Alexandria Turns Into an Open-Air Gallery for Contemporary Art Days

A new city-wide arts festival is set to transform Alexandria this month with the launch of Alexandria Contemporary Art Days, taking place from October 9th to the 16th across multiple venues. Conceived as a platform for work created in and shaped by the city, the festival brings together local and international artists to produce new site-specific projects. The programme includes three exhibitions, four live performances, workshops, talks, and guided walks, all exploring how contemporary art intersects with Alexandria’s urban and cultural landscape. The Opening Night kicks off on Thursday, October 9th at 6 PM with exhibitions and activations at the French Institute, Behna Warehouse, and El Garage Cultural Space, followed by an 8 PM concert by Walad & The Boys at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Guided programmes such as 'Art on Foot' by Footnotes and a visit to the Mahmoud Saïd Museum will take audiences through the city’s layered cultural topography. Programme highlights include ‘Air Dialogue’ (Saturday, October 11th, 8 PM, Small Theater, Bibliotheca Alexandrina), a performance that connects breath, body, and sound through a collaboration between Egyptian dancer Salma Salem and Swiss trombonist Simon Petermann. At the French Institute, visual artist Mohamed Adel Dessouki presents a drawing-based exploration of memory, marginalisation, and architecture, while Tiana Kader unveils ‘The House of the Fat Lady’, an evolving installation that expands from drawing into sculpture and participatory space. Opening Thursday at 6 PM, Kader’s installation will host a series of micro-residencies throughout the week, inviting visitors to step inside and take part. Full programme details and timings are available on Instagram at @alx_cad.