Katara Cultural Village

Katara Cultural Village, also called Katara, is a cultural and commercial complex in Doha, Qatar, located on the eastern coast between West Bay and the Pearl.

Katara Mosque
Central plaza

It was soft-opened in October 2010 during the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.[1]

Overview
For the etymology of the name, see Qatar § Etymology.

The complex comprises an open amphitheater, an opera house, a multi-purpose cinema, a multi-purpose conference hall, a beach (named Katara Beach),[2] and a souq.[1] A museum showcasing the country's maritime heritage was opened in November 2015.[3] It is also site of AlBahie Auction House.[4] It includes a 38,000 m2 (3.8 ha) open-air shopping mall equipped with outdoor air conditioning, named 21 High st ("Katara Plaza" during development).[5][6] The complex is also host to a variety of different exhibitions, festivals, workshops, lectures, concerts and religious activities.[7]

The buildings and facilities at Katara were deliberately arranged in order to reflect the country's cultural and architectural heritage.[8]

Cultural organizations

Katara hosts the following cultural organizations:[9]

  • Al Gannas Association, an organization for hunting and falconry.
  • Al Bahie Auction House, dedicating to auctioning works of art.
  • Arab Postal Stamp Museum, a museum covering the postal history of 22 countries.
  • Bedaya Center, a career center dedicating to helping young Qataris find employment.
  • Brooq Magazine, a monthly cultural magazine established in 2003.
  • Doha Film Institute, a film production company that promotes local and regional filmmakers.
  • Forum of Arabic and International Relations, a cultural organization formed to promote intraregional relations and dialogue.
  • Katara Art Center, an art center founded in 2012.
  • Katara Art Studios, an organization that holds art workshops and organizes local art-related events.
  • Katara Beach Club, a sports and wellness club.
  • Katara Planetarium, a planetarium which has a capacity for 200 viewers and boasts a 22-meter display.
  • Poet Majles, a center dedicated to Arabic poetry.
  • Qatar Fine Arts Association, one the oldest artist societies in the country.
  • Qatar Music Academy, a government-sanctioned academy that trains students in music.
  • Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, an orchestra that performs both western and Arabic music.
  • Qatar Museums Gallery-Katara.
  • Sout Al Khaleej, an Arabic-language public radio station.
  • Visual Art Center, which showcases the work of local artists and holds educational workshops.
  • Youth Hobbies Center, a youth center that holds workshops on activities such as photography, stamp collecting, animation and video games.

Events

Fath Al Kheir journey

Fath Al Kheir journey is a voyage organized by Katara management to promote Qatar's maritime heritage. The first voyage took place in the Persian Gulf from 22 November to 18 December, 2013. A second voyage was launched on 6 October, 2015. The ship was crewed by 40 Qataris in traditional attire and sailed around the Arabian Sea, with the key destinations being Oman and India. The Indian ambassador to Qatar hailed it as a milestone in the countries' bilateral relations[10]

Katara Art Forum

A two-day discussion forum for the arts was inaugurated in Katara in 2014. An annual event, the forum features international and local researchers who deliver speeches on topics such as the history of Arab art and Arab art groups.[11]

Aida

In October 2012, an event featuring Giuseppe Verdi's classic opera Aida was hosted in Katara's amphitheatre. It was the first opera to be held in Qatar. The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra were featured in the opera, alongside at least 80 singers and 35 actors.[12]

2021 FIFA Arab Cup Draw

The group stage draw for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup took place on 27 April 2021 at the Katara's opera house.[13]

UK Festival

The UK Festival was held in parts at the Katara Cultural Village since their 5th edition in 2020.[14] In 2022 the Village also signed an agreement with the organiser British Council Qatar to cooperate on future events.[15][16]

S'hail

The S'hail falcon exhibition is one of largest exhibitions for falconry and hunting and has been held at the Katara Cultural Village since 2017. The festivals featured falcons from local and international breeders, as well as veterinary clinics, booths for falcon-related goods and events like the simulated air gun event.[17][18]

Transport

Katara can be reached on the Red Line of the Doha Metro as well as taxis. There is ample parking.

Development projects

Doha Bay crossing (also known as Sharq Crossing) is a causeway between 600 m and 1,300 m which will link Hamad International Airport with Katara. It is set for completion by 2021.[19]

Management
A scale model of Katara.

Dr. Khalid Bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti is the General Manager of Katara Cultural village.[20]

  • Overhead view of buildings Katara cultural village.
    Overhead view of buildings Katara cultural village.
  • A pair of dovecotes in Katara.
    A pair of dovecotes in Katara.
  • The amphitheater in Katara.
    The amphitheater in Katara.

References
  1. "Katara set for soft opening". Gulf Times. 2010-10-16. Archived from the original on 16 September 2012.
  2. "International Arabian Horse Festival from Feb 1-11". Gulf Times. 2023-01-16. Archived from the original on 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  3. "افتتاح متحف المحامل التقليدية في "كتارا"". Qatar News Agency. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  4. "Qatar Gets New Auction House - artnet News". artnet News. 2016-04-04. Archived from the original on 2019-08-07. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  5. DUNES (2019-04-21). "21 High st, the exquisite outdoor shopping destination, opens at Katara". DUNES. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
  6. "Make Way For More: Katara Plaza Launched in Qatar". Entrepreneur. 13 April 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  7. "Katara hosts 643 cultural activities in six months". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 2023-08-01. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  8. "About us". Katara. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  9. "Communities". Katara. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  10. "Fath Al Kheir begins 44-day historic voyage to India". The Peninsula. 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  11. "Katara arts forum launches in 2nd edition". The Peninsula. 15 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  12. Alya Al-Othman (22 October 2012). "Opera Aida Enthralls Audience at Katara". Khaleejesque. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  13. "Qatar to host FIFA Arab Cup 2021 draw on 27 April". FIFA.com. 23 April 2021. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  14. "The British Council and the British Embassy launch fifth British Festival in Qatar". ILoveQatar.net. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  15. "British Council Qatar signs agreement with Katara Cultural Village Foundation". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  16. "British Council Qatar announces 7th UK Festival in Doha". www.tradearabia.com. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  17. "Hunting and falcon show begins at Katara". Gulf Times. 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  18. "Katara gears up for September launch of S'hail 2023". Gulf Times. 2023-08-22. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  19. "Qatar reveals huge infrastructure project". Construction Week Online. 17 December 2013. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  20. "Katara appoints Dr Khalid Ibrahim Al Sulaiti as GM". The Peninsula. 2012-10-22. Archived from the original on 2015-01-04. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
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