The Palestinian Sound Archive is determined to preserve Palestinian audio history through different mediums: by re-releasing music/sound recordings (in physical and digital formats), through club nights and radio sets, through audio-visual installations, live performances and storytelling sessions which situate the music in their cultural, social and political contexts. Working with the archive for the past five years, it has become clear that it is not only these sounds that need to be safeguarded, but the extraordinary histories and experiences of the musicians who made them, which form part of the broader Palestinian story. We have (so far) uncovered hundreds of stories of Palestinian artists, which we share through live performances: “Inside the Palestinian Sound Archive”, focused on different musicians and the wider music industry, including tales of how they made and distributed their work in the face of displacement, censorship, exile, persecution, arrests, the First and Second Intifadas and other major events. 

The Palestinian Sound Archive was founded by Mo’min Swaitat in 2019 but is comprised of and supported by freelance visual and sound artists, musicians, DJs, curators, organisers and researchers, without whom the work would not be possible. 

This event will include an introduction to the Palestinian sound archive, a short documentary, a talk and a DJ set. 

This event explores archival practice as a decolonial methodology and act of resistance, through sharing archival sounds and images that preserve and document Palestinian heritage, culture, celebrating, dance and resistance.
There will also be vinyl copies and merchandise for sale from Palestinian Sound Archive. 

Mo'min Swaitat is a London-based Palestinian artist, theatre and filmmaker who trained at the Freedom Theatre (Jenin) and arthaus (formerly LISPA) in London/Berlin, specialising in the Jacques Lecoq method of physical theatre, mask work and mime. He is the founder of Majazz Project / Palestinian Sound Archive, a research platform and record label reissuing Palestinian cassettes, vinyl and field recordings from the 1960s–1990s. Working across sound, performance, film and archival practice, he creates live installations and performances for gallery and exhibition spaces, presenting listening sessions and multidisciplinary works at venues including the Southbank Centre, ICA, Venice Biennale, Nottingham Contemporary, the Royal Institute of Arts (The Hague), the Triennale di Milano, Café OTO, Mosaic Rooms, the NewBridge Project and KASK/ Conservertorium in the School of Arts (Ghent) Open School East (Margate) and many more.