Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective

Shab-e Yalda Party!
2025-12-20 18:00 - 23:59 (America/Chicago) | 983 E. Hennepin, Minneapolis, MN 55414, 983 E. Hennepin, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, United States
Come join us for an evening of food, music, poetry, singing, storytelling and dancing to celebrate Shab-e Yalda, the longest night of the year! Doors open at 6 p.m, with a Persian dinner buffet of kebabs and salad, prepared by legendary chef Abbas Shahbazi, starting at at 7:30. Cost including dinner is $40.
Or just join us after 9 p.m. for dancing with hometown DJ Danial Zangouii, and a cash bar. $15 for dancing after 9 p.m.
Tickets are now on sale! https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/yalda-party-2

Shab-e Yalda Party
2025-12-20 18:00 - 23:30 | 983 E. Hennepin, Minneapolis, MN 55414, 983 E. Hennepin, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, United States
🎉 Come join us for an evening of food, music, poetry, singing, storytelling and dancing to celebrate Shab-e Yalda, the longest night of the year! Doors open at 6 p.m, with a Persian dinner buffet of kebabs and salad, prepared by legendary chef Abbas Shahbazi, starting at at 7:30.
Or just join us after 9 p.m. for dancing with hometown DJ Danial Zangouii, and a cash bar.
Space is limited. Only 200 dinner tickets will be sold, and 50 tickets for dancing after 9 p.m.
Tickets available at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/yalda-party-2

Opening Reception: 2025 Twin Cities Iranian Arts Exhibition
2025-10-23 18:00 - 2025-11-30 20:00 | Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN, 55343
The Twin Cities’ most talented Iranian-American artists will have their work on display at our seventh annual Iranian Artists Exhibition Thursday, October 23 through Sunday, November 30, 2025 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Works by more than a dozen local artists will be on display, including several whose work has never before been featured in our shows. Be sure to join us for the opening night reception Thursday, October 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. Complimentary light appetizers and a cash bar will be available. It’s a great opportunity to meet some of the artists, and to socialize with members of the community.

Persian Fall Festival
2025-10-11 11:00 - 21:00 | Hennepin Hall, 983 E. Hennepin, Minneapolis, 55414
Celebrate Mehregan, the ancient Persian festival of autumn, with a full day of music, food, art, and culture. Whether you’re looking to explore Persian traditions or just enjoy a vibrant community gathering, there’s something for everyone — kids and adults alike.
Event Highlights

Traditional Persian Food
Chaikhane (Persian Tea House) – All Day
Persian Mini Market – All Day
Art Exhibition – All Day
Live Piano – All Day
Kids’ Activities & Crafts
Live Music, Fashion Show
Persian Disco / Dance Party

Full Schedule
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – Kids Storytelling & Crafts12:30 PM – 1:00 PM – Social Break1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Lunch Service2:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Catwalk / Fashion Segment3:30 PM – 4:00 PM – Kamanche Live Music (Set 1)4:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Social Break5:30 PM – 6:00 PM – Santoor Live Music (Set 2)6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Dinner Service7:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Persian Disco / Dance Party
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

The Fountain of Eternity - a Musical Journey
2025-10-04 19:30 - 21:30 | O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, 2004 Randolph Ave, St Paul, MN, 55105, United States
The Fountain of Eternity
A Theatrical Music Experience by Ehsan Matoori
An unprecedented fusion of Persian mysticism, Mongolian throat singing, and contemporary dance, The Fountain of Eternity brings Rumi’s timeless poetry and today’s migration stories to life.
Created by composer and santoor virtuoso Ehsan Matoori, this groundbreaking performance unfolds across five dramatic acts. Inspired by the spiritual journey of the 13th-century poet Rumi, the work draws powerful parallels between his forced exile and the modern-day experiences of migration, displacement, and the search for belonging—especially among Persian communities.
A Journey Through Sound, Story, and Spirit
Through a rich tapestry of music, narration, and movement, The Fountain of Eternity carries audiences from Rumi’s farewell to his homeland in Balkh, through the chaos of the Mongol invasions, to the contemporary struggles of exile—and ultimately, toward love, liberation, and transcendence.
Featuring an International Ensemble of Visionary Artists

