Saturday, November 14, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126
Free and Open to the Public
Free with RSVP. Reserve your ticket here.
This is the Michigan premiere of Omar Offendum’s Little Syria, a performance set against the backdrop of New York City’s fabled Little Syria neighborhood (1880–1940). This one-of-a-kind project bridges hip-hop and live Arabic instrumentation with the centuries-old Hakawati storytelling tradition of the Levant. Award-winning rapper and poet Omar Offendum is joined onstage by Palestinian oud virtuoso Ronnie Malley and music producer Thanks Joey to bring to life what it meant to be Arab in America over a century ago — a story that still speaks directly to today’s conversations around immigration, xenophobia, and the ever-evolving idea of the American Dream.
Little Syria began as a research residency with UMS at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2018. This performance marks its first return to Michigan as a fully staged production.
Musician Layan Srour MCs the evening, which opens with a performance by internationally acclaimed Syrian opera and classical Arabic soprano Lubana Al-Quntar. One of today’s leading voices in Arabic singing, Al-Quntar is celebrated for her powerful range and singular fusion of Eastern and Western vocal traditions.
About Concert of Colors Neighborhood Programs
Fueling Community Empowerment Through Arts and Culture, Cross-Cultural Conversations, and Economic Development
In 2026, as America marks its 250th anniversary, the Concert of Colors — Detroit’s oldest and largest free global music and cultural festival — honors the nation’s enduring spirit of unity, creativity, and resilience. Rooted in the belief that art bridges people, this landmark series brings the sounds and stories of Detroit’s distinctive neighborhoods to life, connecting communities through shared heritage, dialogue, and hope. The project embraces and affirms the power of the Arts to unite and uplift.
Concert of Colors Neighborhood Programs is a collaboration with community-based organizations across Metro Detroit, presenting a series of free events that celebrate the cultural traditions that have helped shape our nation. Together, these programs are a reminder that the journey toward a more perfect union begins with listening, sharing, and creating solutions together.
Concert of Colors Neighborhood Programs is supported by the Gilbert Family Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and is presented in partnership with Detroit PBS and WDET 101.9 FM.