Through Qatar Creates, the year-round cultural movement for arts and culture in Qatar, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, has launched a podcast exploring the modern cultural development of Qatar titled 'The Power of Culture'. Through Sheikha Al Mayassa's conversations with leading figures in arts and culture, both local and international, and her personal commentaries on the nation's cultural landscape, the podcast and book amplify Qatar's position as a vibrant hub for arts, culture, design, architecture, and other creative industries.
The podcast will air on Sundays, debuting 10 December 2023, and be available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Deezer, Castbox, and Anghami. Each episode will run between 30 and 45 minutes in length, with in-depth, one-on-one conversations between Sheikha Al Mayassa and prominent artists, architects, cultural diplomats, art collectors, patrons of the arts, and more. The inaugural episode will feature a one-on-one conversation with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jacques Herzog who is designing the Lusail Museum, a global think tank and world-class art museum that will be located in Lusail City, Qatar. Additional guests who will appear on 'The Power of Culture' are artists Sophia Al Maria, Olafur Eliasson,and Jeff Koons; architects Alejandro Aravena, Rem Koolhaas,and Fatma Ibrahim Al Sehlawi; curators and museum directors Dr. Julia Gonnella, Zeina Arida, Abdulla Yousef Al Mulla,and Massimiliano Gioni; Qatar Museums’ Deputy CEO of Museums, Collections and Heritage Protection Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz Al Thani; CEO of Doha Film Institute Fatma Al Remaihi; and patrons of the arts including Lord Jacob Rothschildand Marie-Josée Kravis, among others. Conversations will focus on each guest's background, support of the arts, and their involvement and experiences contributing to Qatar's cultural development.
The podcast corresponds to Sheikha Al Mayassa’s book, The Power of Culture, that is in part a personal guide to culture in Qatar and in part a memoir. While uncovering Qatar's far-reaching plans to establish and support a cultural infrastructure that includes some of the most magnificently built museums and meticulously curated collections in the world. The Power of Culture also documents how the country fosters the talents and careers of the nation's artists and designers, helping to build Qatar's burgeoning creative industries. Published by Cultureshock and currently available in bookstores worldwide and online, The Power of Culture provides detailed guides to all of Qatar's museums and gallery spaces, public artworks, and heritage sites, as well as insights and memories from H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa, along with excerpts from many of the influential figures featured in the podcast series. The Power of Cultureis published in English, Arabic, French, Mandarin, Hindi and Spanish, and is available online and in select bookstores worldwide.
H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa said, “2022 was an historic year for Qatar, when our nation had the opportunity to share with the world our culture, heritage, and vision for the future. As a legacy of that momentous time, I am pleased to share The Power of Culture podcast, offering personal reflections and conversations on the vast array of projects—past, present, and future—that are building Qatar’s thriving cultural landscape and creative economy. I strongly believe that culture is the most powerful means of bringing people together, sparking the kind of dialogue that enables us to learn, grow, and cooperate, and inspiring ideas that reverberate across the creative industries. The Power of Culture shares the evolution of Qatar’s creative journey through conversations with regional and international trailblazers and sheds light on the importance of innovative and actionable plans to support communities around the world.”
Qatar Creates aims to cultivate unique cultural and artistic experiences for local and global audiences. The year-round movement is a core contributor to the Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of strengthening artistic exchange and promoting intercultural dialogue, and the podcast and book are the latest in a series of initiatives contributing toward that goal.
Qatar Creates’ mission is to showcase the breadth of Qatar’s cultural and artistic contributions and heritage. For more information about Qatar Creates, visit https://info.qacreates.com/power-of-culture-podcast
About Qatar Creates
Qatar Creates curates, celebrates, and promotes cultural activities within Qatar. Working with partners in museums, film, fashion, hospitality, cultural heritage, performing arts, and the private sector in Qatar, the Qatar Creates platform amplifies the voice of Qatar’s creative industries, directly connecting audiences to events.