Mina Deris

Ehsan Matoori

Miriam Peretz

Tamir Hargana

Maliheh Moradi

Maliheh Moradi
Acclaimed Iranian vocalist known for her emotive interpretations of Persian classical and folk music. Her voice, featured in Voices Unveiled, resonates with authenticity and emotional depth.
Mina Deris
A versatile singer and performer who bridges Persian tradition with contemporary theatrical expression. Her performances explore themes of identity, resilience, and exile.
Tamir Hargana
A master of Mongolian throat singing (khoomei) and founding member of Anda Union. His deep, resonant voice evokes the spirit of the steppes and symbolizes the power of cultural dialogue.
Miriam Peretz
A dancer and choreographer whose whirling rituals draw from Persian, Central Asian, and Sufi traditions. Her movement becomes the visual embodiment of Rumi’s mystical journey.

A Soundscape That Transcends Borders
Matoori’s original score blends the delicate tones of the Persian santoor with world instruments and contemporary soundscapes. The result is a powerful musical dialogue between tradition and modernity—between the ancient and the now.
“This work is not just about Rumi’s journey,” says Matoori. “It is about our journey today, the struggle of migration, the pain of displacement, and the hope that love is the force that endures.”

Saturday, October 4, 2025O’Shaughnessy Auditorium
Experience the magic. Get your tickets here: The Fountain of Eternity – a Musical Journey
https://ehsanmatoori.com/

Tirgan Water Festival
2025-06-07 10:00 - 13:00 | Thomas Beach Minneapolis, MN 55416, USA
Tirgan Water Festival by the Beach – A Splash of Persian Joy!
Celebrate the ancient Persian festival of Tirgan with us on the shores of summer!
Join us for a joyful family picnic full of water games, crafts, music, and cultural fun in both English & Farsi.

Date: Saturday, June 7
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Free & Open to All Families, but an RSVP is needed

https://www.zeffy.com/ticke…/tirgan-persian-water-festival

Bring your water toys, snacks, a change of clothes for the kiddos, and your picnic mats—and let’s make memories the Tirgan way!

Acknowledgment
TCICC’s Tirgan Water Festival is partly funded by MHC with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Persian Poetry Night
2025-05-31 17:00 - 19:00 | American School of Storytelling, 1762 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Celebrate the soul of Persian literature with an evening of poetry, music, wine, and community.Join us as we honor the timeless words of poets like Rumi, Hafez, and others, brought to life through heartfelt readings and reflections.
What to Expect:
10 community members sharing their favorite Persian poems in Farsi and English, along with personal reflections
Live traditional music throughout the evening.
Wine will be available (donation requested) – or bring your own favorite non-alcoholic beverage.
Open mic to close the night—bring your favorite poem to share
Whether steeped in Persian literary traditions or curious, this event welcomes everyone to connect through poetry and presence.
Admission is free and open to all but an RSVP is needed.
RSVP HERE: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/persian-poetry-night

Acknowledgment
TCICC’s Persian Poetry Night is partly funded by MHC with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Let's Loghme - Persian Bites Cooking Class
2025-05-21 17:30 - 20:00 | Northeast Middle School, 2955 Hayes St NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55418, United States
Perfect for those who love small plates and bold flavors, this class taught by Mina Ghorbanifarajzadeh focuses on Persian mezze-style dishes, called loghme in Farsi, that can be enjoyed as appetizers or a shared meal. Participants will be part of creating the dishes and trying them too! Come prepared to cut, chop, and mix into this delicious experience.Please bring a knife in a sheath or safely packed for transport and an excited palette to try new things.All levels are welcome.
There is a class materials fee of $25. Space is limited, so tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets available at https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/lets-loghme-persian-bites-cooking-class.Additional instructions will be shared with the participants.

Mizna Film Series Iranian Classics: Brick and Mirror & The House is Black
2025-04-23 19:00 - 22:00 | Trylon Cinema, 2820 E 33rd St., Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
The Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective is pleased to be a co-sponsor of Mizna’s 2025 Film Series, which this year features classic Iranian films.

