Riham Isaac

Riham Isaac is a Palestinian performance artist, weaving together a range of artistic practices – acting, singing, dancing, and video – to explore new mediums of live performance and multidisciplinary arts. She holds an MA in "Performance Making" from Goldsmiths, University of London. Through themes such as gender, politics, resistance, societal dynamics, and collective imagination, Riham challenges prevailing perceptions, embracing risk-taking to provoke meaningful dialogue and change within audiences.

In 2017, she co-directed "The Alternativity" in Bethlehem alongside Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle and Banksy, a highly political yet playful show that was spotlighted in a BBC2 documentary. Her 2014 performance 'Stone on Road' at the Qalandia International Biennale symbolically encapsulated the ongoing Palestinian struggle on the streets of Ramallah. Recently, her solo performance "Another Lover's Discourse," commissioned by the Belfast International Arts Festival, captivated UK audiences and earned a nomination as the VAULT Festival 2023 show of the week. Riham has also collaborated with institutions such as the A.M. Qattan Foundation and the British Council, fostering artistic expression and social engagement.

Currently a PhD candidate in Performance Practice at the University of Exeter, Riham's research focuses on the intersection of performance, land liberation, resistance, environmental and cultural activism. She is deeply invested in how performance practices can deepen our understanding of land injustices and bridge activism with the transformative power of performance.