Qatar Foundation kicks off new season of ‘art trail’ guided tours

Qatar Foundation (QF) recently held a guided art tour at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), kicking off a new season of ‘Art Trail’, an ongoing programme that enables the public to view and learn more about the artworks located within Education City. The tour offered the public a glimpse of the inspiring achievements of 20 VCUarts Qatar alumni whose multidisciplinary creations were showcased in an exhibition titled ‘20/20/20’. Art Trail caters to different age groups and interests, and serves as a platform to inspire the community. It further aims to increase artistic appreciation and promote local culture and artists. Machaille al-Naimi, president of community, QF, said, “Qatar Foundation serves as a local hub for arts and culture and these tours invite the wider community into Education City as an open and welcoming public space, catering to people from all walks of life, united by a love for the arts.”Several of the 150 artworks owned by QF were acquired through the world-renowned ‘Percent-for-Art’ scheme, which ensures that one-percent of the cost of large-scale development projects be allocated to fund and install public art.Qatari artists with work located in Education City include Ali Hassan, Chairman of the Youth Creative Art Centre and the Girl’s Creativity Art Centre; Yousef Ahmad, a pioneer of Qatar’s modern art movement; Salman al-Malik, who is widely acknowledged for his work in the field of ‘plastic arts’; and Moza al-Kuwari, an award-winning Qatari artist. Education City is home to many arts and cultural centres, including Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and Qatar National Library’s Heritage Collection, as well as the art galleries at VCUarts Qatar and the Education City Student Centre. QF’s art collection is a valuable add-on to the country’s cultural efforts, and promotes Qatar as a leading player in the contemporary art market.The next guided Art Trail will welcome the public to the ‘City Limits, and the Famous QF Headquarters’ exhibition at VCUarts Qatar. Those wishing to join the Art Trail should contact qftrail@qf.org.qa for a registration form.