GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Gazans are always open to opportunities that might bring them joy, including passionately welcoming the chance to participate in artistic events. The political situation has limited the arts, but that appears to be slowly changing, as evidenced by the recent Palestine International Festival for Dance and Music.

The festival opened in Gaza City on July 27, and in a first, did so in parallel with the festival opening in the West Bank, a landmark in sharing Palestinian art. This was the first year that Gazans took part in the festival and that Gaza hosted festivities, which was founded in 1993 by the Popular Art Centre.

On opening night, Iman Hamouri, the director of the Popular Art Center, delivered a speech at the Palestine International Theater in Ramallah that was broadcast live in Gaza City, in Rashad al-Shawwa Hall. After Hamouri's speech, some bands performed, including the Dawaween Band. Their participation in the festival came about after members of the Popular Art Center visited Gaza and discussed the possibility with the bands and the Ministry of Culture in Gaza. Event organizers told Al-Monitor that over two evenings, July 27-28, the festival attracted some 3,000 people in Gaza. The festival closed in Hebron on Aug. 8.

Dima al-Shalti, 22, among the audience in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, “I was happy to attend, and I hope that the Gaza Strip will participate again in the festival in the coming years.” She said that she had not expected so many people to attend. It was a full house, and she wasn't able to enjoy the show as much as she would have liked because of that. She reiterated her passion for the art at the festival. Shalti attended the second evening of performances, during which al-Anqaa Band and the band from the National Center Sun Dignity for Arts and Culture performed.