The singer has often spoken about his affection for Beirut, but he has never expressed it as clearly as with his affecting online concert dedicated to his native Lebanon. In January, as part of a project for the Public Art Fund, she transformed 100 public bus shelters in New York City to art installations, covering them in 17 images of immigrant communities in Queens and Brooklyn. In her vibrant, and sometimes fantastical, photographs, Abu Dhabi-born Al Qasimi reflects on everyday life and consumer culture in the Gulf. No wonder it was immediately placed in Spotify's influential regional playlist Arab X – a guaranteed way to spread the word about the talented independent artist. It can be elongated to stretch out a note or clipped to sharp staccato to provide an extra surge of rhythm. The breezy synth-pop tune is a revelation in that it shows how good the Libyan dialect sounds in pop music form. Fulfilling the promise of last year's impressive track Istanbul, Bahat (full name Bahjat Alturjman) released his career-best single Halba in April. The talented singer-songwriter has put Libya on the regional pop music map. This is the third and final list in The National's series of 50 Arab stars, including filmmakers and writers, of 2020.

Here, we look at Arab artists who have pursued major projects despite the difficulties of the year or have received notable awards that honour their work. Despite all of this, artists, institutions and galleries have remained resilient, adapting to our new reality with online initiatives and creating art to address issues, as well as raise awareness or funds for frontline workers, social justice groups and charities. In the region, the Beirut blast brought its own devastation, claiming lives and livelihoods, as well as heritage and art spaces in the Lebanese capital. Faced with a pandemic and a cultural reckoning around race and inequality, the art world is navigating a challenging era.

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