Litehouse Gallery

Litehouse Gallery was founded in London, UK, in 2017 by Raghad Mardini to represent and promote emerging Syrian contemporary artists, create a hub for Syrian artists in the UK, and encourage new forms of cultural exchange between Syrian and British artists. Litehouse Gallery evolved from the Art Residence Aley (ARA), an NGO founded by Mardini in 2012 in Mount Lebanon, a suburb of Beirut. Many Syrian artists who had fled to Lebanon were unable to continue their practice due to trauma and financial hardship. At ARA, for a month, they had bed, board, space, freedom, and all the materials needed to enable them to make art again. ARA also curated exhibitions and performances worldwide. We stand for integrity, freedom of expression and address the misconceptions that exist about Syrian people and their present predicament.