Actor, playwright, and theatre director, Issam holds a diploma in Acting and Directing (1994) from the Lebanese University - National Institute of Fine Arts. Since 2014, he has been involved in transmission of directing for theater and film at the Institute of Theater, Audiovisual and Cinematic Studies (IESAV) at Saint Joseph University of Beirut.
Issam acted in numerous films and theatre plays and has written and directed more than 20 theatrical works to date, including: Trio, Archipelago, Maaarch, Page 7, A World Without Voice, Banafsaj, Black Box, Carnivorous, Salafi Phobias, Scent of Amber, and Magma, among others.
His productions are known for tackling provocative and challenging themes such as war, fundamentalism, sectarianism, racism, violence, discrimination, and sexual violence, using experimental artistic forms that are distinctive in style. He serves as an artistic and creative consultant for several institutions in Lebanon and the Arab world, including the Doha Film Institute (DFI) and has since 2015 been the artistic director for the opening and closing ceremonies of Ajyal Film Festival (AFF) and Doha Film Festival (DFF).
As a political and cultural activist, he dedicates a significant part of his work to marginalized and vulnerable groups in Lebanon, including women, children, refugees, and persons with disabilities. He has produced, and continues to produce, short films and theatrical works addressing complex social issues, helping to open discussions about societal taboos.
He is a founding member of SHAMS cultural association (1999), where he served as its president for several years. He also co-managed Beirut Theatre between 1999 and 2005, one of Lebanon’s most prominent cultural spaces.
In 2005, he co-founded Dawwar Al Shams Cultural Center and continues to be involved in its management and strategy making today.
In 2007, he founded the Decibel Theatre Company with deaf performers with whom he collaborated in 2009 to reopen and manage Beirut Theatre in a social inclusion approach, a unique and exceptional experience in the Arab world, that was interrupted due the unfortunate sale of the center.
In 2025, Issam became the artistic director of Hammana Artist House, where despite the shrinking funding, instability, and ongoing conflicts in the region, his main focus through SHAMS and HAH is to continue to develop and implement sustainable approaches that ensure the continuity of cultural production and empower artists and institutions to face challenges without falling into stagnation or despair.