Ibraaz: A New Cultural Hub in London
Ibraaz, a digital artistic platform founded in 2011 by Tunisian Lina Lazâar, is set to embark on a new chapter. On October 15, 2025, it will inaugurate a physical space in London, designed as a convergence point for Arab, Maghrebi, and Muslim cultures, and a bridge between diasporas and the "Global Majority." Located in a 10,000-square-foot Grade II listed building in the heart of the British capital, Ibraaz aims to be a space for sharing, creation, and reflection, at the intersection of visual arts, research, and community life. This ambitious project is supported by the Kamel Lazâar Foundation (KLF), created by Lina Lazâar's father, a committed patron of the arts and culture in the MENA region.
A Tunisian Anchor and Global Reach
For over a decade, the KLF has supported numerous initiatives in Tunisia, including the B7l9 art center in Bhar Lazreg (near La Marsa) and the Jaou Tunis contemporary art biennial, which has become a major event for contemporary art enthusiasts from the South and North. "Ibraaz was born without walls, with the conviction that ideas rooted in art and culture could bring people together beyond borders," says Lina Lazâar, also vice-president of KLF. She presents this new address as "a meeting space to imagine resilient futures, in the face of despair and precipitation."
A Space for Hospitality, Memory, and Dialogue
Ibraaz intends to embody active and rooted hospitality, inspired by the cultural traditions of the Maghreb and the Arab world. Sharing, welcoming, and gathering will guide the life of this new space. The opening program, curated by artists Imed Alibi, Shumon Basar, and Hammad Nasar, will feature concerts, performances, screenings, book launches, and discussions around contemporary cultural and political issues.
A Culinary Space: Oula
The culinary space Oula, directed by Franco-Tunisian chef Boutheina Bensalem, will celebrate Tunisian terroir cuisine and matriarchal food practices. Oula, named after a Tunisian tradition of making provisions, will be a place of memory, conviviality, and transmission.
An Ambitious Artistic Program
The inaugural exhibition, "The Parliament of Ghosts" by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, will be on view from October 15, 2025, to February 15, 2026. Adapted in situ, this monumental installation will transform the space into an active memory space, with new works and rethought archives.
The Department of Xenogenesis (DXG)
The DXG, Ibraaz's research platform, will offer "The Transmissions of the Library," a series of events combining conferences, screenings, sound performances, and collective discussions.
The Otolith Group and the Bibliothèque en Résidence
The Otolith Group, founded in 2002 by Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun, will inaugurate the first "Bibliothèque en résidence" at Ibraaz: a living installation gathering 40 years of pan-African and pan-Asian archives, designed with Diogo Passarhino Studio and Rar.studio.
A Bookstore in Residence
A bookstore in residence will also be set up, managed by Burley Fisher Books in partnership with the Palestinian Festival of Literature (PalFest), an initiative founded by Ahdaf Soueif to think of literature as a tool of resistance against colonialism.
Relaunching the Editorial Platform
In continuation of its online history (2011-2017), Ibraaz will relaunch an editorial platform developed by Stephanie Bailey, with contributions from Anthony Downey, Omar Berrada, and Shivangi Mariam Raj. It will support interdisciplinary research, experimental formats, and new writings across generations and geographies.
A New Editorial Team
Among the first invited writers are Heba Y. Amin, Patrick Chamoiseau, Naeem Mohaiemen, Qalandar Memon, Ashkan Sepahvand, and Ala Younis, who will propose texts in dialogue with the artistic program. "Beyond its walls, Ibraaz's editorial life will go to meet those who may never enter, but who will shape its soul and directions," says Lina Lazâar.
A House of Culture and Solidarity
Through this London house, Ibraaz aspires to become a place where urgent questions can be asked, where listening and risk-taking forge new solidarities, and where culture becomes a vector of dignity, memory, and shared humanity.
