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Damascus, Syria has been part of the bourgeoning Middle Eastern art scene since the early 2000’s, when works by Syrian artists began to spread throughout western galleries and institutions. Three years ago, they reached a peak. Then, the uprising against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad broke out. Its rapid, life-threatening evolution has led to the disappearance of many galleries and studios, annihilating rising talents.

Regarded by Sir Norman Rosenthal as, ‘the Oscar of the British painting world’, the John Moores Painting Prize has been held in Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery since 1957.

Writer's Notes is a series that invites writers to detail their projects at any stage in their process. In the inaugural post, author Phil Hanrahan examines the provenance and initial research for his tentatively titled book, A Couple, A Castle, A Dream, which takes him to Ballyvaughan, Ireland and the Burren College of Art.

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My interview with Klárka Berg, coordinator of international projects at Be International, a Czech civic association established in 2009, focuses on the interesting choice of mascot, which caught my attention when I worked with Klárka on a "Youth in Action" project in Azerbaijan. "Be International" organizes public forums, conferences, seminars and supports activism in the field of youth participation, creating a multicultural forum which contributes to the development of a tolerant and responsible global society.