| | | | |  | Announcing QAIC's First Annual IMPART Summit and IMPART Artist Grant The Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) will host its inaugural IMPART Summit to convene and collaborate with a wide array of artists and creatives, as well as a multitude of other artistic institutions, and serve as a “Congress for Creatives.” The inaugural summit is scheduled to run from Friday, November 19th to Saturday, November 20th, 2021, in a hybrid virtual and in-person event. IMPART will consist of invite-only and public engagements that will highlight a variety of interactive cultural experiences and art exhibitions from the United States, Qatar, and the larger Arab and Islamic worlds. A detailed list of programming will be available soon. Furthermore, QAIC is also offering its IMPART Artist Grant which will “incubate” and support three promising artists for their artistic venture in the year to come. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis starting until the deadline of December 4th, 2021, with the selected creatives announced in January 2022. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year's IMPART Summit will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual functions. The IMPART Gala on November 19 is an invitation-only event, and November 20 is a public day with online and offline events. Want more information about IMPART Summit 2021 program and news? |
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|  | | | |  | The Reemergence of Ruwad in Partnership with al markhiya gallery In 2018, in partnership with Reconnecting Arts, QAIC hosted the premiere for the exhibition "Ruwad: the pioneering contemporary arts of Qatar,” in celebration of these artists, their work, and the positive impact of creativity in the Gulf Region. Ruwad, which means “pioneers” in Arabic, is a celebration of both established and emerging Qatar-based artists who are transforming the artistic landscape in the Gulf region. The exhibition presented the leading visionary minds of Qatar, whose creative works continue to inspire and promote the cultural richness of the region. To further promote and collaborate on artistic exchanges and cultural activities, QAIC and the al markhiya gallery in Qatar have joined forces in 2022 for a year. For more information about this upcoming exhibition, please visit our website. |
| |  | |  | QAIC Hosts Inaugural Film Screening at its Arab Film House In honor of QAIC’s Arab Film House opening this fall, the QAIC team is hosting a private screening Friday, October 29 featuring “Under the Shadow,” an Iranian horror movie by British-Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari. To explore the shortage of horror films in Middle Eastern cinema we spoke with Anvari himself in the most recent episode of QAIC’s Expressions Art & Culture Talks series. We spoke about creating a horror movie from a Middle Eastern perspective and the sources behind his inspiration when creating Under the Shadow. The film centers around a mother and daughter struggling to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war-torn Tehran of the 1980s, as they deal with a mysterious evil haunting their home. Through his movie, we get a glimpse of what scared Anvari in his childhood and how those memories are shared with other Iranians and Middle Eastern creatives. “Under the Shadow” is currently available to stream on Netflix for those interested in viewing the film from the comfort of their own homes. You can also view the cinematic trailer here. |
| |  |  | QAIC Team Explores the Foundation of Fragrance As part of QAIC’s team-building initiatives, Sherry Meredith and Gretchen Sterling of DIY Scent Studio held a perfumery workshop at our headquarters in Washington DC. The mother-daughter duo launched DIY Scent Studio in 2016 with the purpose of exploring and satisfying our olfactory system. Focusing on evoking the concept, inspiration, and emotions associated with fragrances, DIY Scent Studio caters to individuals who wish to experience these memories or maybe just to satisfy their curiosity. Together, they lead guests through the scientific process behind creating perfumes, using a mix of archaic techniques and modern methods. To learn about DIY Scent Studios and our workshop sessions, read the full blog here. |
| | |  | “The ‘Women of the Pandemic’ Exhibition is Officially Open” On September 30, 2021, QAIC celebrated the opening of the “Women of the Pandemic” exhibition hosted at our headquarters in Washington, DC. Launched in partnership with the Katara Cultural Village in Qatar, the exhibition features the art of four American female artists and four Qatari female artists whose works are a reflection of their resilience and artistic ambitions during a time of major adversity which tested the creative communities worldwide. To read more about this exhibition and all those involved, read the full press release here. |
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|  |  | Pianos for Peace Pianos for Peace uplifts lives and transforms communities by engaging artists in volunteer service programs to make the arts accessible to all. For the first time in Charlotte, North Carolina, Pianos for Peace in partnership with Queens University of Charlotte and Qatar-USA Year of Culture launched its annual outdoor festival and community arts program with a public unveiling of painted pianos for the International Day of Peace on Tuesday, September 21. The design of the baby grand in front of the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement on Queens' campus is inspired by the Desert Rose, the National Museum of Qatar, and the colors of the Qatari flag. Pianos for Peace works in building peace through music and education, uplifting lives and communities by making the arts accessible to all. |
| |  | Women Forward International Hosts Dana Al Fardan in DC On October 7, Women Forward International (WFI) hosted a private reception for Dana Al Fardan, Qatari contemporary composer, songwriter and symphonic artist, and the first woman composer from the Gulf region. Al Fardan recently partnered with WFI by translating her powerful message of unity into an original score for WFI’s forthcoming docu-film, “The Hour." Earlier that week, Al Fardan also performed an exclusive preview performance of her soon-to-be launched album, “Indigo,” at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC on October 5. Universal in its scope and message, Al Fardan’s music transcends cultural borders while uniquely showcasing her Arab heritage. The show, which will take place as part of the 2021 Qatar-USA Year of Culture, celebrates the relationship between the two countries and promotes understanding, recognition and appreciation of their unique partnership. |
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| |  |  | The QAIC PostScript initiative provides aspiring authors and writers the opportunity to share their unique perspectives on cultural and social topics relevant to QAIC’s mission for publication in its quarterly A2Q magazine. The call for submission for October, November, and December will be focused on our selected themes for these months: “Heritage & History”, “STEAM (Science, Technology, & Sustainability),” and "Languages & Diversity" respectively.
Contributors can range from established analysts, aspiring scholars, or students. If you would like to submit an original piece for publication, please closely follow our submission guidelines and submit it through the form on our website. |
|  | Masters of the Pearl: A History of Qatar by Michael Quinton Morton Qatar is a country of spectacular contrasts: from pearl fishing, its main industry until the 1930s, to gas and oil, which generate immense wealth today; it has famously been at the center of both triumph and controversy in recent years for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Almost a lifetime since he grew up in Qatar, Michael Quentin Morton writes about the country’s colorful past and its astonishing present. The book is filled with stories about the people of this land: the tribes and the travelers, the seafarers, and slaves – as much a part of Qatar’s history as its rulers and their wealth.
The opaque Arabian world guards its secrets well, but Masters of the Pearl penetrates the veil to shed light on a country that until now has defied explanation. The book is available for purchase here. |
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| |  | Become a Sponsor As a sponsor, QAIC can continue to develop meaningful expressions and experiences, functioning as a bridge spanning the cultures of the United States, Qatar, and the larger Arab and Islamic worlds. It is through the continued support from sponsors that QAIC is able to create inclusive experiences that highlight humanity’s similarities while delighting in the diversity of our differences, thus improving cross-cultural understanding. It is with your contribution that together we can create impact by giving QAIC the resources to become a trusted partner and art and culture catalyst by increasing awareness, creating harmony, and fostering human creativity in society in multiple ways. |
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 | Join Our Community As a member, you become part of the extended QAIC family. With this annual membership, you will receive a more involved QAIC experience complete with additional in-depth content and unique offerings catered to our members. These offerings include priority access to exclusive engagements with featured guests, intimate receptions with visiting artists, and other annual benefits to better serve you as a platform for cultural and creative enrichment. |
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| | | | | The Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creates, curates, and executes programs and research that amplify the prominence of all forms of art and culture from the United States, Qatar, and the larger Arab and Islamic worlds. |
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