Beit El-Raseef (House of the Pavement) opened its doors to the public for the first time last week. The space in Maadi, Cairo will be used to promote independent arts, host young people working on developmental projects and as a space to develop ideas on how to improve the country.
"We are only opening the theatre the moment, the rest will follow," Ahmed Nazmi, one of the founders of El-Raseef, told Ahram Online.
The opening event featured a concert by Egyptian satirical musicians Like Jelly, who got the audience to laugh and sing along to their catchy, politically charged songs. Like Jelly were joined by Youssra El-Hawary on accordion and Carl Capelle on mandola for two of their songs and at one point the musicians invited audience members to join them on stage.
Tunisian musician Ghalia Benali gave an unexpected concert just hours before she left the city.
Beit El-Raseef is located on Street 151, off Street 9, next to Midan El-Horreya, after El-Ezaby Pharmacy and in front of National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Maadi, Cairo.
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