French courses resume as French Institute Kuwait launches cultural season
. . . with Mariam Al Salem Exhibition; marks 65 years of Franco-Kuwaiti relations
- The French Institute of Kuwait resumed its French-language courses and relaunched its cultural program on September 6, 2026, with the opening of an exhibition by Kuwaiti artist Mariam Al Salem.
- The exhibition, inaugurated by French Ambassador H.E. Olivier Gauvin, runs from September 7 to December 12, 2026, while the new season will feature concerts, exhibitions, films, literary events and educational activities.
- The relaunch comes as France and Kuwait mark 65 years of diplomatic relations, with the institute emphasizing cultural exchange, support for Kuwaiti artists and stronger cooperation between the two countries’ creative communities.
The French Institute of Kuwait has resumed its French courses and launched its new cultural season with an exhibition by Kuwaiti artist Mariam Al Salem, marking a renewed focus on cultural exchange between Kuwait and France. The exhibition was inaugurated on September 6, 2026, by French Ambassador Olivier Gauvin and will remain open to the public at the French Institute from September 7 to December 12.
The institute’s new cultural season follows several months of interruption and will include concerts, exhibitions, film screenings, literary events and educational programs, both at the institute and in collaboration with partner institutions across Kuwait.
Soraya SAA, Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs and Director of the French Institute of Kuwait, said the institute’s program is built around freedom, creativity and diversity, with the aim of creating a space for different perspectives, artistic expression and dialogue.
The French envoy said the reopening restores the institute’s role as a place for encounters, learning, creation and exchange, while emphasizing that learning French provides access not only to a language but also to French and Francophone culture, literature, education and opportunities for mobility.
The institute said its cultural program will place particular emphasis on Kuwaiti artists and creators, reflecting an approach to cultural cooperation based on exchange rather than a one-way presentation of French culture in Kuwait.
Al Salem was selected to open the season as part of that approach. Raised in Ahmadi, the Kuwaiti painter and graphic designer spent nearly 18 years working in graphic design and illustration before moving into fine arts in 2013.
Her background continues to influence her paintings, which combine precise composition, strong line work and sophisticated use of colour with elements of illustration and digital art.
Her work draws on recognizable aspects of contemporary Kuwaiti life, including family gatherings around Kout, stock-market activity, Kuwait City’s illuminated towers and falcons flying above the city.
Among the featured works are “Kout — Zwara,” “Stock Exchange — Mesbah” and “Under the Falcons’ Wings.” The paintings bring together elements of Kuwaiti tradition and modern life, with the exhibition exploring themes including freedom, unity and resilience.
Gauvin highlighted Al Salem’s ability to transform familiar scenes through composition, colour and movement, noting that her work presents tradition and modernity as naturally coexisting elements of contemporary Kuwait.
Al Salem’s involvement in the local creative sector also extends beyond her own artwork. She co-founded ROA — Roof of Art, a platform intended to help artists exhibit and sell their work while maintaining connections with their audiences.
The French Institute said it plans to expand opportunities for Kuwaiti artists through residencies, workshops, exhibitions and collaborative projects, including initiatives connecting artists in Kuwait and France.
SAA said the institute’s doors are open to artists across disciplines, including painters, photographers, sculptors, designers and other creators, with the aim of providing spaces to exhibit their work, reach new audiences and develop joint projects.
The reopening takes place as France and Kuwait celebrate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations, established in 1961.
Gauvin said the relationship between the two countries extends beyond political and official exchanges to include students learning French, researchers collaborating and artists and institutions developing joint projects.
He described Al Salem’s exhibition at a French cultural institution in Kuwait as a concrete example of the cultural dialogue the two countries seek to strengthen, adding that he hoped it would mark the beginning of further exchanges between Kuwaiti and French artists.
