SHARJAH, 5th October, 2026 (WAM) — The 12th edition of the Sharjah Calligraphy Forum will open on Wednesday under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, featuring 681 artworks by 272 artists and 93 events.
Running for more than 45 days until the middle of next month, the forum will take place at venues including Calligraphy Square, Sharjah Art Museum, House of Wisdom, University of the Arts Sharjah and 1971 – Design Space, as well as other cultural locations across the emirate.
Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture and Director of the Sharjah Calligraphy Forum, announced the programme during a press conference attended by Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture, participating artists and members of the media.
The 12th edition is being held under the theme “Mizan”, referring to balance and precision, concepts closely associated with Arabic calligraphy.
Al Qaseer said the forum, established in 2004 under the patronage and support of Sheikh Dr Sultan, had helped return Arabic calligraphy to the forefront of the global art scene while providing artists and calligraphers with new opportunities to connect the traditional art with contemporary practice.
The programme includes 26 exhibitions featuring traditional and contemporary calligraphy, with artists from the UAE and countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Italy, China, Canada, Pakistan, India, Germany, Türkiye and Indonesia.
The programme features 93 events organised by the Department of Culture in cooperation with more than 20 cultural, academic and artistic organisations, including House of Wisdom, Al Qasimia University, University of Arts Sharjah, Sharjah Museums Authority, the Emirates Photography Society and the Union of Arab Photographers.
The 681 artworks include installations, lettering works, murals, paintings, traditional calligraphy and Islamic ornamentation. They will be displayed at venues including the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, the Emirates Society for Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic Ornamentation, calligraphers’ houses, Dar Al Nadwa, the House of Ceramics and the Sharjah Centre for Arabic Calligraphy and Ornamentation.
The interactive programme includes 61 art workshops covering Arabic calligraphy techniques, styles and practices, alongside visual presentations. Three lectures will address developments and contemporary issues in Arabic calligraphy.
An international seminar at House of Wisdom, titled “Arabic Calligraphy between Authenticity and Global Leadership”, will bring together researchers, academics and artists from the Arab world and beyond. The forum will also host 100 guests, including media professionals, lecturers, calligraphers and workshop supervisors.
Exhibitions celebrate tradition and innovation
Among the featured exhibitions are “Al-Hilya Al-Sharifa”, presenting the hilya through different calligraphic styles; “Mizan”, exploring the flexibility of the Arabic letter; and “Pioneers”, celebrating the heritage of traditional Arabic calligraphy.
Sharjah Art Museum will also host “Images of My Beautiful Country”, featuring 36 photographic works by 36 photographers in cooperation with the Union of Arab Photographers, and “The Language of the Letter and the Eye”, featuring 60 works by 30 photographers in cooperation with the Emirates Photography Society.
House of Wisdom will present “In Balance: From the Dot to Meaning”, featuring four artistic experiences by Sheikha Khawla bint Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Khalifa Al Shimi, Hamid Al Saadi and Khalid Al Jallaf. The exhibition explores the development of the Arabic letter from the dot to its visual and semantic completion.
1971 – Design Space will host several contemporary projects, including “Barzakh”, “Haa” and “A Sea Without a Shore”, alongside works by Pakistani artist Shabbir Mir.
The forum will honour Egyptian calligrapher Khalifa Al Shimi, Moroccan calligrapher Belaid Hamidi and Emirati calligrapher Ali Al Hammadi.
Awards will also be presented for outstanding works in the general exhibition, including the Grand Prize, three awards for traditional approaches, three awards for modern and contemporary calligraphic arts, and a special jury award for an Emirati calligrapher.
Source: Emirates News Agency
