(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The Ministry of Culture announced the launch of the second edition of the Fereej Art and Design Festival, which will be held from November 9to 14 at Darb Al Saai. This edition builds on the success of the first and offers a more diverse and comprehensive range of artistic content.

This year's festival features a significant expansion in the number of art galleries, exhibitions, and workshops, with the participation of more than 120 artists from 21 countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Korea, Japan, Azerbaijan, Morocco, India, Australia, Spain, Iraq, Russia, Oman, Lebanon, the Philippines, Algeria, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Indonesia, and Iran.

The event also includes more than 12 art exhibitions and 14 workshops, including 7 international workshops in diverse fields such as Japanese Bingata art, Kuwaiti glass melting, creating colours from Australian nature, a Spanish gilding workshop, a fabric printing workshop from India, a floral plate workshop from Russia, a live performance workshop from Kuwait, and other experiences that blend artistic heritage with modernity.

Huda al-Yafei, Director of the Visual Arts Center, said:“We are proud to launch the second edition of the Fereej Art and Design Festival, which reflects the Visual Arts Center's commitment to promoting the cultural and artistic movement in Qatar and embracing creativity in all its forms.

We have ensured that this edition is richer and more diverse by hosting artists from various countries and expanding the scope of events to include educational workshops and interactive activities for all ages. Fereej Art is not just a festival; it is a space for aesthetic dialogue, innovation, and cultural exchange.”

The festival features six main art spaces, including the Exhibition House, the Art Workshops House, the Calligraphy House, the Ceramics House, the Artists' Studios House, the Seminar House, the Art and Design Market, and the Children's Courtyard area.

The festival showcases a remarkable artistic diversity, bringing together more than 70 artists from Qatar and several other countries. They present solo and group exhibitions, showcasing paintings, ceramics, and calligraphy that embody the interaction of cultures and the diversity of artistic schools.

The festival also includes a series of international workshops in arts such as Japanese Bingata, Kuwaiti glass melting, and Andalusian motifs, in addition to workshops on fabric printing and creating colours from natural stones. The festival also celebrates Arabic calligraphy, ceramics, sculpture, and the creativity of young people in the fields of design, anime, and digital art.

The festival features the participation of several cultural and academic institutions from within and outside Qatar, including Katara Art Center, Riwaq Gallery, the Qatar Philatelic and Numismatic Center, the Qatar Center for the Deaf, Qatar University, the University of Babylon, the University of Mosul, and Al-Mustansiriya University, in addition to a number of art centers from participating countries.

The festival programme also includes art activities for children such as paint-pouring workshops, art school workshops, a free drawing area, panel discussions, and art seminars that bring together artists, critics, and the public, as well as live drawing sessions held in an interactive, open atmosphere.

The Fereej Art and Design Festival is based on a set of core values: innovation and creativity, cultural diversity, education and learning, communication and belonging, and artistic sustainability. It aims to support the artistic and cultural identity of Qatar and solidify its position as a center for contemporary visual arts.

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