Abu Dhabi’s newest destination for arts and culture, Warehouse 421, has unveiled its arts and culture programme for the year.
Running weekly from January 20 until April 27, at the Mina Zayed complex, the “Wednesdays at the Warehouse” programme includes a series of free film screenings, panel discussions and art workshops.
The art hub, which was converted from two of the port’s former industrial warehouses, attracted 10,000 visitors in its first three days after opening in November.
“After the success of the launch, we wanted to continue the celebration of arts and creativity in Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” says the programming manager, Faisal Al Hassan. “‘Wednesdays at the Warehouse’ presents unique opportunities for both the avid culture enthusiast and the artistically curious to be part of the constantly growing art scene in the country.”
At three of the scheduled midweek events, visitors will get the chance to learn tips from some of the UAE’s gifted young artists through interactive art workshops. Led by alumni from the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Emerging Artists Fellowship, a year-long educational programme that supports talented artists, each workshop will be themed around creating artwork inspired by the UAE’s natural environment.
Those sessions will be followed by contemporary Arab short and feature films, which are being screened by the local independent cinema platform Cinema Akil. These will include the celebrated UAE-made film Sea Shadow and the acclaimed Jordanian film Theeb.
Panel discussions will offer local art enthusiasts a rare chance to discuss topics outside of academic circles. Two of these will be led by the local grass-roots arts and heritage initiative Lest We Forget and will focus on photographs of the UAE’s past. Lest We Forget is also organising a collage and printing workshop on February 17, based on participants’ favourite family photographs and their stories.
Run by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, Warehouse 421 aims to support the growth of the arts and cultural sector of the UAE.
Khulood Al Atiya, who helps looks after the foundation’s arts, culture and heritage programme, said: “Both Warehouse 421 and ‘Wednesdays at the Warehouse’ fall in line with the foundation’s mission to ‘invest in the UAE by investing in its people’, by supporting the talented and emerging community of artists and designers of the country while continuing to engage the diverse audiences.”
For a full line up of the events featured in the "Wednesdays at the Warehouse" programme, as well as the exhibitions held at Warehouse 421, visit www.warehouse421.ae. Online registration is required.
