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The Qatar International Art Festival (QIAF) 2025, held at Katara Halls Building 12, organised its first-ever art auction Wednesday with 29 lots.This was the first ever auction since its inception seven years ago and was held in collaboration with the Al Bahie Auction House. There was a large number of participants for the auction and the art works were well bid by the art enthusiasts.“This is for the first time, we are having an art auction and held in collaboration with Al-Bahi Auction House. Al-Bahi is a Qatar-based auction house that is registered in Qatar since 1996,” Rashmi Agarwal, founder and president of Maps International Limited, and CEO and director of QIAF told Gulf Times.**media[392204]**Agarwal said that the auction is livestreamed and those interested have the option for bidding both online and in-person.“This year we have 32 artworks in 29 lots. These are the works of the artists from about 15 countries. The response for the auction is very positive and we do plan to continue it in every edition of the festival. Next year onwards, we plan to do it on a much bigger scale, ” said Agarwal.The official said that overall there is a participation of more than 500 artists in the festival from over 73 countries.**media[392205]**“We have another big event coming up today as part of the festival. We are doing an artistic and sustainable fashion show with participation from Qatari fashion designers and also from international fashion designers. More than 72 fashion designers have registered to participate in this,” said Agarwal.She noted that the exhibition that lasts until Friday showcases global artistic brilliance, cultural exchange, and creative celebration.“This year’s edition stands out as the largest and most diverse yet, offering a dynamic programme of 15 engaging activities designed to inspire, educate, and connect. The festival schedule features master classes, art workshops, panel discussions, art conferences, live painting sessions, artists’ fashion shows, cultural tours, networking dinners, and awards and felicitation ceremony, among others, making it one of the most comprehensive international art gatherings in the region,” added Agarwal.**media[392206]**Agarwal said that the festival has been a tremendous success with greater participation compared to the previous years.She said: “We are really very happy with the participation and the numbers which we are having. We are already receiving a very positive response for the next year 2026. Even in 2025, we have had more than 200 applicants in the waiting list. They all want to come next year. We have received inquiries from more than 50 galleries to participate in the 2026 edition of the festival,”**media[392207]**She also described that the public response to the exhibition has been very phenomenal. “People are coming and praising. We have also received very good response from a lot of organisations in Qatar. We have got very encouraging words from different embassies. On the red carpet VIP opening, we had a representation of a large number of ambassadors from the embassies in Qatar,” added Agarwal. 

The Purebred Arabian Show Horse Auction, organized by the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) under the chairmanship of Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah, concluded at Al Shaqab on Saturday.The three-day event had a total of 108 horses offered on sale. Forty-four were sold on the opening day, followed by 37 on the second, with the remainder being bid for during the final session. According to the list issued by the Auction Committee, chaired by Saad Ali al-Kubaisi, total sales reached QR1,559,000.Prices varied according to demand, with the top lot being Alshumous Al Shaqab, owned by Al Shaqab and purchased by owner Mohammed al-Hashim for QR270,000. The auction drew strong participation thanks to the quality and distinction of the horses presented, giving purchasers an opportunity to acquire bloodlines from prominent farms and studs such as Al Shaqab, Al Rayyan and Al Nasser across various categories including colts, fillies, mares and stallions.The event also featured a range of family activities held at Al Shaqab’s indoor arena, where visitors enjoyed the atmosphere of the auction and accompanying entertainment.

The Qatar Philatelic and Numismatic Center is set to hold a stamp and coin auction on Friday, on the sidelines of the "Athar and Ketab" event held in cooperation with the Qatari Dar Al Kutub at 8 PM at the headquarters of Dar Al Kutub. The auction, showcasing 209 valuable items, will welcome enthusiasts of stamp and coin collecting in Qatar and several Gulf countries. The items include Qatari stamps, old paper money of Qatar, as well as the Gulf and Arab countries, fancy number notes, and early models of coins.