THE COLLECTIVE
Tashattot (Arabic for dispersion) is an art collective based in Belgium dedicated to supporting visual artists, musicians, film makers and cultural practitioners at large, originally from the SWANA region and currently “dispersed” in Europe. The collective aims at creating opportunities and collaborations for these expatriate artists.
Through residencies, exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and public discussions, Tashattot supports artists in continuing their practices and connecting with local and international scenes.
Tashattot is a work in progress with a fluid and evolving set of actions. It currently is and will always remain open to new ideas and experiences; continuously building on lessons learned and with practice. The collective strongly believes in the efficiency of open discussions, as the only way to grow and better address SWANA expat artists needs and aspirations, it therefore remains open to reviews, critiques, evaluations or any opinions related to its mechanisms.
Contact us:
contact@tashattot.com
SONIC SESSIONS RESIDENCY - EDITION II
For the second year in a row, Tashattot invites three Brussels-based musicians to create together for a period of two months with a goal to perform at the Ancienne Belgique stage at the end of the residency.
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The Sonic Sessions Residency is an exchange program centered on music creation and designed to offer a rehearsal space and a platform to musical talent originating from the SWANA now based in Belgium. This year, participants have access to the music space at Pianofabriek, facilitating collaborative efforts and rehearsals. The program would culminate in a concert by the participating musicians held in February 2026, serving as a platform for the participants to present their collaborative works to a live audience.
We are happy to present the three participating musicians in this year’s edition of the Sonic Session Residency, Amine Zaoui (IM’IN), Hala El Moussawi, and Hussein Rassim.
IM’IN is a Moroccan DJ/producer based between Strasbourg and Brussels. He developed his passion for music by playing the viola in an Andalusian music association. Over time, his interests expanded to include electronic music. Whether DJing or performing live, his artistic offerings cover a wide range of styles, from techno to breakbeat, all infused with melodic and percussive influences from SWANA music.
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Hala El Moussawi (Quarter Tone) is a singer, composer, and sound artist working at the intersection of voice, research, and storytelling. Drawing on quarter tones as both a musical and conceptual tool, her work references Arabic maqamat while overlapping states of grief, resistance, belonging, and displacement. After years of academic research on trajectories and stories of migration, she approaches music as a form of research, using vocal experimentation, field recordings, and sonic imagination to translate personal and collective memory into sound.
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Hussein Rassim is an Iraqi musician based in Brussels and specializing in the oud (oriental lute). He blends traditional oriental music with contemporary influences and performs in several musical projects. He is currently a member of the group Jaqâmaz, a collective that fuses jazz, Arabic maqām, and world music, as well as the group Tarab Machine, which reinterprets traditional Iraqi songs with rock and pop influences.
This project is made possible with the joint efforts of Globe Aroma, Ancienne Belgique, Pianofabriek and Tashattot Collective.