Qatar Museums and UCL Qatar extends Cultural Heritage Law gift design competition deadline

Doha: As part of the new Cultural Heritage Law project, Qatar Museums (QM)and University College London (UCL) Qatar are inviting local artists and designers to submit creative ideas that will be used to officially represent the project.

Under the visionary guidance of QM Chairperson, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM and UCL Qatar are working together to further protect and promote Qatar’s history and culture by drafting a new legal framework aligned with internationally recognised standards.

In doing so, the two organisations will help the country realise the ambitions of the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030) and enhance the country’s reputation as a leading cultural centre in the region and internationally.

The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the Fire Station: Artists in Residence, a member of Qatar Museums, which has long sought to support and promote emerging artistic talents from Qataris and residents through various art programmes since 2015.

Commenting on their participation in this initiative, Mr. Khalifa Al Obaidly, Director of the Fire Station, said: “The initiative demonstrates a commitment to nurture emerging artistic talent and build on a long tradition of arts patronage in Qatar. We’re working with UCL Qatar on this project, which seeks to involve the Qatari community and residents. Enabling everyone to participate in this competition stems from QM’s vision to enrich the lives of all those who live in Qatar through a culture that breeds creativity and innovation.”

Qatari nationals and residents who want to take part in this landmark project are being asked to submit creative ideas. The winning design will become the ‘official gift’, handed out to international experts or senior members of the project. 

Dr Martina Renzi, Scientific Project Manager QM-UCL Qatar Cultural Heritage Law Project, said: “This is a nationally important project for the State of Qatar and we want members of the public to be involved. For this competition, we are looking for an evocative and unique design that will be front and centre of the project – the winning idea will be used to thank contributors to the project, both local and international, and become a token of appreciation for all VIPs involved. So, if you’ve got a good idea, we want to hear from you!”

Dr Renzi continued: “We really want participants to reflect their own feeling and understanding of Qatar’s national heritage and how it needs to be protected. We want people to be original, creative and innovative.”

Designs will be reviewed by a committee made up of senior representatives from QM, UCL Qatar and others from the arts and culture scene in Qatar. Five artists will then be selected to provide a sample of their work, from which a winner will be chosen.

Participants must be Qatari nationals or residents and must submit both the design of the item and a description of the idea behind the design.

In the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan, the deadline for submission has been extended until May 27^th, 2019.

For more information about the competition criteria and how to enter, please visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/qatar/sites/qatar/files/20190501_design_competition_gift_en_colour.pdf 

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:
farah.mahfouz@bluerubicon.com  / 3111 3635

About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums connects the museums, cultural institutions and heritage sites in Qatar and creates the conditions for them to thrive and flourish. It centralises resources and provides a comprehensive organisation for the development of museums and cultural projects, with a long-term ambition of creating a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure for Qatar. Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM is consolidating Qatar’s efforts to become a vibrant centre for the arts, culture and education, in the Middle East and beyond.

Since its foundation in 2005, QM has overseen the development of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and the Al Zubarah World Heritage Site Visitor Centre. The QM also manages the QM Gallery at Katara Cultural Village, the ALRIWAQ DOHA Exhibition Space and the Fire Station: Artists in Residence. Future projects include the launch of the highly anticipated National Museum of Qatar and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum.

QM is committed to instigating Qatar’s future generation of arts, heritage and museum professionals. At its core is a commitment to nurturing artistic talent, creating opportunities and developing the skills to service Qatar’s emerging art economy. By means of a multi-faceted program and public art initiatives, QM seeks to push the boundaries of the traditional museum model and create cultural experiences that spill out onto the streets and seek to involve a wide audience. Through a strong emphasis on originating art and culture from within and fostering a spirit of national participation, QM is helping Qatar find its own distinctive voice in today’s global cultural debates.

About UCL Qatar
University College London (UCL) is London’s academic powerhouse, a multi-disciplinary university consistently ranked in the top 10 of global university league tables.  Established in 1826 in order to open up higher education in the UK for the first time to students of any race, class or religion, UCL continues to direct its teaching and research into addressing real-world problems.  Research extending to the far corners of the globe is at the forefront of UCL’s academic activities.  This involves meeting UCL’s ‘Grand Challenges’ by working together, across the university, to tackle some of the world’s most significant challenges.  Today, students from over 150 countries study at UCL, sharing these common attributes of creativity and critical thinking. 

UCL, in partnership with Qatar Foundation, has created UCL Qatar, a centre of excellence for the study of cultural heritage and knowledge management.  UCL Qatar welcomed its first intake of students in August 2012 and has since enrolled more than 220 students from over 50 countries.  Drawing upon the renowned expertise of the UCL Institute of Archaeology, London; leading academic scholars, teachers and scientists implement our unique curriculum and research.

Today, UCL Qatar offers a rigorous and dynamic learning environment with two Master's degree programmes, the MA Museum and Gallery Practice and the MA in Library and Information Studies.  Specifically designed to meet the needs of both International and Qatar-based students looking for careers in the cultural heritage, library and knowledge management sectors.

UCL Qatar seeks not only to create a centre of excellence in the Gulf region for studying but to strive, with the community, to bring cultural heritage and knowledge management training opportunities to the widest possible audience. Mid-career heritage professionals can sign up for UCL Qatar’s Professional and Executive Education courses, and members of the public can get a taste for all things cultural heritage and knowledge management via the several public events organised during the whole calendar year.

© Press Release 2019