Before the civil war, Beirut was a hothouse of experimentation. Its liberal atmosphere attracted artists, performers and directors from all over the Middle East. The postwar scene is significantly smaller and, in the absence of state or private subsidies, much quieter than in the 1970s. Public interest in and support of the arts surge occasionally, but many of the companies and theaters that invariably spring up also eventually fade away.
Beirut's calendar of festivals is a bit more reliable. Film festivals are especially popular, including two that feature Lebanese and other Arab filmmakers: Beirut Ayam Cinema'iyya (every two years) and Ne a Beyrouth (an annual festival, usually in August; http://www.neabeyrouth.org). DocuDays, an international festival of documentary films, is usually held in November. The Beirut International Jazz Festival is in mid-July (phone 01-980-650). Of course, such prestigious annual performing arts events as the Baalbek, Al-Bustan and Beiteddine festivals are important dates on the Beirut calendar as well.
The various foreign cultural centers, especially the French, British and German ones, also host an array of performances and events throughout the year.
