A puppeteer presents a show in downtown Cairo, Egypt on June 20, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

CAIRO, June 26 (Xinhua) -- There was no stage, no curtain, no velvet rope. Just a microphone in a side street in downtown Cairo.

When Merna Zinhom, an Egyptian music student, began to sing on Al-Sherifein Street, the distance between performer and audience vanished instantly.

Some in the crowd mouthed the lyrics with her. Others clapped. Many raised their phones to capture the moment.

For Zinhom, a student at the Higher Institute of Music, this was more than a performance: it was a step toward a simple dream -- to reach people directly, without barriers.

"This is different from the theater," she told Xinhua, "Here in the street there is no barrier between the stage and the audience. It makes me so happy when people gather around me, interact with me. To me, it means my art has reached them and they like it."

Her performance was part of the government-backed Art Street initiative, which has turned the small street in the heart of Cairo's historic Khedival district into an open-air cultural venue for live performances, quick sketches, paintings, handmade accessories and decorative crafts.

Mohamed Sallam, an artist from the Cairo Puppet Theater, prepared short puppet segments featuring a clown and a belly dancer for children and families gathering around him. He was visibly excited when the crowd formed before his show even began.

For Sallam, performing on the street requires a different language from the theater. He presents light, short segments designed to attract passersby and suit families, children, and casual audiences.

"In the theater, the audience is like a black box to me. I cannot see them clearly until the end of the show," he said. "But here, the reactions come directly, on the spot. The applause, the laughter, and even the dissatisfaction, come instantly."

A few steps away, a tanoura dancer spun before a cheering crowd. Sketch artists drew quick portraits, pinning finished sketches to boards for passersby.

The Art Street initiative was launched by the Academy of Arts, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the Cairo Governorate, to spread creativity in public spaces and reach various segments of society.

After its successful launch in Cairo, the initiative has expanded to Alexandria's Nabi Daniel Street. Officials say the plan is to widen the experience to other governorates.

Nabila Hassan, president of the Academy of Arts, said the idea grew from a desire to bring different artistic disciplines closer to the public while giving young artists practical training through direct engagement with street audiences.

"The Egyptian people love art, and art has always existed in the street," Hassan said, recalling the folk singing, traditional hand-puppet shows known as "aragoz," storytelling, and other popular street arts that once animated everyday public life.

She noted that the initiative would continue throughout the year, not as a temporary event.

The efforts are also part of a broader push to revive the Khedival district, said Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber, adding that the initiative "turned public spaces into open platforms for creativity and culture."

For many visitors, it was a rare chance to encounter Egyptian arts casually, without entering a gallery or a theater.

Rawda Maged, a university student of arts who draws and plays guitar, said she appreciated that the street brought together different forms of expression.

"Here, art is no longer limited to galleries. Anyone can take part," Maged said. "For the public, it allows them to discover that Egypt has real talents capable of producing strong works that can even compete abroad."

As the evening deepened, the lively old downtown street continued to draw curious visitors. For a few hours, three evenings a week, it becomes a meeting point where art steps off the stage and into the hands, ears, and hearts of the people. ■

An Egyptian artist paints in downtown Cairo, Egypt on June 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

A dancer performs in downtown Cairo, Egypt on June 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)