On Monday 26th September 2022, the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah celebrates the opening of its annual Cultural Season. The new season, Cultural Season 27 (CS 27) is back to pre-COVID form with a variety of interesting weekly lectures from leading local and international scholars, workshops, musical and theatrical performances, cultural trips, exhibition openings, and a full schedule of children’s education programmes. CS 27 will also include two festivals: The Autumn Festival and International Museum Day, which promise to be bigger and better than ever.
“We are blessed to be back again to our full programme this season after the pandemic. This year is exceptional, as DAI is celebrating its 40th anniversary. After years of sharing culture, art, history, awareness, and passion, we will continue what my husband Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah started when he bought the first piece in The al-Sabah Collection. This season we will grow on what he started, expanding our legacy, with a wider vision and stronger bonds with the world, said DAI’s director General Sheikha Hussa Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah.
This season will include two new activities. Hiwar: Success is a Woman and a book club led by Dr Hanan Muzaffer. Hiwar is the Arabic word for dialogue and that’s what DAI’s offering. Featuring five exceptional Kuwaiti women in different fields, these evenings will include an English conversation between the guest and a moderator. The book club is a book discussion circle in English, starting with Wendy Shaw’s What is ‘Islamic’ Art?
Always a highlight, Cultural Season 27 will fill the rafters of the Yarmouk Cultural Centre with a wonderful variety of live music. Sticking with tradition, the Music Circle starts and ends with Kuwaiti music but in between there is a bit of everything.
DAI has children’s and family programmes for schools, families and kids from 4 months to 18. All activities allow participants to develop important collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking skills. Moreover, DAI will be opening its 3rd kid’s exhibition The Home of Comforting Words. The exhibition was curated by the kids in DAI’s Children’s Art Workshop (CAW) who decided to create an exhibition that presents objects from The al-Sabah Collection. The exhibition, focusing on calligraphy, will open in December. Like the rest of the Cultural Season, the children’s programme promotes cultural awareness, provide opportunities to be creative, and encourage fun!
DAI’s Director General Sheikha Hussa Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah concluded: “We encourage people in Kuwait – Kuwaitis, residents and visitors – to participate in some or all of our activities. The upcoming season offers many opportunities to explore and enjoy the art and culture of the Islamic world. Special thanks to all our supporters, volunteers, audience, participants, lecturers, musicians, experts, friends, sponsors, and visitors for the enormous support throughout our enriched cultural journey.”
