Rubu’ Qarn Launches Visual Arts Forum to Celebrate Emirati Heritage Through Contemporary Expression
A creative initiative in Sharjah invites young people to explore and reimagine traditional cultural elements through modern artistic practice, combining heritage storytelling with contemporary visual language.
Rubu’ Qarn for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators has unveiled its 2026 Visual and Fine Arts Forum, an innovative programme designed to engage participants aged six to 31 in a transformative exploration of Emirati cultural traditions through contemporary artistic practice.
Operating through 8th November, the forum invites young artists to embark upon a structured creative journey encompassing workshops, artistic experimentation, production and culminating exhibition. The initiative seeks to empower participants to revitalise Emirati heritage, translating cherished cultural elements into compelling visual narratives that resonate with contemporary audiences.
This year’s programme centres upon the theme “Sarood”, an authentically rooted Emirati heritage element embodying gathering, communal connection, storytelling and the strengthening of community bonds. Participants will engage with this cultural touchstone, reinterpreting it through original artworks that document their creative development and present heritage through a visual language reflecting modern sensibilities.
The forum encourages participants to investigate the profound relationship between cultural identity and creative expression through specialist workshops facilitated by accomplished Emirati artists. The artistic curriculum encompasses several distinctive strands. Printmaking Techniques, led by artist Khalid Al Banna, introduces participants to fabric-printing methods drawing upon geometric forms and botanical motifs inherent to Emirati artistic traditions. The Mural Painting programme, guided by artist Doha Al Halami, enables participants to create large-scale works inspired by heritage narratives and storytelling traditions. Creative Products and Installation Art, directed by artists Aisha Al Kaabi and Fatima Al Kaabi through their “Open Tables, Open Hearts” experience, explores familial bonds by reimagining the Sarood through diverse materials and developing creative products that translate artistic vision into everyday contexts.
The structured progression from technical instruction through to individual artistic application encourages participants to develop distinctive creative perspectives whilst mastering composition, design, material handling and tool use. Collaboration remains central to the forum’s philosophy, with participants exchanging ideas and exploring integrated practices that synthesise traditional handicraft with contemporary methodologies within an environment nurturing initiative and authentic self-expression.
Source: WAM