Like Qatar has accomplished numerous achievements in many spheres from economy to education, the country has also done tremendous job to promote art and culture through dozens of enteritis, venues and the initiatives launched by such centers.
Among many other organizations serving the promotion of art and culture in Qatar, the Cultural Village Foundation Katara through a number of programmes and initiatives has kept country’s valuable cultural heritage alive as well as provides a healthy entertainment space to Qatar’s citizens/residents.
The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) has emerged as one of the popular destinations in Qatar. According to recent statistics, the number of visitors coming to Katara saw a significant rise of 27 percent in 2019. According to Cultural Index 2019, over 10.03 million people visited Katara last year, compared to 7.9 million in 2018. Over 80,464 tourists visited Katara in 2019, compared to 76,058 tourists in 2018, reflecting a rise of around six percent.
World-class and highly entertaining activities organised throughout the year played a crucial role pulling the crowd. The number of events and activities organised during the year reached 1,518 during the last year compared to 1,140 activities held in 2018.
Recently, Katara launched a fresh initiative aimed at enriching Qatar’s art scene, discovering talents and gifted artists, and promoting innovation in the art community. Katara has launched the Katara Art Laboratory – a new programme offering training courses and workshops which begin today.
In 2019, Katara hosted 31 cultural and heritage festival, including the Katara Traditional Dhow Festival, the Halal Qatar Festival, Senyar Festival, and Katara International Hunting and Falcons Exhibition. Katara hosted and organised 31 festivals, and 178 art exhibitions that showcased 6,965 artworks by 1,007 artists. It screened 146 movies, hosted 70 concerts and 117 ceremonies and gatherings.
It also hosted 84 lectures and 54 Islamic activities, organised 58 competitions, played host and organiser to 25 sports activities, presented 190 workshops with 607 sessions, and conducted 10 auctions and 41 bazaars.
Qatar Chamber (QC) and Katara also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost ties and cooperation in the cultural field. The MoU aims to enhance cooperation between both sides in attracting and encouraging commercial companies and institutions in the cultural fields. It also seeks to join hands in advancing the cultural movement in Katara to be a centre and a forum that brings together creative and educated people.
