6 Art & Culture Events Not To Miss Around Beirut This March

by Christelle EL-Daher

6 Art & Culture Events Not To Miss Around Beirut This March

3 Mar 2025

2025 is shaping up to be an eventful year for the Lebanese arts and culture scene. With the second edition of “WE Design Beirut” scheduled for October 2025, the creative scene is buzzing and bubbling. Artists, artisans, and designers are patching the wounds of the past year and are focused on outdoing themselves. Every week a new exhibition, pop-up, private showing or installation is announced. With a busy agenda, deciding what to attend or not can be overwhelming, but have no fear! Yours truly has done the hard work for you, and curated a list of art and culture events not to be missed around Beirut this March!

Portals and Pathways

Nuhad es-Said Pavilion's Inaugural Exhibition

Until April 6

“Portals and Pathways: A Journey through Reality & Imagination” is a meaningful stop for Lebanon’s cultural scene. Designed, curated and organised by the National Heritage Foundation and Beirut Museum of Art, it is Nuhad Es-Said Pavilion’s inaugural exhibition. For those who don’t know yet, the pavilion is the National Museum of Beirut’s latest addition. Opened to the public early September 2024, the space and the art pieces didn’t get fair attention due to the circumstances. Therefore, the exhibition was extended to April 6. You might have caught glimpses of it on Instagram since the installation “Hymne à l’Amour” by Alfred Tarazi has been photographed the most.

Nestled at the left side of the ground floor, it comprises thousands of door frames and objects dating from the 18th to the 20th century testifying to the region’s artisanal traditions and decorative arts, that you can easily marvel at for hours. And if your thirst hasn’t been quenched yet, they have got you covered. Head to minus one to discover restored modern works from the collection of the Lebanese Ministry of Culture and contemporary pieces on loan from 33 artists and private collectors. And don’t forget to buy your copy of the limited-edition book explaining in further detail the engravings, paintings, sculptures, printings, dioramas, textile arts, installations, projections and photographs on display… only 450 were printed!

Source: bema.museum

Popping prints

Beirut Printmaking Studio pop-up

Until March 13

Are you a fan of psychedelic colours? Then this is for you! Flashy, bright, and neon stationery and paper are ready to be your companion courtesy of Beirut Printmaking Studio. The patterns you are seeing are the result of a special Florentine technique of paper marbling that is being practiced and taught at the studio, among other crafts. Beirut Printmaking Studio is a community of printmaking and analogue photographers. Every year, an open call is held for artists to join the residency program. “Popping Prints” is the studio’s first pop-up with one goal in mind: spreading the word about their prints — cheesy pun intended! You can also find limited-edition black and white photos of all sizes ready to be sifted through. So, if you are around Mar Mikhael before March 13, stop by Kalei Coffee to sip on some specialty brew and ask the barista to direct you to the pop-up!

Instagram: @beirutprintmakingstudio

Encounters

“No Chef in the Kitchen”

Until March 13

Also on display till March 13 is “Encounters”. Saifi’s cultural space “No Chef in the Kitchen” is hosting the work of Karen Klink and Abdallah Hatoum. Illustrations, paintings and collages capture the longing for encounters between loved ones through presence, absence and invocations. Karen’s art is rooted in her colorful and captivating tattoo craft, best reflected by its fantastical representations. While Abdallah’s aesthetic is more traditional and nostalgic. It is a mix of worlds that is not to be missed!

Instagram: @nochef.inthekitchen

Years of the shining face

Beirut Art Center

Until June 6

In his first solo show at Beirut Art Center, inspired by poetry, visual artist Hussein Nasseredine is exploring time by reimagining landscapes through sound, video, text and sculptures. My favourite element is “a few decent ways to drown”. It is a water fountain made from limestone, steel and carbon paper. And if you are from the Levant, you know the feeling of seeing these fountains. We all have one at our grandparents and family homes’ courtyards that we’ve played around and in as kids. To live that experience first-handedly performances, guided tours, talks and a book launch are also planned, so, till June 6, keep an eye on their feed for announcements!

Source: beirutartcenter.org

Green Room

Takeover Beirut

Until March 11

Till March 11, if you are walking down the busy Abdul Wahab El Inglizi street in Achrafieh, and your sight falls on a giant pile of green leaves, don’t be alarmed nor puzzled! It is Takeover’s latest installation: the “Green Room” by multi-disciplinary artist Ieva Saudargaitė Douaihi. With its tropaeolum leaves desiccating over time, the artist embraces decay as an inevitable part of life. Is it dark or poetic? You tell me! Takeover is an artist-led project where local artists literally “take over” the space and activate it differently. So, keep an eye on their calendar because a “replacement” is coming in the second half of March!

Source: takeoverbeirut.com

Past & Present

BeyArt

March 7 till March 28

Soldiering through the hardest times, BeyArt has continuously curated some of the best and biggest art exhibitions on the Lebanese scene. Who can forget last year’s “MESH: art and fashion stories from Lebanon” and “Beirut Art Days”? Having left such a mark by allowing many to tap into their creativity and let their artistic spirit roar, BeyArt is back in collaboration with the museum of Lebanese Prehistory during the month of March to celebrate women. The work of fifteen renowned Lebanese artists from various disciplines will be exposed. Simultaneously, different activities are scheduled like guided tours, meet-and-greets, and workshops. For reservations, check BeyArt’s Instagram!

Instagram: @beyxart

Save this article to hit all these events and delve deeper in the sentiments of memory and becoming. I am curious to know which one will move you the most!

by Christelle EL-Daher