauceri and Grammy Award-winning Mezzo-Soprano Isabel Leonard. Tickets range from $17.50-$70. The program include Three Meditations from Mass for Cello and Orchestra; Halil, Nocturne for Flute and Orchestra; Music I Heard with You from Songfest (Isabel Leonard, Mezzo-Soprano); Three Early Songs (arr: Sid Ramin) (Isabel Leonard, Mezzo-Soprano): "Piccola Serenata" "So Pretty," and "Silhouette"; Overture from the Candide; "Dream with Me" from Peter Pan; "What a Movie!" from Trouble in Tahiti; "Take Care of This House" from A Quiet Place (Isabel Leonard, Mezzo-Soprano); and Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Read More via BroadwayWorld. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Pakistan Open to Investment in Field of Film & Music

Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain says Pakistan is open to investment in the field of film and music as these are one of the vital mediums to promote values and culture of any society. He was talking to a delegation of Tencent, one of the biggest Chinese music companies of the world, in Islamabad on Monday. The Minister also invited Chinese Film makers to come to Pakistan and shoot the scenic beauty of its northern areas. He told the delegation that Lok Virsa is also working to preserve the dying musical instruments to protect the historical music. Read More via Radio. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

New Contemporary Art Fair in Taipei Aimed at Unlocking the Potential of Taiwan’s Art Market

A new contemporary art fair in Taipei aimed at unlocking the potential of Taiwan’s art market opened on Thursday, with galleries testing the appetite for works valued at more than US$1 million. However, many of the transactions at the fair may end up being executed in Hong Kong so buyers and sellers can avoid the island’s complex tariffs. Aggressive marketing before the fair’s opening drew hundreds of wealthy East Asians to the launch of the four-day Taipei Dangdai at the Nangang Exhibition Centre on the eastern edge of the city, its organiser said. UBS, the Swiss bank that is the main sponsor of the fair, arranged for its high-net-worth clients in Taiwan to attend, while another bank flew Shanghai billionaires by private jet across the Taiwan Strait, fair director Magnus Renfrew said. Read More via SCMP. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Oscar Nominee 'Border' Wins Best Film, Best Actress at Sweden's Guldbagge Honors

Ali Abbasi's drama, about two trolls who find love in modern-day Sweden, is an Oscar nominee for best hair and makeup. Ali Abbasi's genre-bending fantasy tale Border, about gender-fluid trolls living in modern-day Sweden, was the big winner Monday night at the Guldbagge Awards, Sweden's leading film honors, picking up five trophies, including for best film. Based on a short story by John Ajvide Lindqvist (author of the cult vampire fable Let The Right One In), Border draws inspiration from Scandinavian folklore for its tale of two misfits who embrace their otherness. Read More via HollywoodReporter. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Kyrgyz Fashion Designer Invited Women Who Have Endured Forced Marriages to Appear in a Fashion Show

A Kyrgyz fashion designer invited women who have endured forced marriages or domestic abuse to appear in a fashion show inspired by great female figures in history. The event was part of a campaign meant to shed light on the illegal but persistent practice of bride kidnapping -- and to empower its survivors. Read More via RFERL. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Malaysian Chefs Win World Pastry Cup 2019

What a sweet success story! A team of Malaysian pastry chefs have been crowned champions of the World Pastry Cup (or Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in French) for 2019! The team, which comprises Patrick Siau, Head Chef at School of Hospitality, Sunway University and contestants Tan Wei Loon, Otto Tay and Loi Ming Ai, beat the teams from Japan and Italy in the final of the competition held on Monday (Jan 28). The World Pastry Cup is an international pastry contest that is held biannually in Lyon, France. This year’s edition, which was held from Jan 27-28, marks the 30th anniversary of the competition. Read More via Star2. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Palestinian Artist Brings Japanese Joy of Origami to Embattled Gaza Strip

In a small studio packed with sculptures made of scrap metal, Palestinian artist Ahmed Humaid has found a new medium in origami. It’s an unlikely pursuit for an artist living in the Gaza Strip, which has been largely cut off from the outside world since Israel and Egypt imposed a crippling blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory more than a decade ago. But the 29-year-old Humaid, who has no regular job, says interest in origami is on the rise. Read More via JapanTimes. Read the full article

[anthemculture]

Iran to Hold International Cartoon Contest in February

lran's 4th International Biennial Book Cartoon Contest will be held in the capital Tehran in February, Iran Daily reported on Monday. A total of 496 artists from 73 countries will participate in the contest. Major foreign contestants include those from Turkey and Indonesia. Read More via PenNews. Read the full article