Some 20 artists have been selected to take part in the “Artist in Residence” programme of Qatar Museums (QM).
Launched for the first time in March 2015, the programme is hosted at the Doha Fire Station building, and aims to create a space that offers an indigenous, local approach to creativity and artistic production.
The residency programme, which is open to local Qatari artists and residents of Qatar, runs in nine-month cycles.
A group of four jury members convened to agree on the final 20 artists from a highly talented pool of more than 150 applications.
The selected 20 artists that will take part in the newest edition of  “Artist in Residence” programme are: Frances Grane, Fahad al-Obaidly, Lulu al-Musfer, Zoe Hawk, Zach Stensen, Amr Elkafrawy, Richard Blackwell, Hana al-Saadi, Maryam Ahmed, Maryam al-Suwaidi, Mariah Dekkenga, Tanzeela Abbasi, Ahmed al-Jufairi, Maryam al-Semaitt, Nawar al-Mutlaq, Abeer al-Kuwari, Nesma Khodier, Juan Martinez, Maryam al-Homaid, and Titika Stamouli.
The judging panel included Qatar Leadership Centre board member and managing director  HE Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani; Al Mana Group executive director Wissam Saleh al-Mana; Qatari artist Faraj Daham and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar’s Painting and Print Making Department head Rhys R Himsworth.
The group of artists, which includes 10 Qataris, consists of artists from a range of different disciplines including art, photography, video, design, painting, poetry and drawing.
To welcome and congratulate the new residents, Fire Station director Khalifa al-Obaidli hosted a get-together on September 18 that saw residents sharing their vision and plans for their respective residencies.
“This initiative is something that I am hugely passionate about and one that is so important for the development of artists in Qatar as it celebrates local talent and gives young artists a platform to grow, exhibit and collaborate,” al-Obaidli said.
“The initiative perfectly reflects QM’s vision of inspiring an indigenous culture of creativity and innovation and we hope that the next chapter of the programme helps these talented artists become recognised on an international scale in the future,” he added.
The residency programme will involve mentoring and tutoring from respected local artists and will give the residents the opportunity to be in close contact with some of the big international names that QM continually attracts to Qatar.
This is in addition to access to world class curators, art historians and professors. The Fire Station grounds also feature public attractions including a park, an informal library, an arts and crafts shop, a cinema, a plaza and a newly-opened restaurant, all aimed at creating an engaging environment and cultural venue for everyone living in Qatar to experience and enjoy.
The first intake of artists completed their nine-month residency earlier this summer, and the programme was a huge success. Artists’ accomplishments were celebrated in an end of residency exhibition held at the Garage Gallery in the Fire Station, which showcased selected works from each of the artists during their nine successful months in residency.
The Fire Station “Artist in Residence” programme, sits at the heart of Doha’s thriving art community. The Doha Fire Station was built in 1982 as a Civil Defence building and was occupied by the fire brigade until late 2012.
It was then handed over to QM to renovate and turn into the home of the “Artist in Residence” programme. Oil and gas exploration and production company Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd. (Oxy Qatar) is the ‘principal sponsor’ of this initiative.