Theatre & Performance Events
[PAST EVENT] Iman Zaki: Art and Democracy Residency
Location
Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) Memorial Hall, Lab Theatre (133)601 Jamestown Rd
Williamsburg, VA 23185Map this location
Access & Features
- Open to the public
Iman Zaki Residency (March 31 - April 2)
Cultural manager, researcher, consultant and theater performer, Iman Zaki co-founded Reflection for Arts, a training and development organization in Alexandria, Egypt in 2007. The organization provides space and support for visual and performing artists and promotes the role of the arts in community development. Her work experience ranges from cultural management and facilitation to curating and producing work that investigates oppression, sexual harassment and domestic violence among other social issues, with a focus on personal transformation and the use of theater and other art practices as tools for social change. Deeply concerned by governmental censorship, a lack of adequate funding and the rejection of contemporary methodologies in local academic art schools, Iman recently opened a school for emerging artists.
1. Reves Center: Public Lecture Theatre as Resistance (More Info)
Monday, March 31 (5-7 PM) Reves Room
Arts & Sciences and the Reves Center for International Studies present Iman Zaki, March 31, at 5pm in the Reves Room. The performance is free and open to the public.
The presentation is the second event of the Spring 2025 Series on Arts & Democracy, cosponsored by Arts & Sciences and the Reves Center for International Studies. The series features four artists whose practice aims to impact democratic processes.
2. Workshop: Interactive Theatre for Dialog
Tuesday, April 1 (6-8 PM) Lab Theatre PBK
This workshop focuses on participatory methods, particularly Forum Theater, to engage audiences in meaningful social dialogue. Participants will collaborate to create short scenes based on pressing social themes such as discrimination, inequality, or political unrest.
Using interactive techniques, the audience will be invited to intervene, suggest alternate actions, and explore solutions to the issues presented. This hands-on experience not only showcases how theater can amplify marginalized voices but also empowers participants to become active agents of social change in their own communities.
3. Workshop: Improvisation and Social Themes
Wednesday, April 2 (5-8 PM): Lab Theatre PBK
This workshop introduces improvisation as a powerful tool for addressing social issues creatively and spontaneously. Participants will engage in exercises inspired by improvisational techniques rooted in Arab theater, focusing on themes such as cultural identity, inequality, and societal challenges.
Through group activities, participants will enhance their ability to think on their feet, collaborate, and develop empathetic responses to complex social issues. This workshop provides a supportive space for exploring community-relevant topics while fostering creativity and connection.
Background
Iman Zaki’s professional experience spans cultural management, facilitation, training and producing art, focusing on art that addresses social issues, focusing on personal transformations and using theatre and other arts as tools for social change.
She holds a Master’s degree in Theater for Development from the University of East Anglia, UK. Her commitment to the arts has been recognized through several prestigious fellowships, including the ISPA Global Fellowship Program from the International Society for the Performing Arts (USA, 2025), the IFA Cross Culture Programme Fellowship for Civil Society Strengthening (Germany, 2024), a fellowship in Arts Management from CEC ArtsLink (USA, 2021), a fellowship in Cultural Management from the Goethe-Institut (Germany, 2015), and a fellowship in Advanced Studies for Social Change from the Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program (UK, 2010).
Sponsored by: Arts & Sciences and Reves Center for International Studies