Emerging and established local creatives stand to significantly benefit from Qatar Museums’ (QM) Al Najadah initiative, which provides an array of opportunities for growth, collaboration and sharing of expertise.
As a community, QM said Al Najadah can support creatives in attracting a bigger audience and in engaging with local and international partners for further cooperation and knowledge sharing.
Al Najadah team is also ready to assist in marketing and communications, in addition to giving access to relevant events and programmes in the district.
“We are looking for both emerging and established creative individuals and enterprises to join the community. We are ready to create a fertile ecosystem by providing the right incentives and support structures in order to enable this district to become a beacon for future-oriented artists, artisans, designers, makers, and chefs,” QM posted on the Al Najadah website.


QM chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani recently urged local creatives to be part of Al Najadah’s transformation and apply for the open call. Emerging creatives include “individuals or micro-studios at the early stages of their business looking for a space to work and showcase their talent, and partners to work with and learn from.
Benefits include rent subsidy (discounted rent fees), which will be provided based on each applicant’s project proposal and ability to pay; an opportunity to showcase marketing assets such as posters, banners, booklets, and stickers in the Majlis building (welcome point) as well benefiting from wayfinding and dedicated spatial interventions; free event hosting at House B15 along with other emerging members twice a year; opportunities to talk about their pieces or displaying them at bespoke programmes offered by the community to the general public; and a temporary free space at pop-up activations.
Established creatives, meanwhile, include “select industry-leading enterprises with an existing audience and brand presence, looking for people to collaborate with and expand globally.”
Al Najadah is ready to provide them with a seat at the Community Circle, an opportunity to display their portfolio and success stories, as well as marketing assets; and event hosting at House B15.
Comprising 17 houses, QM noted that Al Najadah is one of Doha’s few remaining neighbourhoods that still features traditional architecture whilst retaining its original historical structure.
QM, which is at the forefront of reviving Doha’s heritage districts, said Al Najadah’s cluster of houses used to belong to modest Qatari families and dates back to the 1930s.
“Each of Al Najadah’s houses has unique architectural details and qualities. You can activate a unit or an entire building with temporary or permanent interventions. All permanent construction work will have to comply with heritage site regulations,” QM said.
The Al Najadah Curation Committee, which will select future community members, encouraged local creatives to submit their business or project proposals not later than August 31.
 
Activation Strategy
Three key pedestrian streets and three significant public squares constitute the main areas where the public can pass by, which were used to delimit Al Najadah’s three main clusters. Each cluster offers different types of experiences to community members who occupy these houses.
Entry points, accessibility to the site and public circulation were taken into consideration when assigning each building’s specific functions.
With the exception of House B01 and House B15 (reserved for the community and public programming), all remaining buildings are planned to be rented out to future community members. Project proposals for the activities to be undertaken must fit under one or a few of the main working modes: make, sell, show and connect.
House typologies offer options for diversity and inclusion. Each of Al Najadah’s houses has unique architectural details and qualities. People can activate a unit or an entire building with temporary or permanent interventions. All permanent construction work will have to comply with heritage site regulations. (Source: https://alnajadah.qa)