Qatar has pursued a cultural development strategy aimed at balancing a strong connection to its heritage with engagement in a global artistic dialogue, according to Qatar Museums Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Speaking at the 15th Berlin Art Week 2026 during a conversation with artist Olafur Eliasson, Sheikha Al Mayassa outlined how the nation’s cultural initiatives are embedded within a broader vision of human development and knowledge-based growth.
Sheikha Al Mayassa emphasized that Qatar’s cultural infrastructure—including museums, public art programs, and international partnerships—reflects long-term national planning focused on investing in people as the country’s primary resource. Projects such as the Museum of Islamic Art, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and the National Museum of Qatar serve as cornerstones of this vision, creating opportunities for cultural diplomacy while fostering community engagement with the country’s history and identity.
The discussion with Eliasson, whose collaborations with Qatar Museums span over a decade, highlighted how artistic practice can intersect with environmental awareness and knowledge sharing. Eliasson’s permanent public artwork “Shadows Travelling on the Sea of the Day,” unveiled in 2022 near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Al Zubarah, and his 2023 solo exhibition “Olafur Eliasson: The Curious Desert” at the National Museum of Qatar and in the desert itself, use installations responding to natural elements such as sunlight, water, and wind. Sheikha Al Mayassa noted that these works extend beyond aesthetic value by fostering environmental responsibility and encouraging community empowerment in ecological stewardship.
The conversation also addressed the role of museums and cultural programming in educating younger generations about sustainability, evolving social attitudes, and civic responsibility. Sheikha Al Mayassa stressed that facilitating knowledge helps youth explore new ideas and develop solutions relevant to contemporary challenges. She pointed to the coexistence of Eliasson’s contemporary installations near Ain Mohammed alongside a restored heritage village as an example of how Qatar integrates modern artistic expression with its historical legacy, offering visitors a layered cultural experience.
At the core of Qatar’s approach, Sheikha Al Mayassa said, is a human-centered philosophy that prioritizes designing spaces where people can engage meaningfully with art and culture. This involves long-term planning across five to fifteen-year horizons, allowing cultural institutions and programs to evolve in response to the communities they serve. Qatar’s current cultural season, titled Qatar Creates Fall/Winter 2026–27, illustrates this approach by presenting exhibitions and programs across a range of disciplines including modern and contemporary art, design, heritage, fashion, photography, and public art.
Overall, Qatar’s cultural strategy seeks to root artistic and heritage initiatives within national identity while fostering an outward-looking global perspective through education, environmental consciousness, and sustained investment in human creativity.