Fire Station in Doha will present the inaugural exhibition of its Artists Intensive Study Programme (AISP) from November 8, 2026, to February 6, 2027. Curated by Fire Station’s artistic director, Wael Shawky, the exhibition features new works by 22 Qatari artists alongside participants from 14 other countries, all developed over nine months of concentrated research and artistic exploration.
The exhibition, which spans the entirety of Fire Station’s five galleries and its Plaza, underscores the programme’s emphasis on fostering emerging talent while promoting international artistic exchange. Engaging with a wide range of media—including sculpture, moving images, sound, immersive installations, painting, and mixed-media—the participating artists investigate themes such as migration, memory, belonging, public space, cultural heritage, and human-environment relationships.
Shawky highlighted the exhibition’s role in creating a platform for dialogue between emerging artists and established practitioners from diverse backgrounds, aiming to broaden contemporary intellectual and artistic discourse. Central to AISP is the concept of the studio as a dynamic environment where ideas evolve, directions shift, and new insights emerge through creative processes.
The artists involved come from a broad geographic spectrum, representing Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, France, the United States, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Nepal, Libya, and the United Kingdom. Among the Qatari artists are Hissa Alkuwari, Noora al-Hardan, and Hamad Alfayhani. Other participants include Jude Samman and Akka Hamdan from Jordan; Farah El-Shawarby and Dalia Hassanein from Egypt; and Aiza Ahmed and Saadia Batool from Pakistan.
Throughout the duration of the programme, an international group of mentors worked closely with the artists, encouraging experimentation with new methods and critical reflection on artistic practice. This mentorship aimed to expand the participants’ approaches, supporting the development of rigorous new bodies of work.
AISP was established as an evolution of Fire Station’s previous Artist in Residence (AIR) Programme, introducing a model that places research, critical thinking, and professional development at its core. Unlike its predecessor, AISP focuses on sustained engagement, encouraging artists to deepen their inquiries while honing their creative output.
This exhibition forms part of Qatar Creates’ Fall/Winter 2026/2027 season, a larger cultural initiative encompassing numerous exhibitions, public art presentations, and programs aimed at fostering global cultural exchange and dialogue. The season runs from September through November, featuring a wide array of events across Qatar.