Since the fall of the Syrian regime and the country’s transition into a new phase, the cultural landscape in Syria has been marked by cautious anticipation. Artists and intellectuals now grapple with fundamental questions about the future of creativity and the place of culture in a reimagined Syria.
Even major cultural occasions, once celebrated in Damascus, such as International Theatre Day, passed this year in complete silence. No official ceremonies, no community events. The absence left a widespread impression: culture no longer appears to be a priority for the transitional authorities.
This impression was only reinforced by a brief statement from the interim government’s Minister of Culture. In his remarks, he outlined two guiding principles for cultural policy: first, dismantling the legacy of the former regime’s cultural system; and second, aligning cultural work with urgent societal needs, emphasising that “intellectual luxury has no place now.”
Despite Fear, Dancing Continues
One of the more controversial topics circulating within the arts community has been the rumoured closure of the Dance Department at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts.
The artist Nawras Othman, who currently heads the department, quickly denied the rumours in exclusive comments to the seventh issue of the printed edition of +963.
“I was appointed head of the Dance Department in September 2024, and no decision has been made to shut it down,” Othman stated. “On the contrary, we are working to gradually resume our activities after a temporary hiatus that affected all sectors of life in the immediate aftermath of liberation.”
Othman clarified that the pause was not isolated to his department but part of a broader societal response, rooted in what he called “legitimate fears”. He added, “After more than 54 years under a totalitarian regime, it is natural for people to be afraid of what is next. We halted activities for a week, just enough time to reassess and prepare ourselves mentally”.
His greatest concern, he said, echoed a larger question among those in the performing arts: “Will the new government accept this form of art?” He continued, “Not everyone accepts dance as an art form, nor does everyone permit it. From traditional and folk dance to modern and contemporary styles, many forms remain unfamiliar and often misunderstood by wide segments of our society. Even under the previous regime, gaining public acceptance was difficult. Now, we are starting from scratch”.
Despite the challenges, Othman remains optimistic. “We are moving forward, slowly, step by step, toward rebuilding a healthy relationship between the public and this art form,” he said. “Dance may still be an elitist art, but it has immense potential for impact. We hope to see it evolve into a broader societal movement”.
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Censorship in Times of the Ousted Regime
Reflecting on the period before the fall of the regime, Nawras Othman described how the Dance Department at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts navigated the tight constraints imposed on artistic expression.
“Censorship was present in every detail of the show,” Othman recalled. “But many times, we found clever ways to circumvent it. In my 2023 performance, In the Box, I presented a symbolic vision of the fall of the Assad regime. Because it was a silent show, it slipped through relatively easily”.
He added, “When we were asked to submit a summary or explanation of the work, we would write something entirely different from the actual idea just to get it approved. There was no real freedom of speech under the ousted regime, so we had to find meaning between the lines”.
Partial Clarity, No Aversion to Art
On the current cultural atmosphere, Othman offered a cautiously optimistic assessment: “We have started to see some clarity. Things aren’t completely stable, but there is a relative openness. The aversion to art, and to dance in particular, that we feared has not materialised. The challenge now lies in the unspoken boundaries that might still constrain creativity.”
He continued, “One encouraging development is that we have been able to welcome back Syrian artists from abroad, those who were previously unable to return due to the former regime’s policies. We recently held workshops in collaboration with foreign dancers and trainers. It is a promising sign of an opening we hope will continue to grow”.
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Syrian Cinema: Accumulated Failures and Timid Indicators
Syrian cinema, meanwhile, continues to grapple with longstanding obstacles. According to director and writer Nidal Qosha, who also serves as director of the media office at the General Film Corporation, the country’s film industry has been mired in setbacks for decades.
“Despite being launched more than a century ago, Syrian cinema has yet to establish itself as a real industry,” Qosha told the seventh issue of the printed edition of +963.
He traced the turning point to when the public sector entered the production sphere through the General Cinema Corporation, which released its first feature film in 1968. “By the end of the 1980s, however, we began to see a decline. In some years, not a single film was produced.”
Qosha emphasised that the problem extended beyond limited resources. “This wasn’t just about weak capabilities. It was also due to a complete lack of cultural vision on the part of the state. Culture as a whole was left in ruins”.
Current Ambiguity and Reassurances of the New Authority
Despite the uncertainty that continues to cloud nearly every aspect of life in Syria, director Nidal Qosha sees signs of cautious hope.
“The overall situation is still hazy, not only in culture, but across the board,” Qosha said. “What’s reassuring, though, is that the Ministry of Culture still exists as an institution. There had been proposals to merge it with the Ministry of Tourism or reduce it to a smaller body. But keeping it intact shows that there is official recognition of the importance.
He concluded on an optimistic note, acknowledging that confusion is a natural byproduct of major upheaval. “This kind of turbulence always follows big transitions. But I believe things are moving in a positive direction. I hope the future of Syrian cinema will match the scale of our ambitions as filmmakers.”
Cultural Transitional Justice: Toward a New Decade Without Exclusion
Writer and critic Badie Sunij offers a deeper analysis of Syria’s cultural moment, warning of the gravity of the current phase and calling for a new enlightenment-driven approach in the post-regime era.
“What we have seen so far are scattered individual efforts, not a cohesive cultural project backed by the state,” Sunij told +963. “Today, more than ever, we need a clear cultural vision, one not blurred by the political, social, and economic uncertainty that surrounds us.”
He continued, “Culture must rise from the ashes and reread the present with deep awareness. We must build a cultural system that reflects the complexities of our reality and allows every voice to be heard, without exclusion or marginalisation.”
Sunij stressed that the foremost task now is to realise what he calls “cultural transitional justice.” Explaining the concept, he said: “We need an inclusive cultural contract, one that does not replicate the exclusionary practices of the ousted regime. Instead, it must empower all voices to express themselves freely, while upholding the values of social harmony, pluralism, and openness.”
He added that culture must become “the first line of defence against the fragmentation that has eaten into every layer of Syrian society”.
