The Shubbak Festival Lab took place from 12–16 June 2025 in London, bringing together festival makers from across the Arab and SWANA region for a four‑day programme titled “Festival Making in Times of Polycrises.” Conceived as a catalyst for new networks, collaborations, and long‑term structures of solidarity, the Lab created a rare space for practitioners working under conditions of violence, instability, and systemic constraint to gather, reflect, and imagine together.

Developed in partnership between Shubbak Festival and The Festival Academy, the programme aimed to strengthen connections between festivals in the region, the UK, and the wider international arts sector. It centred a shared commitment to festival‑making as a site of radical joy, imaginative dreaming, and cultural resilience, while prioritising care practices for artists, festival makers, and audiences. Through facilitated workshops, collective discussions, and attendance at Shubbak Festival performances and events, participants engaged in deep exchange, capacity‑building, and cross‑regional learning.

Supported by the Drosos Foundation and the British Council, the Lab brought together a diverse group of practitioners—some fully supported, others self‑funded—reflecting a collective investment in building a sustainable, transnational community of practice for Arab and SWANA cultural workers.