BRICK AND MIRROR
(1965, DCP, 131m, Farsi with English subtitles) dir Ebrahim Golestan
With this landmark debut feature, director Ebrahim Golestan delivers a jolt of modernism to pre-revolution Iranian cinema, laying the groundwork for the first new wave. When a mysterious woman (feminist literary icon Forugh Farrokhzād, and director of The House Is Black) abandons a baby in the backseat of his cab one night, Tehran taxi driver Hashem (Zakaria Hashemi) begins a journey through the city’s unfeeling bureaucracy as he attempts to find a home for the infant—a situation that soon puts him in conflict with his nurturing girlfriend Taji (Taji Ahmadi). Melding the influences of Persian poetry, 1960s European art cinema, and Wellesian expressionism, Brick and Mirror offers a portrait of a crumbling relationship that reflects on many contemporary social and political dynamics.

THE HOUSE IS BLACK
(1964, DCP, 22m, Farsi with English subtitles) dir Forugh Farrokhzād
The only film directed by trailblazing feminist Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzād finds unexpected grace where few would think to look: a leper colony where inhabitants live, worship, learn, play, and celebrate in a self-contained community cut off from the rest of the world. Through ruminative voiceover narration drawn from the Old Testament, the Qur’an, and the filmmaker’s own poetry as well as unflinching images that refuse to look away from physical difference, Farrokhzād creates a profoundly empathetic portrait of those cast off by society—an indelible face-to-face encounter with the humanity behind the disease. A key forerunner of the Iranian New Wave, The House Is Black is a triumph of transcendent lyricism from a visionary artist whose influence is only beginning to be fully appreciated.

Persian Pop-up: Iran Through Stories-A Storytelling Event for the Iranian Community
2025-04-06 17:00 - 18:30 | Lyra Baroque,275 East Fourth Street, Suite 280 Saint Paul, MN 55101, Lyra Baroque Orchestra,275 East Fourth Street, Suite 280, Saint Paul, MN 55101
Iran Through Stories Storytelling event
April 6, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Baroque Room, 275 4th St E, #280, St. Paul.
Join us for *Iran Through Stories*, a heartfelt evening where Iranian voices come together to share personal experiences, memories, and reflections. Through storytelling, we celebrate the richness of Iranian life—both in Iran and in the diaspora.
Come listen to powerful, moving, and inspiring stories told by community members, in both Farsi and English. If a story is told in Farsi, an English version will be provided for non-Persian-speaking attendees.
Tea and cookies will be served.
This is a free event—friends and family are welcome!
We look forward to sharing this special evening with you. See you there!

Acknowledgment
TCICC’s Iranian Storytelling Night is funded in part by MHC with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Intro to Persian Dance Class with Parisa Naini
2025-03-29 16:30 - 18:00 | Zorongo Flamenco Studio, 3715 Minnehaha Avenue, Suite C,, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
Learn a variety of styles within classical Persian dance in a beginner-friendly environment. We will explore flexibility, strength, technique, expression and mystical elements of this dance form.
Please wear comfortable clothing, socks or ballet shoes, and bring water. All levels welcome!

Specific instructions for entering the studio will be sent to registered participants.
This event is free, but registration is requested: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/intro-to-persian-dance-class-with-parisa-naini

Nowruz Party and Community Gathering with the Siriya Ensemble
2025-03-14 19:00 - 22:00 | Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University, 1531 Hewitt Ave. St. Paul MN 55104, Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University, 1531 Hewitt Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55104, United States
The Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective is proud to present the first Minnesota appearance of the Siriya Ensemble, currently on a national tour.
The Siriya Ensemble showcases folk-pop music from southern Iran, blending traditional folk melodies with contemporary arrangements to appeal to a modern audience. This unique style retains the richness of regional folk songs while offering a fresh sound that resonates with their generation. Check out this clip from one of their recent performances.
Tickets are available at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2025-nowruz-persian-new-year-concert-and-community-gathering
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Iranian Film Showcase: Celluloid Underground
2025-01-19 13:00 - 14:30 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
The screening of Celluloid Underground is presented in collaboration with Mizna and Archives on Screen. Use Promo code TCICC24 for a $2 discount.
ABOUT THE FILM
After the Iranian Revolution, a movie collector in Tehran hid thousands of films to prevent their destruction by the new Islamic regime. Despite arrest and torture, he refused to give up his secret. His story of resistance and obsession is told by the boy who became his partner in crime, recalled years later from exile in London.
Celluloid Underground is an autobiographical feature-length documentary by Iranian filmmaker, writer and curator Ehsan Khoshbakht, about his experience of growing up in Iran after the 1979 revolution, when his love of cinema became the catalyst for his rebellion against the Islamic regime.
It’s the story of his friendship with the mysterious Ahmad, a maverick film collector who hid thousands of banned 35mm prints and posters in basements in downtown Tehran, to save them from the fundamentalist fanatics. Born just after the revolution, Ehsan grew up obsessed with all the movies he wasn’t allowed to see. He became Ahmad’s closest collaborator in the underground cinematheque, before escaping to a new life in London.

