“Summer Cultural 18” Launches Under the Slogan “With Culture, We Return Stronger” August 5

When culture returns to the forefront, it comes laden with messages of hope and renewal. From this perspective, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) unveiled the details of the 18th edition of the “Summer Cultural Festival,” which will take place from August 5 to 30, under the slogan “With Culture, We Return Stronger.” This edition marks a declaration of the return of cultural activity to its former momentum, following the exceptional phase experienced by Kuwait.

The festival does not merely offer a program full of events; it presents a vision affirming that culture is capable of reclaiming its presence as a space for knowledge and creativity, and as a bridge uniting society around art, thought, literature, and heritage.

The festival is chaired by Dr. Mohammed Khaled Al-Jasra, Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, with Aisha Al-Mahmoud, Assistant Secretary-General for Cultural Affairs, serving as Deputy Chairperson, and Dalal Al-Fadl as Festival Director. They lead a team dedicated to delivering an edition that reflects the cultural status Kuwait has consolidated over decades.

In a media statement, Aisha Al-Mahmoud emphasized that the program was designed to address all segments of society through a diverse mix of poetry and music evenings, theatrical performances, training workshops, and intellectual lectures, alongside activities tailored for children and teenagers, as well as book and art exhibitions. This approach aims to broaden the circle of cultural participation and provide the audience with multiple options throughout the festival days.

This edition is also the result of cultural and community partnerships between the National Council and several public benefit associations, such as the Arabic Language Association and the Libraries and Information Association, along with Takween Library and the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre. These collaborations aim to expand the scope of cooperation, strengthen the presence of cultural institutions in creative content production, and reach the widest possible audience.

For her part, Dalal Al-Fadl clarified that preparations are complete to welcome visitors. She noted that events will not be confined to cultural centers but will extend to public libraries, museums, vital sites, and commercial complexes, a move aimed at bringing culture closer to the public and delivering it to various governorates.

Spanning more than 25 days, the festival features musical and vocal concerts, theatrical performances including “Like” and “Engineer of Public Taste,” specialized workshops in visual arts, literature, music, and heritage, as well as dialogue sessions and lectures featuring a select group of intellectuals, academics, and creatives from within Kuwait and abroad. It also includes diverse family and children’s programs, along with book and art exhibitions.

The first events will kick off on the evening of Wednesday, August 5, at the Drama Theatre in the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre. The festival will conclude on August 30 with the “Artists in Love with Kuwait” concert, conducted by Maestro Mohammed Al-Buainain. The event will honor Arab singers who sang for Kuwait, such as Abdel Halim Hafez, Umm Kulthum, Suad Mohammed, and Mohammed Abdel Wahab, alongside distinctive Kuwaiti voices like Adel Al-Mass, Abdulaziz Al-Musbah, and Saud Faiz.