Tiro Association for Arts (TAA)

Tiro Association for Arts (TAA) is a non-governmental organization located in South Lebanon, registered under No.2633/ 2014. The Association was established to encourage the Southern local communities to further engage in arts and culture, outside of the existing political and religious settings. More specifically, TAA was founded upon the belief that these communities can express themselves through art, not only to reflect their identity but also to showcase through art the problems and the challenges of their respective communities and those of the Lebanese society at large. Presently, TAA has turned into avolunteer-based organization that brings together youth of different social, economic, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds to create an alternative movement of social change through arts and culture. To increase its ability to spread culture and arts outside of the capital Beirut, TAA bought in 2017 a former school bus through donationsusing the Indigogo website. The old bus was converted into an itinerant cinema and theatre known now as the Peace Art Bus.The Bus travelled to marginalized villages and areas, especially in the South of Lebanon. Rich screening programs were shared with youth of diverse backgrounds who were invited to travel with TAA on a cultural journey. The Bus has facilitated discussions, and proposed films, concerts, storytelling and even food sharing. Theatre workshops and performances were held in, around, and inside the Bus to foster bonds between the communities. TAA implemented also a project, within the Peace Art Bus, entitled “Watch Lebanon in Mobile Cinema” respectively in 2018 and 2019, covering 24 villages and cities and targeting about 2,000 beneficiaries. In 2018, TAA succeeded to obtain a 3-year project entitled “Culture and Arts for Development and Social Change in the South of Lebanon” funded by Drosos Foundation implemented in Tyre and Nabatiyeh, for a total of 304,240 USD. Thanks to this project, TAA was able to implement festivals, training workshops for youth and children, and strengthen TAA organizational structure. TAA delivered 8 types of trainingcourses where 370 trainees were engaged. The training courses have had a significant impact on children aged between 7 and 12 years. They were introduced to diverse types of arts and became more open to communicate with children from other regions and religions. It also had an impact on youth (aged between 13 and 28). The trainees’ self-confidence and engagement in society increased, especially proven during their participation in TAA public performances.Above all, the project strengthened TAA organizational structure including better project management, communication,and festival organization, which was a real need to enable the Association build a stronger and more sustainable management capacities.