My Favourite Cake
2025-01-18 16:00 - 18:00 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
Mahin lives alone in Tehran since her husband’s death and her daughter’s departure for Europe, until an afternoon tea with friends leads her to break her solitary routine and revitalize her love life. But as Mahin opens herself up to new romance, what begins as an unexpected encounter quickly evolves into an unpredictable, unforgettable evening. Showing Saturday, January 18 at 4 p.m.
Tickets at https://mspfilm.org/show/iranian-film-showcase-my-favorite-cake/. Use promo code TCICC for a $2 discount

Iranian Film Showcase: Boomerang
2025-01-18 13:00 - 15:00 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
Tired of her marriage to Behzad, Sima is looking for a new home for herself and her teenage daughter Minoo, without telling him. Meanwhile, we see Behzad arranging a chance meeting with his ex-girlfriend in the hope of rekindling their intimacy.
At the same time, the film follows Minoo, who casually takes the initiative at a traffic light and begins a flirt with Keyvan. As if by magic, she knows his name and the two begin to share their innermost thoughts.
Over the course of a week, the film paints a sociological snapshot of modern Tehran. As the marriage of two people from a seemingly hopeless and defeated generation comes to an end, a young romance is beginning to emerge in a generation that is discovering the city and its political realities in a new way. Showing Saturday, January 18 at 1 p.m.
Tickets at https://mspfilm.org/show/iranian-film-showcase-boomerang/. Use promo code TCICC for a $2 discount.

Iranian Film Showcase: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
2025-01-17 19:00 - 22:00 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
Shot entirely in secret, Mohammad Rasoulof’s award-winning thriller, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan.

Yalda Night Party!
2024-12-20 18:30 - 2024-12-21 00:00 | Hennepin Hall, 983 E. Hennepin, Minneapolis, 55414
The Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective Invites You:
Join us on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024
To Celebrate Yalda Night
(Winter Solstice)
6:30 pm to midnight
Persian Cuisine Buffet
6:30 to 9 pm ($55 per person)
Free Admission after 9 p.m.
Cash Bar and Dancing with DJ Mohammad Sargazi.
Tickets: https://square.link/u/y4V3VYTu

Free Tours of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts Persian Art Collection
2024-12-05 18:00 - 20:30 | Minneapolis Institute of Arts Mia, 3515 Colfax Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN, United States
Take a free one-hour tour of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts’ unique collection of Persian and Persianate art, led by MIA guide Nahid Khan.. Most of the works in the Gallery of the Islamic World come from the Persian world, including book arts, ceramic arts and contemporary works, and Nahid will talk about a few of them, as well as some textiles from Uzbekistan that are hanging nearby. She will also take you through the Ancient Art gallery, where you’ll learn about three of the pre-Islamic Persian works on display, and make a stop at the Fountain Court next to the Rotunda to view contemporary American artist Frank Stella’s Takht-i-Sulayman version II (1969).
These tours are free, but registration is required. Go to https://www.zeffy.com/…/tour-of-the-minneapolis… to register.
FIRST TOUR:
Gathering time at 5:30 p.m. in Mia inner lobby (seating area between information desk, museum shopand cafe).
Tour commences at 6 p.m. sharp. We will take stairs and/or elevator to the second floor, to the galleries ofAncient and Islamic arts.
Tour ends at 7 p.m.
Participants are free to wander through the Mia.
Nahid will return to the Mia inner lobby to meet the second group.
SECOND TOUR:
Gathering time at 7:15 p.m. (seating area between information desk, museum shop and cafe).
Tour commences at 7:30 p.m. sharp. We will take stairs and/or elevator to the second floor, to the galleries of Ancient and Islamic arts.
Tour ends at 8:30 p.m.
Participants are free to wander through the museum.
Mia closes at 9 p.m. on Thursday evenings, and galleries will begin closing around 8:45 p.m.
MIA VISITOR INFORMATION:
Admission is always free.
Visitors should stand one foot away from artworks and not touch the artworks.
Photography is allowed unless otherwise stated; flash photography should be avoided to protect the
artworks from excessive light damage.
Pencils rather than pens should be used to take any written notes.
Portable folding chairs and wheelchairs are available. (Ask at the entry desk.)
Other details for Mia Visitors (including parking): https://new.artsmia.org/visit/

