Join us for a listening session and talk by Mo’min Swaitat and the Palestinian Sound Archive.
Programme Committee
Discussion / Talk
Events
NewBridge Gallery is now closed until Friday 16 October.
You can join us on 5 September and 3 October for Saturday Social. You can still shop NewBridge Books throughout the weekdays!
Join us for a listening session and talk by Mo’min Swaitat and the Palestinian Sound Archive.
Uncovered from old shops, markets and family archives across the West Bank, the Palestinian Sound Archive is a platform for vinyl records and tapes, along with stories of their production, distribution, and relevance to Palestinian history. It is a celebration of music, spoken word, and album artwork from historic Palestine, mainly from the 1960s to the 1990s.
This event explores archival practice as a decolonial methodology and act of resistance, through shared archival sounds and images that preserve and document Palestinian heritage, culture, celebration, dance, and resistance.
The listening session features sounds from the Majazz Project, the Palestinian Sound Archive, and friends. Merchandise will be available for sale, with proceeds supporting the ongoing work of the archive.
This event is not ticketed, event starts at 2pm.
Mo’min Swaitat, founder of the archive, comes from a long line of Bedouin musicians and storytellers. He trained in theatre at the Freedom Theatre in Jenin and studied the Jacques Lecoq Method of physical theatre in London and Berlin. His recent acting credits include The Ceremony by Jack King and Palestine ‘36, a historical drama by Annemarie Jacir set for release later this year.
During the 2020 pandemic, Swaitat discovered a former record label in his hometown of Jenin, sparking a process of gathering and researching materials connected to Palestinian sonic history. Over several years, the archive has expanded to include thousands of cassettes and vinyl records from Palestine and beyond. These span field recordings of Bedouin weddings, revolutionary albums from the First and Second Intifadas, instrumental tracks, poetry, soul, folk songs, and jazz.
Swaitat’s practice focuses on sampling, remixing, and reissuing vintage Palestinian and Arab albums, highlighting the richness and diversity of cultural and musical heritage across the region.
Resounding Diasporic Sonic Worlds has been developed by artist Ellie Armon Azoulay with The NewBridge Project’s Programme Committee: Holly Argent, Ellie Armon Azoulay, Dan Goodman, Kaan K, Shelly Knotts, and Seymour Mace.
Saturday 10 May 2025
2–4pm
The NewBridge Project
Shieldfield Centre
4-8 Clarence Walk (off Stoddart Street)
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 1AL
The NewBridge Project is accessible. You can find out more here, or feel free to contact us prior to visiting if you require additional information regarding access and facilities.
The NewBridge Project is a charity, registered charity no. 1173849.
We are grateful to our funders, including Arts Council England, Newcastle City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, Jerwood Foundation, Community Foundation North East, Newcastle University and the The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.
We are proud to be a Gallery of Sanctuary.
