Former Alumna of the University of Salford Qaisera Shahraz won the People’s Award at the Manchester’s Culture Awards ceremony held last Monday.
The gala dinner organised by Manchester’s City Council was ‘splendid’ with many familiar faces such as Annabel Tiffin, BBC North West’s presenter, and Guy Keeble, director of MEN, who both presented Qaisera Shahraz with her award.
The special achievement was given to the novelist via public vote, and Shahraz dedicated her accomplishment to her “marvellous MACFEST team, family and the city of Manchester for being a phenomenal city of culture.”
Alongside her achievement, The Whitworth Art Gallery Team also won ‘Best Exhibition’ for their great display of Traces of Displacement, which is still on till April 2024.
Overall, the alumnus felt this award recognised her organisation MACFEST and what it aims to achieve in “celebrating arts, culture and heritage of Muslim diaspora.”
The establishment has won many awards over the six years MACFEST has been running. From winning the Queen’s Voluntary Service Award it has succeeded in more ways than one by spreading their slogan ‘Spread Honey Not Hate’.
With such encouraging success Qaisera will be holding “more exciting MACFEST events” for everyone to enjoy. She added: “In 2024 we are launching MACFEST Muslim Arts awards on March 2 at the Whitworth Art Gallery.”
The exciting upcoming event will be held alongside the University of Salford. The awards function will be split into 4 categories of calligraphy, painting, drawing and photography and the finalist’s art will be displayed, as an exhibit to enjoy, in the University’s building.
Alongside its annual Lowry Theatre performance, MACFEST will have over 75 events planned from February to July 2024.
All of these will have different themed mini festivals: Youth Festival, Ramadan, Our World and much more.
To find out more click here.
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