This event is funded in part by the Minnesota Humanities Center with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Backgammon night with the Twin Cities Backgammon Club
2024-11-25 18:30 - 22:00 | MN
The Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective is excited to partner with the Twin Cities Backgammon Club for an evening of backgammon and fun. If you need a quick refresher or want to learn how to play, the Backgammon Club will have some experienced players on hand to get you started, as well as a few extra boards, if you don’t have one of your own.
Backgammon has been popular in Iran for thousands of years, and remains so to this day. Members of the TCICC will share their stories about Iran’s backgammon culture.
We’ll also serve up a selection of complimentary Persian appetizers and sweets, and our friends at TC Backgammon Club will hold a drawing to win a beautiful backgammon set.
This event is free and everyone is welcome, but please let us know if you are coming by ordering a free ticket here. Twin Cities Backgammon Club members can also RSVP on their Meetup site.

Persian Pop-up: An Evening of Wine and Persian Tribal Textiles.
2024-11-07 17:00 - 19:30 | 526 Selby Event Space, 526 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102, 526 Selby Ave, St Paul, 55102, United States
An evening of wine tasting and conversation about art in the tribal textiles of Persia. We will open the evening with notes on a selection of wines from Solo Vino wine store. Our special guest is life-long textile and rug collector and artist Joseph Breidel who will bring part of his collection to the art gallery and give a speech. If you are a wine connoisseur or antique rug enthusiast this event is for you.
Being a wine connoisseur is similar to being a rug collector. You hunt for quality books and study old maps: it is all about geography and learning about different people. In studying wine, you learn about the people that made the wine, where they might have come from, where they moved to, and what types of grape varietals they brought with themselves. In studying weavings and textile, you learn about different tribes, where they eventually settled, what types of fabric and wool they used, and what traditions they had in constructing a carpet.
In order to attend you must RSVP. This free event, limited to 50 attendees. Appetizers and charcuterie will served.
Event hours: 5 :00 pm to 7:30 pm
Doors open 5:00 pm

Acknowledgment
“This work is funded in part by MHC with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. “No grant funds were used for the purchase of alcohol.”

Mehregan - The Twin Cities 2024 Iranian Fall Festival
2024-09-28 11:00 - 22:00 | 526 Selby Ave. , St. Paul, MN, 526 Selby Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55102
Here’s the schedule:
Doors will open at: 11:00 a.m., with:

– A chaikhaneh (tea house) featuring Iranian tea served from traditional Iranian samovars, and complementary sweets provided by the Ellie’s Pastry Shop.
– kids activities, organized by Elham Ayoubi and Yassi Sokhanvari with balloon artist Mandana Okpor-Company. (Until 3 p.m.)
12:30 to 1:15 pm – Lunch
Lunch items will be available for purchase. .
1:15pm – Welcome by TCICC board chair Hossein Jalali.
1:30 – 2:30 Dance performance by Parisa Naini, accompanied by tombak player Amirali Behdani.
2:30 – 3:30 Pianist Faraz Ghassemi delves into the essential characteristics of Persian music and showcases some traditional pieces, highlighting techniques and stylistic nuances that make this genre so special.
3:30 – 3:45 – Sisters Collection Afghan sewing group fashion show
3:45-4:30 tea break
4:30-5:30 Scholar and translator Reza Saberi presents a multi-media Introduction to Persian poetry.
5:30 – 7:00 – Dinner
Light dinner fare for purchase.
7:00 – 8:00. Special performance by the Dorian Band, a mesmerizing group of Iranian musicians based in Houston, TX, whose music combines East and West.
8:00 – 10:00 Dancing to Persian pop with DJ Sohrab Kavoosi.

