NCCA History

The National Centre for Culture and Arts was established in 1987 under the King Hussein Foundation. From the beginning, its purpose was broader than performance alone: the centre was created to use the performing arts as tools for social development, creativity, and cultural understanding in Jordan and beyond.

In 1989, NCCA established the National Interactive Theatre Troupe (NITT), the first troupe of its kind in Jordan. This became one of the centre’s defining milestones. NITT combined Theatre-in-Education approaches with Forum Theatre, using interactive performance to engage audiences in dialogue around real-life social issues. Over time, this model became one of NCCA’s most important contributions to arts-based social change.

Although the International Arab Youth Congress (IAYC) was initiated in 1980 by Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein, 1994 marked the point at which the congress became an annual event organized through NCCA. This gave the centre a major youth and cultural diplomacy platform, bringing together young participants through dialogue, workshops, and artistic exchange.

In 1996, NCCA established MISK Dance Company under the artistic direction of Rania Kamhawi. MISK became the centre’s flagship dance company, trained in classical ballet, contemporary dance, and Jordanian folk dance. Its creation significantly expanded NCCA’s role in professional dance training and performance.

In 1997, the International Arab Youth Congress received the first prize for Unique Distinguished Services Offered to Arab Children from the Higher Council for Children in the United Arab Emirates. This recognition reflected the growing regional impact of NCCA’s youth-centered cultural work.

In 2004, NCCA became Jordan’s national centre representing ASSITEJ — the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People. The same year, the International Arab Youth Congress developed into an annual international event, expanding beyond Arab youth dialogue toward wider global cultural understanding and tolerance.

In 2009, NCCA launched the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival (ACDF), creating a dedicated annual platform for contemporary dance in Jordan. That same year, the centre also became the representative of the Jordanian chapter of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) – UNESCO. Together, these developments strengthened NCCA’s international cultural standing and deepened its role in regional and global artistic exchange.

In 2011, the International Arab Youth Congress was held for the first time outside Jordan, in the United Arab Emirates. During that edition, the International Award for Arab Youth was launched. This marked an important phase in taking one of NCCA’s longest-running initiatives into a broader international context.

In 2013, NCCA was appointed by UNFPA as the Global Centre of Excellence on Theatre Based Techniques (TBT), accredited by ITI-UNESCO. This was a major international recognition of the centre’s long experience using theatre as a practical tool for awareness, prevention, dialogue, and education.
The same period also saw major artistic visibility for MISK Dance Company, including works such as Scheherazade, which premiered at the Jerash International Festival and was also performed at the Bahrain Summer Festival.

In 2014, MISK continued to expand its classical repertoire with Coppélia, which premiered at the Jerash International Festival. This period helped strengthen NCCA’s role as a producer of ambitious dance performances in Jordan.

Since 2016, MISK has participated in ACDF with original contemporary works including 91°, WORDS, Selective Amnesia, Seasons, Untethered, and Unexpected. In the same year, MISK also performed at the official draw and opening ceremony of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan, showing the centre’s growing visibility on major national stages.

In 2017, MISK premiered The Snow Queen, continuing NCCA’s investment in full-scale dance production and audience development.

In 2018, MISK participated in the official draw and opening ceremony of the Asia Football Cup, reflecting the centre’s continued role in large public cultural events.

In 2019, MISK added A Night in Vienna to its repertoire. Around this period, NCCA also strengthened its arts-in-education work, including projects such as Creativity in the Classroom, which would continue into the following years as a major teacher training initiative in drama and education.

In 2020, NCCA adapted its work during the COVID period while continuing to reach communities. According to the King Hussein Foundation annual report, the centre recorded 6,950 beneficiaries, 55 virtual performances, 53 interactive theatre performances, 210 trainees in theatre-based techniques, 4 dance performances, and activities across 10 governorates. Ballet classes continued online during lockdown, showing the centre’s ability to maintain continuity under difficult circumstances.

In 2021, NCCA reached 5,771 beneficiaries across 9 governorates and 2 Syrian refugee camps. The centre delivered 67 shows, with work focused on teachers, students, families, local communities, and displaced populations. It also supported 54 public schools.
A major milestone that year was NCCA’s role in developing the Ministry of Education “Drama in Education and Theatre Arts Techniques” Manual for teachers in grades 1–12. NCCA also trained 200 public school teachers, impacting 2,880 students.
In the same year, NCCA opened the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts with the large multimedia production Ode to My Country, involving 120 artists from NCCA and partner groups. It also organized the 12th Amman Contemporary Dance Festival.

In 2022, NCCA collaborated with the Information and Research Center and partners to develop a case study on interactive theatre as a tool to address barriers to reproductive health services, based on the play Mish 3aib (Not Shameful). The annual report describes it as the first study in Arab countries on using theatre to promote these issues.
That year, NCCA trained 100 Ministry of Education teachers from 32 schools in Irbid, Amman, Karak, and Zarqa. It also implemented projects that trained 96 young participants in creative writing and theatre techniques in Karak, Irbid, Ajloun, and Amman, with their stories turned into performances seen by 1,765 beneficiaries. NCCA also expanded regional sharing through training work in Palestine, Egypt, and Morocco, and held the 13th ACDF, welcoming artists from multiple countries.

In 2023, MISK Dance Company and students from the Dance Department presented the ballet Cinderella at the Royal Cultural Centre in Amman from 4–9 May 2023.
NCCA also continued the project Untold Stories (2021–2023), building the capacities of youth through performing arts in areas including East Amman, Ajloun, and Karak. The project included creative writing workshops, adaptation of youth monologues into stage works, training in theatre, music, and singing, and grants to community organizations to carry cultural programming forward locally.
In the same year, NCCA produced the opening of the 37th Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts, presenting the performance River of Gold, which highlighted the history and cultural heritage of Jerash through music, singing, theatre, and visual performance.

In 2024, NCCA produced the interactive play Your Voice Makes a Difference to encourage youth civic participation and engagement in political life. The play toured across multiple governorates and cultural centers.
The centre also produced Boat, an interactive play inspired by stories of conflict survivors, especially refugee women, using theatre as a space for empathy, peacebuilding, and dialogue. Another production, Touristic Ambition, was created to challenge social norms around women’s employment in tourism and creative industries.
On the dance and international exchange side, NCCA’s Dance Department showcased Jordanian performing arts in China, featuring Jordanian music, poetry, song, and dabke. Under NCCA’s direction, the production Evenings of Al-Hijr was also staged in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. In addition, NCCA held an interactive theatre workshop in Salalah, Oman.

In 2025, NCCA continued touring Touristic Ambition in places including Aqaba, Wadi Rum, and Petra, while also expanding the impact of Boat through 28 performances, two conflict-resolution guidebooks, workshops in 12 schools, and training for 40 teachers. On the dance side, 21 Jordanian dancers represented the country at Expo 2025 in Japan, while the centre also participated in cultural engagements in Beijing, the Edinburgh International Festival in the UK, and the ITI Regional Meeting in Fujairah, UAE. These activities reflected NCCA’s growing role as both a national cultural producer and an international cultural ambassador.

Today, NCCA stands as one of Jordan’s leading arts institutions. According to its current official website, its programs and activities reach approximately 100,000 beneficiaries annually. The centre currently highlights 54 plays and shows and collaboration across 18 countries, reflecting a history that has grown from a local cultural initiative into a broad platform for theatre, dance, education, training, youth engagement, and international cultural exchange.