Posted Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008; 2:35 p.m.

Art beyond conflict, race, and borders
The Levantine Cultural Center is building a reputation as a premier institute for Middle Eastern art, music, film and literature showcases.

By Amanda Georges
The L.A. Pilot

LOS ANGELES -- Even before September 11 drastically shifted the way Arab-Americans lived, journalist and writer Jordan Elgrably was already thinking about ways to educate America about the Arab world.

Months before the attack, Elgrably helped found the Levantine Cultural Center in 2001, a Los Angeles based non-profit organization that works to showcase the top names in Middle Eastern music, film and art as an alternative resource of information about the Middle East.

In a post-9/11 world, Elgrably finds his original mission to be even more relevant and imperative.

Elgrably believes that art and culture offer people a unique perspective into Arab and Middle Eastern life and politics.

"Writers, artists, filmmakers, painters and musicians are basically people who break the mould; they have their own way of seeing things," Elgrably said. "And so it makes sense for us here in the United States to learn more about Middle East cultures through these independent voices … We want to empower the voices of moderation and dialogue."

The Levantine Cultural Center, in its tight, cramped office off Pico Boulevard, is the largest Middle Eastern cultural center in the nation.

"It's scandalous. There is no remarkable Arab or Middle Eastern cultural center anywhere in the U.S.," Elgrably said.

With this in mind, Elgrably, with several other like-minded individuals, set out to establish the Levantine Cultural Center with the greater goal of raising funds to build a pan-Middle Eastern cultural center in Los Angeles in the form of a museum dedicated to Middle Eastern arts and culture.  This groundbreaking feature would be only the second of its kind in the Western world.

Elgrably was inspired by the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, where he was a journalist for many years. This state-of-the-art, multimillion dollar foundation for Arab culture stands as a testament to the French's profound appreciation and respect for Middle-Eastern arts and culture, Elgrably said. And he hopes to bring these same sentiments back home.

To do this, the Levantine Cultural Center puts on a number of sponsored events throughout the greater Los Angeles area each year, often using venues at universities, such as UCLA and USC.

The Levantine Cultural Center has been known to work with a large variety of performers and artists. Events have featured rappers from abroad, such as Palestinian-Israeli hip-hop trio DAM, or local artists such as the N.O.M.A.D.S. and The Philistines. Comedy shows, lectures, and music and dance lessons are just a few of the events from this past year.

The trickle of money and donations may be slow, but with a steadfast dream and motivated vision, the Levantine Cultural Center has become an important and permanent fixture in Los Angeles culture.