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'CELEBRATING ARTS & CONNECTING COMMUNITIES'

Our Story...

On 22 May 2017 Manchester, and the world, was devastated by the attack on Manchester Arena that killed 23 people. One Manchester resident, Qaisra Shahraz, was quick to respond. Qaisra identified the need to tackle Islamophobia and bring muslim and non muslim communities together.

SINCE 2017 MACFEST HAS...

Hosted 2 festivals:

Hosted 2 festivals:

Hosted 2 festivals:

We have hosted MACFEST for 2 years of with each year hosting  over 50 events connecting communities for all around the world! We have partnered several other festival, 18 schools, 3 colleges,  2 universities and 21 venues!

EDUCATION

Been recognised by:

Hosted 2 festivals:

Hosted 2 festivals:

British Muslim Awards, The University of Manchester, The Guardian, Asian Leader, Manchester Evening News and many more!

MEDIA

And beyond!

Hosted 2 festivals:

And beyond!

We want to keep spreading MACFEST across the country and world so together we can build cultural bridges and tackle hate! 

NATIONAL

"This is Manchester, we do things differently here."

We are proud to have started MACFEST in Manchester and have loved partnering with schools, colleges, universities, venues and communities hosting events across the Greater Manchester area. 


If you are in Greater Manchester and would like your school, college or university to be a part of our ground breaking festival then please email: hello@macfest.org.uk


Check out the EDUCATION & PARTNERS pages to see who we are already teamed up with!

Board of directors

Qaisra Shahraz MBE

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar

Dr. Mohammed Ali, OBE

Qaisra Shahraz is the Founder, Curator and Executive Director of MACFEST, Muslim Arts and Culture Festival. She is a prize-winning and critically-acclaimed novelist, scriptwriter, peace and gender activist. Qaisra was born in Pakistan and has lived in Manchester since childhood. Qaisra has gained two Masters Degrees in English & European literature and scriptwriting for television.

Learn more

Dr. Mohammed Ali, OBE

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar

Dr. Mohammed Ali, OBE

Mohammed Ali, born in Pakistan, came to live in the UK at the age of 12. He studied at Huddersfield and Bradford Universities. He then worked in a succession of newly created development roles with Glaxo Pharmaceutical, Community Relations Council; Tameside metropolitan Borough Council, Sheffield City Council and Fullemply Group, a high profile London based national ethnic minority training and employment charity.

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Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar

Learn more
Qaisra Shahraz International Muslim Festival

 

International Muslim Festival
International Muslim Festival

 

ADVISORS

Adrienne Loftus Parkins

Adrienne Loftus Parkins

Adrienne Loftus Parkins

International Muslim Festival

Adrienne Loftus Parkins is a consultant working with literature festivals and awards. She is the founder and former director of the Asia House Festival of Asian Literature, now the Asia House Bagri Foundation Literature Festival.  She is on the Steering Committee of the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature and advises M Fest in London, Bangkok Edge in Thailand and other UK based festivals.

Cathy Bolton

Adrienne Loftus Parkins

Adrienne Loftus Parkins

Muslim Arts and Culture Festival International MACFEST

Cathy Bolton is a Co-director of Manchester Literature Festival and has been involved in the Festival since its inception in 2006. She previously worked as a Writing Development Officer for Commonword community writing and publishing project. Her poems and short stories have been published in a wide range of literary journals and anthologies, and her collection 'A Fool’s Height Short of Heaven' won the Sheffield Hallam Ictus Prize.

Jonathan Davidson

Adrienne Loftus Parkins

Jonathan Davidson

Muslim Arts and Culture Festival International MACFEST

Jonathan Davidson has worked in arts administration for over thirty years. He is Chief Executive of Writing West Midlands and lives in Birmingham.

Aamer Naeem OBE

Financial Advisor

Jonathan Davidson

Muslim Arts and Culture Festival International MACFEST

Aamer Naeem qualified with 1st class honours as a pharmacist in 1992 and gained a Masters in Business Administration with distinction in 2007. He is currently the Director of Innov8 Creative Solutions Ltd, a consultancy providing strategic and operational support to a range of organisations as well as delivers Leadership Development Programmes across public, private and voluntary sectors. 

Find out more

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

Muslim Arts and Culture Festival International MACFEST

Andrew Taylor, Madisons Accountants

FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF MACFEST

Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP

Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP

Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP

Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester

Mark Adlestone OBE

Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP

Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP

Deputy Lieutenant & former High Sheriff of Greater Manchester

Afzal Khan MP CBE

Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP

Afzal Khan MP CBE

MP for Gorton and Shadow Minister for Immigration

Chris Sacarabany

Chris Sacarabany

Afzal Khan MP CBE

Executive Director of Foundation For Ethnic Understanding

Paul Griffiths

Chris Sacarabany

Paul Griffiths

Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester

Patsy Kane OBE

Chris Sacarabany

Paul Griffiths

Education Consultant

Darren Twaithes

Darren Twaithes

Darren Twaithes

Manchester Evening News

Ed Watts

Darren Twaithes

Darren Twaithes

Whitworth Art Gallery, Head of Learning and Engagement 

Esme Ward

Darren Twaithes

Ian Hopkins

Director of Manchester Museum

Ian Hopkins

Elizabeth Hole

Ian Hopkins

Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police

Elizabeth Hole

Elizabeth Hole

Elizabeth Hole

Executive Head of  Levenshulme High School

Nancy Porter

Elizabeth Hole

Elizabeth Hole

Media department, University of Salford

Nassar Mahmood OBE

Nassar Mahmood OBE

Nassar Mahmood OBE

Chair of British Muslim Heritage Centre

Kevin Green

Nassar Mahmood OBE

Nassar Mahmood OBE

Principal of Manchester Health Academy

Prof. James Thomas

Nassar Mahmood OBE

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd

Vice- President of Social Responsibility- University of Manchester

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd

Manager of Elizabeth Gaskell House

Amanda Sillet

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd

Amanda Sillet

The Manchester College

Dan Farr

Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd

Amanda Sillet

Assistant Head, Manchester Grammar School

Danny Middleton

Danny Middleton

Danny Middleton

Manchester Central Library

Johan Mackinnon

Danny Middleton

Danny Middleton

Executive Head of Levenshulme High School For Girls

 

 


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