Qatar can be enjoyed through engaging in adventurous activities, eating delicious food, or appreciating its culture. One culturally-rich way of discovering what this amazing country has to offer is by going to art centers.
There are so many art centers, galleries, and exhibits in Qatar. This only shows that creativity is continually growing and thriving in the country. Not only do these centers showcase the work of local talent, they also open doors to artists from other nations, recognizing the value of upholding artworks at an international scale.
Places in Qatar Where Artists Can Showcase Their Work
1. Katara Art Center
The Katara Art Center is located at Building 5 of the Katara Village. It is a hub where Qatar’s culture is given the limelight, and guests can enjoy an ecosystem of creativity with its own unique identity. Among other things, it has what is called an Art Incubation Programme that helps artists share their work through concepts and events. It also offers eight spaces, called the Conceptual Space, Artist Studio, Digital Art Gallery, Design Apartment, Art Shop, Al Markhiya Gallery, Exhibition Space, and the Focus Room.
2. Arab Museum of Modern Art
The MATHAF – Arab Museum of Modern Art is the primary art center for all contemporary and modern art in Qatar. It showcases the achievements of Arab artists across different kinds of artwork, including photos, sculptures, paintings, and more. It also has a collection of artwork from as early as the 1840s! MATHAF is located at Education City, Doha, Qatar.
3. Souq Waqif Art Center
In this art center, you can find a gallery which contains various sculptures, paintings, and other forms of artwork that are modern and contemporary but still hold certain elements of design that are uniquely Qatari or Arabian. Such is the goal of the Souq Waqif Art Center; to preserve and showcase traditions amidst the vastly growing modernization of Qatar.
The Art Center of Souq Waqif is located in the middle of the Souq. It is highly praised for allowing local talent to have a space to create their art and showcase them so that they can get connected to the general public and co-art lovers.
4. Anima Gallery
Speaking of contemporary art, the Anima Gallery is contemporary, showcasing the work of several local and international artists across a variety of art styles, including prints, paintings, sculptures and more. It is named after the idea of ‘anima’ that Aristotle is known for. You can find this gallery at The Pearl, often hosting exhibitions for young artists that include not just their art but also gallery lectures and talks.
5. East Wing
East Wing is an art gallery in Qatar which began in 2012. It has no permanent exhibition venue, but you can check out their website to know where they will be next. Like many galleries in this list, East Wing aims to endorse new artists from Qatar and around the world. It focuses more on showing photographs that portray or evoke societal ideas.
Visiting these art centers in Qatar will surely allow you to appreciate the country’s culture. Meanwhile, check out these five culturally-rich places in the country as well!