Fire Station Announces Open Call for the Second Edition of its Artists Intensive Study Programme 2027

Applications are now open until 5 September 2026 for the fully funded nine-month programme led by Wael Shawky
 Download the Press Release 
DOHA, 4 August 2026: Fire Station, Qatar Museums' contemporary art hub, is pleased to announce the Open Call for the second edition of its Artists Intensive Study Programme (AISP) 2027, inviting emerging visual artists from Qatar and around the world to apply for the fully funded nine-month programme, which will run from March to November 2027. 

 The programme, led by internationally acclaimed artist and Fire Station Artistic Director Wael Shawky, offers a transformative opportunity for emerging and passionate artists to engage in an immersive, interdisciplinary environment where they can develop their practice through studio-based learning, critical dialogue, mentorship, and interdisciplinary exchange.

 The programme brings together 25 emerging Qatari and international artists, providing participants with the chance to refine their technical skills, broaden their conceptual approaches, and expand their artistic practice through a rigorous curriculum that combines practical experience with theoretical learning.

The AISP offers an intensive, nine-month curriculum that includes practice-based workshops, seminars, group critiques, and lectures led by established artists, curators, and theorists. This combination of studio work, theoretical input and critical discourse aims to supplement traditional art education and nurture a new generation of innovative, critical artists. 

The programme not only offers an immersive learning experience but also provides participating artists with a platform to showcase the work developed throughout the programme in a final exhibition curated by Wael Shawky, marking the culmination of their experimental learning journey.

"The Artists Intensive Study Programme is designed to create an environment where artists are encouraged to challenge their practice, exchange ideas across cultures, and develop new ways of thinking. By bringing together emerging artists from diverse backgrounds alongside internationally recognised artists and practitioners, we aim to foster meaningful dialogue that broadens contemporary intellectual discourse beyond the Western Hemisphere. Through a curriculum shaped by diverse perspectives, the programme cultivates a unique network of global cultural communities," said Wael Shawky, Artistic Director of Fire Station. 

The jury for the 2027 edition comprises distinguished figures from the international arts scene: HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums; Wael Shawky; Tom Eccles; Chus Martínez; Emily Jacir; Hans Ulrich Obrist; Vincenzo de Bellis; Eugene Tan; and HE Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi.

Building on the success of its inaugural edition, AISP 2027 reflects Fire Station's continued commitment to nurturing and supporting emerging artistic talent and contributing to the growth of the region's cultural landscape.

The programme is open to emerging visual artists aged between 18 and 35 from around the world. Applicants should demonstrate a clear artistic practice and a commitment to exploring and expanding it, as well as a willingness to engage in both creative and intellectual challenges. They should also have a passion for working in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment and a strong motivation to produce and present new work at the conclusion of the programme.

International participants will receive flights, accommodation and a living allowance for the duration of the programme. There are no tuition or application fees.

Applications close on 5 September 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews in October and November 2026, with successful applicants notified in mid-December 2026.

Applications can be submitted online at: https://qmforms.qm.org.qa/form/AISP-2 

For more information, visit www.firestation.org.qa or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
About Qatar Museums 

Qatar Museums (QM), the nation's preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves and expands the nation's cultural offerings, sharing art  and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia (MENASA), and beyond with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors. 

Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and creative exchange in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the mission of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, and amplify the voices of Qatar's people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the development of museums  including the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, ALRIWAQ Art + Architecture, and QM Gallery Katara. Future institutions include Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar, the Art Mill Museum, the Qatar Auto Museum, and the Lusail Museum. 

Through its Creative Hubs and recurring festivals and biennials, such as M7, Fire Station, Liwan Design Studios and Labs, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, and Design Doha, QM initiates and supports projects that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable creative infrastructure. 

It is within this spirit of growth and ambition that QM proudly celebrates Evolution Nation, a campaign honouring Qatar's cultural journey over the past 50 years, since the original founding of the National Museum of Qatar. Curated by Qatar Creates, Evolution Nation highlights both the nation's cultural milestones and its bold aspirations for the future. 

Animating everything that QM does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention. 

FIND US ONLINE:

Qatar Museums

X: @Qatar_Museums | Instagram: @Qatar_Museums | Facebook: @QatarMuseums
 
About Fire Station 

Fire Station was founded in 2015, repurposed by Qatari architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, and it is a non-profit center for contemporary art production, display and education in Doha. This multipurpose facility features studios, three large exhibition halls, an auditorium, workshops, a fab-lab, and communal spaces for seminars. Fire Station's activities are centred around the Artist's Intensive Study Programme – a unique nine-month opportunity for emerging international and Qatari artists offering a curriculum shaped by diverse global perspectives to nurture a new generation of innovative, critical artists. Over the past nine years, Fire Station welcomed 158 artists and expanded its duration to include a three-month residency at the prestigious Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and New York City at Studio 209 NY, which is part of the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP). The Fire Station is headed by internationally acclaimed Egyptian-born artist Wael Shawky, who serves as Artistic Director.  

Fire Station includes extensive studio spaces, an auditorium, the popular restaurant Café #999, a bookshop, an art supply shop, and gallery spaces presenting inspiring local and international exhibitions. Fire Station has also hosted world-class exhibitions organized by Qatar Museums within its expansive Garage Gallery, including Pipilotti Rist: Electric Idyll (2024), Experience Al Jazeera (2022), Virgil Abloh: "Figures of Speech" (2021), Picassos Studios (2020), KAWS: He Eats Alone (2019) curated by renown art historian Germano Celant, Kazimir Malevich: Genius of the Russian Avant-garde (2019), Russian Avant-garde Pioneers and Direct Descendants (2018), Laundromat by Ai Weiwei (2018), German Encounters – Contemporary Masterworks from the Deutsche Bank Collection (2017), and Picasso-Giacometti (2017).