Welcome to the Official Website of Qaisra Shahraz MBE JP FRSA

Qaisra Shahraz MBE JP FRSA is the Founder, Curator and Executive Director of MACFEST, Muslim Arts and Culture Festival, MWAFoundation, Muslim Women’s Arts Foundation, MACFEST Heritage Tours, Muslim Diaspora Archives and Muslim Arts Awards. She is a prize-winning and critically-acclaimed novelist, scriptwriter, culture champion, and peace and gender activist – see her awards and recognition here.

Qaisra is devoted to the celebration of arts, Muslim Heritage, and showcasing the work Muslim artists and creatives. She has judged on many writing competitions including for The Writer’s Guild of Great Britain for ‘Best First Novel’ Category. She has won several prestigious awards for her multiple careers and achievements. These include National Diversity Lifetime Achiever Award (2016), University of Salford’s ‘Alumni Achievement Award (2018), MBE for ‘Services to Gender Equality and Cultural Learning’ (2020), Manchester People’s Culture Award (2023), and in 2024 was recognised as 1 of ‘100 Northerners’ by Embryo.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a literary judge, a patron of Manchester Lit and Phil Society and a former Director of Gatehouse Books and Asia Pacific Writers & Translators partnership. Qaisra is an advisor to the University of Salford’s school of Arts and Media, Demilitarise Education and International Journal IJRHS. She has gained two Masters Degrees in English & European literature and scriptwriting for television.

Qaisra has enjoyed a successful career in education as an Ofsted inspector, a quality manager, assessor, education consultant and international teacher trainer including working under the auspices of the British Council. She is highly committed to promoting harmony and community cohesion through MACFEST and Muslim Women Arts Foundation and trustee roles with We Stand Together and Manchester Muslim-Jewish Forum and UK partner with New York’s Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. She is also the trustee of Manchester Young Lives, and The Portico Library.

More about Qaisra’s work and achievements

#spreadhoneynothate