A Night of Persian Music
2024-09-27 08:00 - 17:00 | Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University, 1531 Hewitt Ave. St. Paul MN 55104, Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University, 1531 Hewitt Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55104, United States
Experience the mesmerizing fusion of East and West with Dorian, a sensational band formed by six Iranian virtuosos based in Houston. This debut concert at Sundin Music Hall showcases a groundbreaking blend of traditional Persian instruments – including the enchanting Taar and rhythmic Tonbak – harmonizing flawlessly with Western counterparts like piano, flute, and violin. Be captivated by 15 evocative compositions performed in two parts. Join us for an enchanting evening where musical boundaries fade, cultures unite, and a new sonic landscape unfolds. To find out more about the Dorian band, visit them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dorianpersianband/
Tickets $15-$40: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/75160b60-818d-43ff-8a69-95b2434633f4

Group Exhibition: So Far, So Close
2024-09-06 18:00 - 2024-09-22 17:00 | Q.Arma Underground Gallery, 1224 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Opening reception and artist talk: Friday, Sept 6, 6-9 PM. Artists talk moderated by Aida Shahghasemi will be held on the day of the opening reception at 7:30-9:00 PM. Closing Reception: Saturday, Sept 21, 3-5 PM
The So Far, So Close exhibition explores the complicated experience of displacement
from the motherland through themes of space, distance, and memory by three Iranian female artists – Katayoun Amjadi, Ziba Rajabi and Shirin Ghoraishi – who reside outside of Iran by choice or by force.
Even though these artists have resided so far from their homeland for years, they feel so close to it, and distance has not diminished their love and care for it. Through the Persian language and Iranian culture, a part of their existence is defined by where they are from, regardless of where they take these temporal bodies. Meanwhile, they embrace and value their borderless life journey and cherish experiences that they have had as a result of a deliberate choice to live abroad and the opportunity to explore the unknown.
This work is funded in part by MHC with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Tales of Persia: Stories, Art and Play in Cumming Park
2024-08-24 12:00 - 15:00 | Cumming Park, 1219 Cumming Park Drive, Arden Hills, MN, 55112, United States
“Tales of Persia” is an engaging and creative outdoor event designed for children and families. This free event combines storytelling with interactive art activities, allowing kids to explore creativity while learning about Persian culture. It aims to introduce Persian culture to both Persian and non-Persian children and foster a love for storytelling and art while providing a fun and educational experience in a natural setting.
This event is funded in part by the Minnesota Humanities Center with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

"English" Play and Reception @ The Guthrie / ticket discounts available
2024-08-04 13:00 - 16:15 | Guthrie Theater, 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis, MN, 55415, United States
Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer prize-winning play, English, tells the story of four Iranians who studying English at a school in Karaj, hoping someday to emigrate. The performance will be followed by a reception at 3:10 with the director and performers. Light appetizers and tea will be served. At the reception, you will have the opportunity to share your own stories about learning English.
The Guthrie is offering 50% off code (promo code: ICC) for the Aug. 4 matinee. The code will have a limit of 6 tickets per person, with no restrictions on seating area. This is available by phone and window, not online, so you will need to contact the Box Office at 612.377.2224 during regular hours.

