'A day for Beirut': Alserkal Avenue organises fundraising events for Lebanon

All the proceeds made on Saturday, August 15, will be matched by arts foundation Alserkal

Alserkal Avenue, the arts district in Al Quoz, Dubai, is hosting a fundraising day for Beirut disaster relief. Courtesy Alserkal Avenue

Alserkal Avenue is hosting a fundraising day for Lebanon on Saturday, August 15.

Following the deadly blast in the Lebanese capital on August 4, the UAE arts community has stepped in to provide support for charities working on the ground in Beirut.

A number of businesses and art galleries that form part of the arts neighbourhood in Al Quoz will be donating proceeds for the day to Emirates Red Crescent, and the total amount raised will be matched by Alserkal, the arts foundation linked to the Avenue.

Named ‘A Day for Beirut’, the initiative also includes a donation drive that will run until Saturday, August 29. Items such as canned and dry goods, first aid kits, gloves, masks, brooms and brushes, hygiene products and toys will be accepted at Warehouse 46 inside the Avenue, and these will eventually be sent to Beirut via Emirates Red Crescent.

Monetary donations will also be accepted at a collection point in A4 Space.

The following businesses in Alserkal Avenue will donate 100 per cent of proceeds made on Saturday to the initiative:

• Appetite
• Crank
• Shimis
• The Odd Piece
• The Happy Box
• Chi-ka
• The Good Life
• Inked
• Ame
• Cinema Akil film screenings

Art galleries are also raising funds for Beirut:

• Carbon 12 will donate 100 per cent of the sales of four artworks by artist Amir Khojasteh, on view inside the gallery
• Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde will provide support to the Arab Image Foundation in Beirut
• Green Art Gallery will donate proceeds from artwork sales directly to Art4Relief
• Gulf Photo Plus continues its print sale for Beirut, with a wider selection of images

A list of initiatives by other creative concepts are also set to take place in the next few weeks, including a donation event at Nightjar Coffee and letter writing campaign to children in Beirut by The Happy Box.