Muslim Voices Arts and Ideas, June 5-14, 2009

Asia Society, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and
New York University Center for Dialogues present over 100 artists as part of
Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas
June 5–14, 2009
A ten-day, multi-venue arts festival and conference celebrating the extraordinary range of
artistic expression throughout the Muslim world
Singer Youssou N’Dour, visual artist Shirin Neshat, actor Naseeruddin Shah and
choreographer/dancer Sardono Kusumo highlight the festival
New York, NY/February 3, 2009 (updated 4/9/09)—In celebration of the extraordinary range of artistic expression in the
Muslim world, Asia Society, BAM, and New York University Center for Dialogues announce the full lineup of events for
Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas, an unprecedented ten-day festival and conference taking place June 5–14, 2009 throughout
New York City. More than 100 artists and speakers from as far away as Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and as near
as Brooklyn, will gather for performances, films, exhibitions, talks, and other events, ranging from the traditional
(calligraphy, storytelling, and Sufi devotional voices) to the contemporary (video installations and Arabic hip-hop). Festival
presentations and programs aim to present multiple perspectives from the Muslim world.
World renowned singer Youssou N’Dour will open the festival at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette
Avenue) on Friday, June 5 at 8pm. Additional festival highlights will feature artists from India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Morocco,
Afghanistan and Pakistan, among others. Tickets for Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas events at BAM are currently on sale at
BAM.org or 718.636.4100. Tickets for Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas events at Asia Society are currently on sale at
AsiaSociety.org or (212) 517-ASIA. Further information may be found at MuslimVoicesFestival.org.
In addition to the mainstage offerings and complementary education and humanities events from Asia Society, BAM, and
NYU Center for Dialogues, programs associated with the Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas festival will take place at locations
including: American Museum of Natural History, Austrian Cultural Forum New York, Brooklyn Museum, MoCADA
(Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The New York Public Library.
In celebration of Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas, the Empire State Building and Brooklyn Borough Hall will be lit green from
June 5—7. The color green has many significant associations in Islam and is considered auspicious.