The Fire Station has launched its Arts Intensive Study Program (AISP), along with the distinguished jury and the 22 selected participants who will take part in this transformative opportunity for emerging visual artists.
The program will be led by Fire Station Artistic Director Wael Shawky and the participants were chosen by an international committee chaired by HE Chairperson of Qatar Museums Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani.
Commenting on the new program, Shawky said: "Our mission is to foster an environment of experimentation, critical discourse, and skills building for promising artists working in any medium.
"The Arts Intensive Study Program is designed to support this mission, and to link emerging artists from around the world with a peerless network of artists, curators, thinkers, and cultural professionals. Bridging diverse perspectives, this program is essential to Qatar Museums' vision to be a global centre for artistic innovation and cultural exchange.
"I look forward to seeing AISP become a catalyst for the next generation of visual artists to make meaningful contributions to the global cultural landscape."
Designed to foster critical thinking, hands-on learning, and professional development for a diverse cohort of 22 emerging Qatari and international artists, AISP expands on the legacy of Fire Station's Artist in Residence (AIR) program and offers a comprehensive, intensive curriculum guided by some of the art world's most influential voices.
Fire Station offers 15 individual and two group studios, specialised workshops, a fab lab, three exhibition halls, a library, and spaces for public programs, screenings, and lectures. Dedicated to nurturing both creative and intellectual growth, it strives to inspire the next generation of Arab and international artists.
Participants will engage in an immersive, interdisciplinary environment where they will refine their technical skills, deepen their conceptual approaches, and expand their artistic practices. AISP seeks to shift the art dialogue beyond the Western hemisphere, offering a curriculum shaped by diverse perspectives and committed collaborators.
Each selected artist will be paired with a dedicated mentor from an exceptional roster of international curatorial talent. The program will offer a curriculum that includes practice-based workshops, seminars, group critiques, and lectures by renowned artists, curators, and theorists.
The residency will conclude in June 2026 with all 22 artists showing their work in an exhibition curated by Wael Shawky.
The list of the selected artists includes: Vy Tran Thao Trinh, Amanda Eve Assaley, W. Rajaie, Aiza Ahmed, Mahesh Mothe, Jude Al Samman, Rab, Bokyoung Jeong, Latifa Khalil Yaqoob Alkhayat, Rund Elarabii, AZ OOR, Akka Bassam Mohammad Hamdan, Hissa Jassim M A Alkuwari, Leena Kim, Noora Jassim M A Al Hardan, Hamad Alfayhani, Farah Hesham Abdelsalam Mousa Youssef, Dalila Hassanein, Jagdish Moktan, Saadia Batool, Deniz Yavuz Emmanuel Duran Doruk, and Alla Abdunabi.
The jury includes Sheikha Reem Al Thani (Acting Deputy CEO for Exhibitions and Marketing at Qatar Museums) Wael Shawky (Artistic Director of Fire Station and founding director of MASS Alexandria);
His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani (Chairman of Media City Qatar and Advisor in the Amiri Diwan), Zeina Arida (Director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art); Yto Barrada (Artist); Diana Campbell (Artistic Director, Samdani Art Foundation); Tom Eccles (Executive Director of the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College); Massimiliano Gioni (Artistic Director of the New Museum); Ibrahim Mahama (Artist); Julie Mehretu (Artist); Hans Ulrich Obrist (Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries); and Rirkrit Tiravanija (Artist).
The announcement of AISP is another example of Qatar's commitment to developing its local art scene while fostering global connections. By integrating studio work with theoretical input and critical discourse, Fire Station aims to enrich traditional art education and nurture a new generation of innovative, critically engaged artists.
This year, Qatar Museums is celebrating its 20th anniversary. This milestone year is marked by Evolution Nation-an 18-month campaign celebrating Qatar's cultural journey, from the founding of the National Museum to the thriving ecosystem of institutions we proudly represent today.
