Bassem Hafez joined the Calgary Arab Arts & Culture Society a decade ago, drawn by a passion for nonprofits and arts that made the union feel inevitable. What he found was a working board with a single funding source running a small boutique festival needing expansion; what he’s built as Executive Director is a charity anchored in the belief that arts evoke emotion, provoke thought, and promote empathy while envisioning a diversified Canadian arts scene where Arab-themed work has opportunity, space, and resources to tell different stories, build bridges, and advance equity.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Vision: CAACS’s vision is anchored in the belief that arts have the power to evoke emotions, provoke thought, and promote empathy.
Mission: CAACS envisions a diversified arts scene in Canada in which Arab-themed arts have the opportunity, space and resources to tell a different story, the power to build bridges, deepen relationships, and accordingly advance a more equitable society.
Volunteers: We are deeply rooted in the community, with collaborations and programming across Alberta. Thus, our events have volunteers from all cultural denominators.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Representation of Arab arts and artists, projecting a different image of the Arab artists and world, celebrate the diversity within the Canadian and Arab contexts.
When did you start/join it?
This year we are having our 15th Arab Film Festival. I personally joined 10 years ago.
What made you want to get involved?
I am so much into nonprofits and arts. I guess it was a union ready to be made.
What was the situation like when you started?
We were not yet a charity; we were a working board, and we had only one source of funding. Our festival was a small boutique festival that needed to expand.
How has it changed since?
The organization is now having an admin body, an oversight/governance board and a diversified programming and sources of funding. We are now a big cultural broker with collaborations and programming across the province. We are now having a big festival, with an extra night, called “Canadian Eye on the Arab World” .. and hosting graduation projects of SAIT video/Film Production students. In addition, the Arab Heritage Month Celebrations are attracting collaboration from across Alberta.
What more needs to be done?
Consolidating the role of Arab artists, consolidating the structures of the organization as it grows, and having a solid and stable base of funders.
How can our readers help?
They are certainly welcome to share ideas, proposals, collaborate and host events. We are open for collaboration and partnerships.
Do you have any events coming up?
The April Arab Heritage Month has a month-long and Alberta-wide events celebrating Arab rich culture and successes.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | LinkedIn | YouTube
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
The Calgary Justice Film Festival.
