Dr. Gihan Zaki, Minister of Culture, and Dr. Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo, witnessed the launch of the first public events of the “Art Street” initiative on Thursday, May 21, 2026, on Sherifein Street in the Khedival Cairo district. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, announced the launch of the initiative earlier that week, as part of the state's efforts to enhance the presence of the arts in the public sphere.
The event was also attended by Engineer Mohamed Abu Saada, Head of the National Organization for Urban Harmony; Dr. Nabila Hassan, President of the Academy of Arts; Dr. Ahmed Anwar Attia El-Adl, Deputy Governor for the Western District; and a number of executive and cultural leaders.
Dr. Gihan Zaki, Minister of Culture, emphasized that the “Art Street” initiative represents a significant step towards making the arts accessible to the public and achieving cultural equity by bringing art out of closed venues and into public spaces, thus enabling direct interaction with diverse segments of society.
She added that the initiative, which is under the patronage of the Prime Minister, reflects the state's commitment to supporting cultural and creative industries and discovering and nurturing young talent. She noted that the Ministry is working to develop this experience into a sustainable platform that strengthens Egyptian cultural identity and contributes to raising awareness and instilling values of beauty in society.
For his part, Dr. Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo, explained that the "Art Street" initiative aims to transform the capital's streets and squares into open-air theaters that embrace creative individuals and offer high-quality, free artistic content to citizens, thus contributing to raising public taste and reviving the urban character of the city center.
He pointed out that the initiative's implementation comes within the framework of close cooperation between the Cairo Governorate and the Ministry of Culture, represented by the Academy of Arts, in line with Egypt's Vision 2030 to support sustainable cultural development and revitalize domestic tourism.
The launch event was attended by a large audience of Egyptians, Arabs, and foreigners, who enjoyed a diverse artistic program that included live musical performances, folk and heritage shows, puppet shows, and a traditional magic lantern display, in addition to international music segments and various singing performances, as well as live art workshops in drawing, visual arts, and pottery.
The Cairo Governorate, in cooperation with the Academy of Arts, also launched an official page for the “Art Street” initiative, which includes a link allowing talents to register and schedule their participation, as well as giving the public the opportunity to vote for the best performances presented each day.
The initiative’s events are scheduled to take place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, according to the schedules announced on the initiative’s official page.
