His Excellency Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani, Minister of Culture, inaugurated today (Sunday) the second edition of the Freej Art and Design Festival, organized by the Visual Arts Center of the Ministry of Culture. The festival runs until November 14 at the Darb Al Saai venue in Umm Salal, with broad regional and international participation.
The opening ceremony was attended by His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi, Minister of Justice; His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Hanou, Minister of Culture of the Arab Republic of Egypt; His Excellency Dr. Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, Minister of Culture of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Yassin Saleh, Minister of Culture of the Syrian Arab Republic; His Excellency Mr. Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Kuwari, President of the General Tax Authority; senior officials from the Ministry of Culture; and a number of ambassadors accredited to the State of Qatar.
His Excellency the Minister of Culture toured the festival’s various spaces and exhibitions, where he viewed the participating artistic displays and activities.
On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Ghanem bin Mubarak Al Ali, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, stated that the festival serves as a key pillar in the Ministry’s strategy to support and highlight local talent, emphasizing that its principal aim is to promote Qatari art and support Qatari artists across diverse disciplines. He added that the festival reinforces Qatar’s position as a cultural and artistic beacon in the region, noting that this year’s edition witnesses a significant expansion in the number of art houses, exhibitions, and workshops, with more than 120 artists representing over twenty countries.
His Excellency explained that the festival seeks to attract leading artists and artistic institutions from within Qatar and abroad, thereby enhancing cultural and creative exchange. He highlighted the festival’s key features, including exhibitions by pioneers of Qatari art such as Yousef Ahmad, Salman Al-Malik, and Mohammed Al-Jaidah, in addition to a distinguished digital exhibition under the theme “Sana Qatar, Sana Art.”
The Undersecretary added that the festival offers a wide range of accompanying workshops, including advanced masterclasses lasting over a week, daily introductory workshops, and specialized programs for children to nurture young artistic talent and support future generations of artists.
Through the festival, the Ministry of Culture aims to promote a set of core values—innovation and creativity, cultural diversity, learning and education, connection and belonging, and artistic sustainability—with the overarching goal of supporting Qatar’s artistic and cultural identity and reinforcing its position as a hub for contemporary visual arts. The festival serves as a space for aesthetic dialogue, creative expression, and cultural exchange.
The launch of the second edition reflects the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening Qatar’s cultural and artistic landscape and embracing creativity in all its forms. This edition is distinguished by greater richness and diversity, hosting artists from various countries and expanding the scope of activities to include educational workshops and interactive experiences for all audiences.
The festival includes more than twelve art exhibitions and fourteen workshops, among them seven international workshops in various areas such as Japanese Bingata, Kuwaiti glass-fusing, Australian natural pigment-making, Spanish gilding, textile printing from India, Russian floral ceramic plate design, and live demonstrations from Kuwait. These artistic experiences bring together traditional craftsmanship and contemporary techniques.
The festival also features six main art houses: the Exhibition House and Art Workshop House, the Calligraphy House, the Ceramics House, the Artists’ Studios House, the Seminar House, as well as the Art & Design Market and the Children’s Courtyard area. The rich diversity brings together more than seventy artists from Qatar and abroad, highlighting solo and group exhibitions, fine art, ceramics, calligraphy, and mixed-media creations that reflect the interaction of cultures and artistic schools.
The festival celebrates Arabic calligraphy, ceramics, sculpture, and youth creativity in fields such as design, animation, and digital arts. It also features participation from cultural and academic institutions within and outside Qatar, including Katara Art Center, Riwaq Gallery, the Qatar Center for Philatelic and Numismatic Hobbyists, the Qatar Center of the Deaf, Qatar University, the University of Babylon, the University of Mosul, and Al-Mustansiriya University, in addition to several art centers from participating countries.
The festival’s program further includes children’s activities such as color-pouring workshops, school art sessions, a free-drawing zone, as well as panel discussions and artistic talks that bring together artists, critics, and audiences. Live drawing sessions will also take place in an open and interactive atmosphere.