Caravanserai: A place where cultures meet
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was this program created?
In recent decades, the United States has lessened its federal support for and participation in
international cultural exchange. That has led to fewer opportunities for international and
American artists – and societies – to learn from one another through exposure to multiple
cultures.
In 2009, the six US Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs) released a report, Global Positioning
Strategy for the Arts, Recommitting America to International Cultural Exchange. This report
cited the need to reinvigorate America’s once vital international cultural exchange activities as a
way to promote communication and diplomacy as well as commerce and trade.
Since September 11, 2001, it has become increasingly clear that one of greatest gulfs of cultural
understanding exists between the United States and the Muslim world. To help bridge that gulf,
Arts Midwest, the RAO serving the upper Midwest through support to art and artists within its
region, the nation, and around the world, set about examining the need for and benefits of cultural
exchange with Islamic art and artists.
In a survey of presenting arts organizations conducted in 2010, an overriding sentiment emerged:
“Presenting artists from the Muslim world is absolutely necessary to help in dismantling
stereotypes, unlearning biases and alleviating fears.”
Working with the RAOs and the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Arts Midwest conceived
and designed Caravanserai: A place where cultures meet as a means of opening and expanding
the dialogue between American communities and contemporary Muslim societies using the arts
as a point of entry.
Why the name, Caravanserai?
“In the east, in days gone by, when the hazards of travel were many and the comforts were few,
travelers often banded together in caravans for protection. Stopping places for the caravans were
called caravanserais…and they were a place to sit around a fire at night and exchange
stories…In the day, travelers…might see each other only as silhouettes wavering in the heat haze.
At night, under the starry sky, they could come together again…to the travelers, the
caravanserais were a cheerful source of news, companionship and entertainment.”
– Nawab Pasnak
The name Caravanserai was carefully selected for this program because it evokes the historic
imagery of caravan travelers resting in safe havens after treacherous journeys across the deserts of
the Far East.
The art and artists of the contemporary Muslim world are part of today’s cultural caravan,
journeying across the deserts that currently divide us with gifts of peace and fellowship.
Audiences and artists can come together in a setting that allows them to share their stories, their
art, their customs, and their cultures.
How is Caravanserai Funded?
Caravanserai is funded through a lead grant from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art’s
Building Bridges Program, whose mission is to improve the quality of people’s lives through the
study, understanding, and appreciation of Islamic arts and cultures. The Building Bridges
Program aims to promote the use of arts and media to improve Americans’ understanding of
Muslim Societies and to highlight the diversity of Muslim populations around the world. Major
support is provided by the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, which supports international
cultural exchange programs through its International Engagement Grants. This project is made
possible in part by a grant from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and MetLife
Foundation All-In: Re-imagining Community Participation Program. Additional assistance has
been provided by lead Moroccan partners, the Essaouira Mogador Association and the Office of
Moroccan National Tourism.
Why Morocco?
Caravanserai intends to showcase the diversity of contemporary Islamic societies through their art
and culture. The program’s first season featured the music and film of Pakistan. Morocco is a
Muslim country from Northern Africa with a rich musical and artistic tradition that is different
from Pakistan in most of its influences and expressions. Caravanserai celebrates the diversity of
the world’s Muslim cultures. In future years, Caravanserai will explore other countries.
How were the communities and presenting
organizations selected?
As with most RAO programs, Caravanserai partners were selected via an application and panel
review process.
Applicants began by reviewing the program information to see if they could meet the goals of
Caravanserai. Those interested in taking the next step sent a letter of intent, followed by an
application.
Applications were considered by a review panel convened by Arts Midwest, and communities
were selected in January 2012.
How were the artists and films selected?
Arts Midwest has engaged renowned producer/curator Zeyba Rahman as Artistic Director for the
2012–2013 Caravanserai season. (See bio included in media packet)
Ms. Rahman reviewed the considerable pool of artists with whom she is familiar, checked their
availability to perform and conduct residencies in the United States between October 2012 and
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April 2013, and, in consultation with Arts Midwest, assembled a roster of outstanding artists who
are representative of contemporary Muslim art and culture.
Performing artists/ensembles, both internationally and U.S.-based, must:
Have cultural roots in or reflect traditions or current trends from Muslim societies.
Possess high-quality artistry.
Be committed to education; possess skill and facility at communicating artistic concepts
to broad and diverse audiences; and be willing to perform in a variety of residency-style
activities (workshops, school concerts, community events, etc.).
Be available and willing to commit to a full tour of no fewer than four weeks.
Be capable of serving as ambassadors for their culture and our program.
Have flexibility to tour and perform under a variety of circumstances.
How will bringing Islamic art or artists to only a few
communities “promote mutual understanding?”
The five initial communities and presenting organizations represented a pilot project that we hope
to expand in the coming years to many more locations and cultures. Caravanserai began with
music and film from Pakistan, continues with artists from Morocco, and will further expand
across artistic disciplines and geographic regions. With four communities hosting the 2012-13
season of Caravanserai, a total of nine communities from across the United States will have
received the program in its first two years.
In all phases of Caravanserai, including the pilot phase, community engagement will reach
beyond singular performances.
The selected communities will host two week-long music residencies that will include a variety of
educational workshops and outreach events as well as public performances. The communities will
also host a film residency supported by presentations and discussions. The 2012–2013
Caravanserai will also feature a new photography component, designed to initiate a visual
dialogue between cultures.
The longer format of these residencies provides both artists and audiences the chance to interact,
learn, and exchange cultural insights.
Our communities will become, in effect, caravanserais—places where artists stop, meet new
friends, share their cultural gifts, and move on to another caravanserai.
Throughout history, the arts have possessed the power to indelibly transform audiences—
welcoming them to foreign lands, introducing them to yet unknown friends, and creating, where
few else can, a welcoming place for conversation and connection.
Who is managing this program?
While Caravanserai: A place where cultures meet is a collaborative effort among the RAOs and
the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Arts Midwest is producing the program.
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In the summer of 2010, Arts Midwest convened a two-day conference with a large number of
stakeholders including representatives from the RAOs and contemporary Muslim artists and
curators as well as producers and arts administrators.
Arts Midwest then analyzed the many discussions and presentations from that conference and,
using its extensive experience in international programming, organized a pilot program, which
was presented to the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art with a request for funding.
How can my community participate in Caravanserai?
Communities, presenting organizations, and artists for the 2012–2013 season have already been
selected. Another round of programming featuring artists from a different Muslim culture is
planned for 2013–2014.
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