Qatar Creates to Hold Six Talks on Art, Design and Culture Next Week

Qatar Creates, an initiative of Qatar Museums, has announced six sessions in its QC Talks series from 24 to 27 October at the National Museum of Qatar Auditorium. The sessions form part of the Qatar Creates Fall/Winter 2026/2027 season.

The programme brings together prominent figures in art, design, architecture and cultural leadership, including HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, and HE Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation.

QC Talks offers audiences an opportunity to engage directly with cultural practitioners and explore the ideas, influences and questions shaping contemporary art, design and cultural practice.

The programme begins on Saturday with "What Makes an Icon?", a discussion exploring how artworks, buildings, objects and designs become iconic. Speakers include Amir Berbić, Dean of Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts Qatar; Sumayya Vally, Honorary Professor of Practice at University College London and Principal of Counterspace in Johannesburg; and fashion designer Mohamed Benchellal. The session will be moderated by Dr Jelena Trkulja, Editorial Director of QC Talks and Senior Advisor for Academic and Cultural Affairs at Qatar Museums.

On the second day, the programme turns to collecting and fashion. A session titled "The Collector as Visionary: Sheikh Hassan Al-Thani and the Making of Qatar’s Modern Art Scene" will feature HE Sheikh Dr Hassan bin Mohamed Al-Thani, President of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art. The discussion will revisit his early encounters with Arab modern artists, his journey in collecting art and the circumstances that led to the establishment of Mathaf.

Later that day, British-Turkish designer Erdem Moralıoğlu, Founder and Creative Director of ERDEM, will join Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti, Director of M7, for "Erdem: Dressing the Imagination". The conversation will examine his artistic vision, the role of storytelling in fashion and the creative process behind "ERDEM: About Time, About Her", a major retrospective opening at M7 on 27 October. The exhibition features more than 150 pieces, including garments, sketches and atelier materials.

On Monday, 26 October, the programme moves behind the scenes of cultural production before examining Doha’s urban transformation. The first session, "Behind the Exhibition", will feature HE Sheikha Reem Al-Thani, Deputy CEO of Qatar Museums; Sheikha Al Jazi Al-Thani, Head of Exhibitions Design and Build Up; Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of Serpentine; and Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, Director of the British Museum. The discussion will reveal the planning, collaboration and production required to stage major international exhibitions.

The second session, "Doha: A City in the Making", will discuss the city’s architectural development, from its pre-oil neighbourhoods to its contemporary landmarks. Participants include architect Ibrahim Al Jaidah, Group CEO & Chief Architect of Arab Engineering Bureau, and Dr Sultana Al Nabet, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning at Qatar University.

The programme concludes on Tuesday, 27 October, with a keynote session titled "Leading in Challenging Times", featuring HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and HE Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi. The session will be moderated by Adrian Ellis, Director of AEA Consulting and Chair of the Global Cultural Districts Network.

The discussion will address the challenges facing cultural institutions, from maintaining public trust and preserving their values and missions to navigating changing social and economic expectations.

Source: QNA

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