Reflections: Art Exhibit by Roya Nazari Najafabadi / Slideshow of Iran in 1976 by Stephan Kistler
2024-07-17 18:00 - 21:00 | Art @ 976, 967 Payne Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55130
We are delighted to invite all to the opening event and artist reception for our next exhibition, ‘REFLECTIONS’ – a solo show of paintings, photographs and mixed media installations by Roya Nazari Najafabadi.
Roya Nazari Najafabadi is an Iranian-born artist who lives in Minneapolis, MN. Through painting, photography, and mixed-media, she explores the experiences and struggles of Iranian women, including their resilience and quest for freedom. She seeks to tell stories, through her art forms, that otherwise would be kept silent, and raise awareness about the social/political challenges faced by Iranian Women today. She says: “My upcoming exhibition, ‘Reflections,’ captures my artistic journey and the collective Iranian experiences of Iranian women. It highlights their strength, creativity, and unwavering spirit.”
This exhibition, and the opening event, are co-sponsored by and created in close collaboration with the Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective, as part of their Annual Iranian Culture Festival, and funded in part by the Metro Regional Arts Council with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
The opening event and artist reception on July 17 (6-9 pm) will include a brief presentation about her work by Roya Nazari Najafabadi. It will also feature a celebration of Iranian Culture through a slide show presentation by Stephan F. Kistler [ @artforpaynerelief ], documenting his travels to Iran way back during a spring break from ETH Zurich in 1976; a delicious sampling of Persian cuisine; and a curated program of Persian background music.
This invitation is open to all! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet the artist and see her outstanding art; learn about a country is not easily accessible to travelers; and experience first-hand its rich culture and most hospitable and welcoming people!

MSP International Film Festival: Critical Zone
2024-04-20 21:35 - 23:30 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
Critical Zone will be shown again at 9:35 p.m. on Saturday, May 20. For $3 discount, use promo code IRCMSPIFF24.
Amir drives through Tehran at night, dealing drugs and talking to the users, prostitutes, pimps, people in pain and other troubled souls. With his dog, he contemplates his loneliness and his, and his country’s, future.
Amir faces the monotony of work like anyone else. But in this case, he’s a nocturnal drug dealer, embracing Tehran’s invisible and impotent counterculture as an act of resistance. Director Ali Ahmadzadeh’s powerful and controversial film was shot in secret in Tehran, and used only amateur actors. A cry of defiance, Critical Zone has won praise around the world, but has also resulted in Ahmadzadeh being pressured by Iran’s Ministry of Security to withdraw the film from festivals, and in his being denied work in Iran.

MSP International Film Festival: Critical Zone
2024-04-18 19:35 - 21:35 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
This film will be shown again on Saturday, April 20 at 9:35 p.m.
Amir drives through Tehran at night, dealing drugs and talking to the users, prostitutes, pimps, people in pain and other troubled souls. With his dog, he contemplates his loneliness and his, and his country’s, future.
Amir faces the monotony of work like anyone else. But in this case, he’s a nocturnal drug dealer, embracing Tehran’s invisible and impotent counterculture as an act of resistance. Director Ali Ahmadzadeh’s powerful and controversial film was shot in secret in Tehran, and used only amateur actors. A cry of defiance, Critical Zone has won praise around the world, but has also resulted in Ahmadzadeh being pressured by Iran’s Ministry of Security to withdraw the film from festivals, and in his being denied work in Iran.
Purchase tickets at https://mspfilm.org/show/critical-zone/. For a $3 discount, use promo code IRCMSPIFF24.

MSP International Film Festival: Terrestrial Voices
2024-04-17 14:45 - 16:15 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
This film will be repeated again on Thursday, April 25 at 11:50 a.m.
Inspired by ghazal, a style of Persian poetry, Terrestrial Verses collects interviews with people from Iran as they navigate the perplexing bureaucracy that penetrates everyday life. From birth to death, these citizens try desperately, often with humor, to endure.Directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami have gathered a group of people, of all ages, staring at a fixed camera, to speak their mind, to try to reason with the unreasonable, as they face down Iran’s bizarre and labyrinthian order–from teachers, to religious leaders, to government functionaries. In doing so they have captured, in these 77 minutes, and with humor, anger, and sadness, the whole of a country in the grips of madness.Purchase tickets at: https://mspfilm.org/show/terrestrial-verses/For a $3 discount, use promo code IRCMSPIFF24.

MSPIFF Film Festival: In the Land of Brothers
2024-04-14 13:00 - 15:00 | The Main Cinema, 115 S.E. Main St., Minneapolis, 55414
This film will be shown again on Thursday, April 18 at 2:30 p.m. Almost 5 million Afghan refugees live in Iran, and most of them are in the fraught position of being suddenly deported back to a dangerous existence. Filmmakers Raha Amirfazli and Alireza Ghasemi follow three separate tales that superbly illustrate this little-known plight of a people left almost stateless by decades of conflict. Use promo code IRCMSPIFF24 for a $3 discount.
