Honouring the feminine voice through the performing arts, writing, co-creating and tending mother earth.
Providing space for individuals and groups to reflect on relevant issues and be creative
Aat (Arabic), is a suffix that renders nouns plural feminine.
It is the collective feminine, and includes both female and male.
Bint (girl) for example becomes Banaat(girls),
and rajul (man) becomes rijaal (men) or rijalaat(men of high stature).
Aat Theater: A registered company in the Netherlands.
kvk: 63378485 – btw: NL686029963B01
Her-story
It began as Aat network of women artist in Jordan in 2009. Four local women artists came together with the aim of addressing gender issues and making daring art. Dima Bawab, Toleen Touq, Shereen Zoumot and Lana Nasser. They came from different disciplines and birthed Aat International Women’s Day Festival in 2010, with their premier of Taman Banat: ‘Eight girls,’ or ‘the price of girls.’ Sold out performances and re-runs, art/installation in the foyer of the theater, curated art exhibit and promenade performance and community projects.
The festival grew by the year. Original performances were produced, some went on tour and won awards. Workshops and trainings were carried out in refugee camps and villages across the country. Co-productions were staged, international artists were hosted and provided collaborative opportunities. Youths who challenged stereotypes and taboos joined in. Jordan welcomed the new network with open arms.
Aat quickly became an item on the local and regional cultural agenda, with generous support from organizations and individuals. Four years of success and exponential growth…
During these years, we received substantial support from embassies, foundations and organisations, as well as the private sector, including:
AFAQ [Arab fund for Arts and culture]; Al-mawrid al-Arabi; Safar, The European Union, The British Embassy, Embassy of the Netherlands, Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Sweden, UN Women, Cozmo supermarket, ATICO Fakhreldin Group, AirFrance; Landmark Forum hotel; Ro’ya TV; Royal Jordanian; UNIFEM; START; Zein telecommunications; Al-Ghad newspaper; Makan… and countless individuals.
The festival might have continued for many years to follow, but circumstances changed and the founding Aat-ets dispersed around the globe. Aat Festival was suspended, but the Aat-ets continued carrying the Aat mission, each in her own way.
Lana preserved ‘Aat Theater’ as her business name for performing arts, writing and workshops. She also established Maskan Aat (The house of Aat) – a yurt in the middle of a forest – as a space for workshops, creative residencies, and collaborative projects.