OVERVIEW:
The city of Al Ain, the fourth largest city in the UAE, has much to offer in nature, art, culture, and heritage. The Al Qattara Arts Center brings all these things together, celebrating the best of Al Ain’s offerings – all in one place. It is a great place to explore cultural vultures, especially if they are interested in the birth of the arts and heritage of the region.
Al Qattara Arts Center plays a unique role in Al Ain’s arts and culture. Not only is it a place for people to see art, but it is also a place to build it. The center was established in 2011 as a place where arts and culture can be studied, created, and developed by Emiratis. The institute’s art gallery showcases art by foreign and Emirati artists. There is also a permanent archaeological and heritage exhibition, as well as art class studios. Dry Studio is a music and craft classroom, and Wet Studio offers drawing and painting lessons. The center has Pottery Studio, Digital Room for Photography and Computer Classes, and Calligraphy Studio. The center is also one of Al Ain’s leading venues for events, exhibitions, and events exploring cultural heritage in the region. The Al Qattara Arts Center was redeveloped from Bin ʿAti Al-Darmaki House, a traditional mud-brick tower and living quarters. The center is built in the style of regional architecture and connects with the surrounding area, which includes many historic buildings from the beginning of modern Al Ain history.
ABOUT:
Founded in 2011, the Al Qattara Arts Center in Al Ain is where the arts live. An important part of Al Ain’s cultural landscape, this family-friendly place is where you can discover, enjoy, and create art! Administered by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, the rebuilt art center was erected at Bayt bin Ati Al-Darmaki House, a traditional mud-brick tower that once served as a residence. This unusual feature blends well with other historic buildings on this historic site. The Al Qattara Arts Center includes an attractive gallery, an archaeological exhibition, and a studio. The gallery showcases the fine works of Emirati artists, an archaeological exhibition contains fossils of the past, and the studio is where art studies take place.
The studio area includes the following:
Dry Studio – for arts and music lessons
Wet Studio – for drawing and painting lessons
Digital room – computer and photography classrooms
Pottery Studio
Calligraphy Studio
WHERE IS LOCATED:
The art center is located in the Al Qattara region, near Friday Market and Al Qattara Oasis. Al Qattara Arts Center is easily located in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. From Dubai, especially Dubai International Airport, the fastest route passes through Dubai-Al Ain Road (E66) and it will take you about 90 minutes to reach the Al Ain art center. The journey from Abu Dhabi International Airport to the Arts Center in Al Ain should take about an hour and 40 minutes via Al Ain-Abu Dhabi Road (E22). You can use the Al Qattara Arts Center Google Maps Plus Code to get the right directions: 7P6X + 3J Al Ain, Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates.
EVENTS:
In addition to being an art school and gallery, the center serves as a venue for a variety of cultural heritage events, events, and exhibitions. You can track everything that happens at the Qattara Arts Center with their event calendar, which is accessible on the Al Qattara Arts Center homepage in the section of the official website of Abu Dhabi Culture.
ONGOING EVENTS:
AL DHAFRA 2020 Festival
Dates: Until January 29, 2020
Time: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Admission fee: FREE
UPCOMING EVENTS:
AL QATTARA ARTS CENTER WORKSHOPS 2021
Dates: January 1 to January 31, 2020
Time: 10:00 am – 08:00 pm
Admission fee: FREE
THE VIRTUAL TOUR:
People who can visit the Qattara Arts Center in person can still attract the attractions and all that it has to offer in a visible way. Al Qattara’s visual tour allows you to tour the center, admire the historic architecture of the building, look at the various setups in the classroom, walk through the beautifully painted corridors, and experience the typical feeling of this family-friendly setting. Al Qattara’s virtual tour is free and you can take it as often as you want to be comfortable in your home. The tour is available on the Abu Dhabi Culture website.
OPENING HOURS:
The opening hours of the Al Ain Art Center are from 8:00 am to 08:00 pm. These times work every day, except Friday when the center is closed. How can you book a visit to an art center? If you are planning a day trip to Al Ain and want to visit the Qattara Arts Center, it is best to make your reservation in advance. The relevant staff will then contact you for booking confirmation and other details. Alternatively, you can contact the center via landline or email using the following information:
Al Qattara Arts Center contact number: +971-3-761-8080
Email address: [email protected]
ATTRACTIONS:
There are many things to do in Al Ain, but if you are interested in archeology, culture, and nature, you can check out these ads near the Qattara Arts Center: Souq Al Qattara – 1-minute drive, Bin Hamoodah Fort Al Ain – two minutes of driving, Al Qattara Oasis – three minutes of driving, Al Jimi Oasis – three minutes of driving, Al Dharmaki Fort – 6-minute drive, Bin Helal Fort Al Ain – 6-minute drive, Al Jimi Fort – 6-minute drive
That’s all we have for you now. Whenever you visit Al Ain, be sure to change it with a really interesting attraction. It’s free and everyone is welcome. Cultural buffs looking for very interesting places that offer unique views of the region’s past can visit the Al Ain Palace Museum. In addition, there is the Al Ain National Museum with artefacts from the Stone Age to the creation of the UAE. However, if you are specifically looking for art galleries across the UAE, Maraya Art Center is definitely a good place to start.
