Displaced Artists Rebuild in Port Sudan

Awad Haroun, a 45-year-old visual artist and theatre director, left his home in Khartoum North in April 2023 when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. He arrived in Port Sudan with his wife and son, carrying only two shirts, two pairs of trousers, two books, and a few torn sheets of drawing paper. His studio and the tools he used for sculpture and design were left behind in the capital.

Haroun founded the Ahalina cultural group in 2013 to use theatre, music, and puppetry for social cohesion. He now works to maintain these traditions in his new location. He has participated in performances at the Wasel Festival, which is organized by Ahalina in partnership with UNESCO. He also leads workshops focused on traditional arts for local cultural groups. Haroun stated that losing his physical tools did not erase his ability to create.

Many displaced artists found temporary housing in an old school in Port Sudan. The building required cleaning and preparation before it could serve as a shelter for families. Haroun expressed concern about potential eviction from the site, which leaves him uncertain about his next living arrangement. The Ahalina group operates under the motto "From the ashes, we will rise," a phrase Haroun uses to remind himself to continue creating despite the loss of his previous infrastructure.

Musician and filmmaker Asim Abdelaziz, 31, fled El Obeid in November 2023 after repeated drone attacks. He lives alone in the same artist shelter, separated from his family who are scattered between Omdurman and El Obeid. Abdelaziz works with the local Artists and Writers Union and UNESCO on music programs that address social issues like hate speech. He founded a project called Mokhalaya a year ago to document and archive traditional rhythms from across the country.

Abdelaziz believes music can counter the divisions deepened by the conflict. He aims to bring his archival project to international festivals to showcase Sudan’s musical heritage. He told Al Jazeera that he uses music to remind people that war does not define their shared identity. His goal is to introduce global audiences to the cultural diversity that persists despite the displacement of communities.

Abdelqader Hashem, secretary of the Red Sea State Writers and Artists Union, confirmed that the union has supported artists since the war began on April 15, 2023. The group helped establish the shelter in the school and sought aid from local and international organizations for basic needs. They also implemented projects with UNESCO to train children in displacement camps in handicrafts, including concrete crafts. Hashem noted that most displaced artists have returned to Khartoum following the army's recapture of the capital.

UNESCO reported in April 2026 that its initiatives in Port Sudan had benefited more than 350 artists, women, girls, and internally displaced cultural professionals. In June 2026, the organization estimated that Sudan’s cultural sector faces a $30 million funding gap. Earlier data from April 2024 showed that the Artists and Writers Union in Port Sudan sheltered more than 112 displaced cultural professionals.