Maqam Editions Presents Al-Mu’allaqat

A majestic night of books, art, music, poetry, and storytelling inspired by Souk Ukaz, the historic annual market of the Hejaz.

Maqam Editions, London’s newest Arab publishing house, presents al-Mu’allaqat—a night of books, art, music, poetry, and storytelling. Inspired by Souk Ukaz, the historic annual market of the Hejaz, the evening celebrates Maqam Editions’ five inaugural publications, including Tarif Khalidi’s groundbreaking English translation of all ten Mu’allaqat—the first-ever publication of its kind.

The event will feature large-scale illuminated renditions of al-Mu’allaqat, created through a collaboration between artists Alaziz Atef and Omar El-Kaissi, alongside immersive soundscapes and performances by sound artist Dirar Kalash and vocalist Omran Zein. A series of workshops will also take place throughout the night.

Maqam Editions is a newly established London-based publishing house dedicated to producing translations to and from the languages of Southwest Asia and North Africa, with a particular focus on Arabic. Their publications include single-language, bilingual, and multilingual editions, bridging literary traditions and making these works accessible to a wider audience.