Speak easy

Abu Dhabi is brimming with hidden talent, and an open mic night is providing a platform for poets to speak their mind

Since its debut in August 2014, Art House Speaks – a monthly open mic night at Art House Café opposite Al Bateen Mall – has become a breeding ground for unknown artists in the city.

The event was the brainchild of Qutouf Yahia, Safwa Mohammed and Abdulnassir Mohammed.

Qutouf tells us, “We are big fans of poetry and art but growing up in Abu Dhabi, we never saw much of that in our community. When we saw Art House Café we thought it was the perfect place for an open mic because of its intimate setting.”

An open mic is a live show where audience members perform on stage. While it is commonly associated with poetry, participants can also sing, play an instrument or perform comedy sketches.

The concept is not new in the UAE as other events such as Rooftop Rhythms and Freshly Ground Sounds also provide residents with a platform.

Abdulnassir explains, “Watching first timers get on stage and share their art is exciting; that’s what this event is all about. We get to exclusively see different forms of art and spoken word poetry bloom each month.”

The number of performers is growing, and there’s a sense of community among the audience, performers and founders.

“We started with about 30 attendees at our first event so the fact that it has since tripled in size is absolutely humbling. We have grown faster than we anticipated but that encourages us to keep moving forward,” adds Abdulnassir.

Safwa adds, “We are shocked by the number of people who are interested in this sort of thing, and the city just feels like it’s hungry for more.”

Qutouf concludes, “Our plan is not for Art House Speaks to get bigger, but for poetry and art to get bigger. We want a cultured community, and we want the city’s youths to know that they have a platform to showcase their talents.”

Art House Café, Etihad Modern Art Gallery, Al Falah Street. AED 25 including food and beverage voucher. Performers can sign up at the venue on the day. To find out about the next Art House Speaks visit: www.facebook.com/arthousespeaks.

Meet the founders

Qutouf Yahia I’m Sudanese, and 20 years old. I write poetry and have been performing at open mics for about three years but had never organised one before Art House Speaks.

Abdulnassir Mohammed I’m of Tanzanian and Omani descent. I’m 24 and have been writing since I was 14. I had never performed on stage until May 2014 at Rooftop Rhythms. I knew instantly that I’d love to continue doing this.

Safwa Mohammed I’m a 20-year-old Sudanese journalism student in my third year. I’ve been writing since I was 15 but didn’t perform until I was 17 at an event called Nas with Notepads in Sudan.

Ferdinand Godinez