Press Release

Qatar Museums Announces Open Call for Third Edition of Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Photography Awards

14 September 2022

Photographers from Western Asia and North Africa invited to submit entries before 1 November 2022

Download press release

Share with a friend

Qatar Museums has announced an open call for the third edition of the Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Project and Single Image Awards. The open call forms part of Tasweer, an annual photography festival celebrating photographers from the Western Asia and the North Africa (WANA) region. The award, dedicated to Sheikh Saoud Al Thani (1966-2014) — one of Qatar’s greatest collectors who largely shaped the Museum of Islamic Art’s extraordinary collection — invites photographers from across the WANA region to submit their entries before 1 November 2022.

The Sheikh Saoud Project Award is an annual grant award for photographers residing in WANA, supporting proposals for the development or completion of a photographic project. The jury-selected awardees will each receive a grant award of QAR30,000 to support their in-development or new photographic project. The Sheikh Saoud Single Image Award is an open call for a single image that best represents the photographer's experience and personal narrative.

Khalifa Al Obaidly, founding director of Tasweer, said: “We are delighted to invite aspiring and established photographers from across the WANA region to submit their entries for the third edition of the Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Project and Single Image Awards. The annual competition provides an opportunity to discover phenomenal talent with winning entries being featured in an exhibition during Tasweer in March 2023, drawing local, regional and international attention to the photographic energy and creativity of the region.”

The annual photography competition is held in partnership with the Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Foundation and Hamad Medical Corporation. As part of Tasweer’s collaboration with HMC, a selection of the winning images will be displayed on screens in the rooms of in-patients.

Qatar Museums founded Tasweer to nurture and shine an international spotlight on aspiring and established photographers and photographic communities from the WANA region. The initiative builds on Qatar Museums’ commitment to nurture artistic talent and support the nation’s thriving cultural landscape.

Photographers from WANA are invited to submit their entries at www.tasweer.org.qa before 1 November 2022 . Winners will be announced in March 2023 during the launch of the next edition of Tasweer.

Tasweer: Qatar Photo Festival

Tasweer is a biennial festival celebrating the broad spectrum of photography and shining an international spotlight on Western Asia and North Africa photographers. Tasweer reflects diverse photographic practices and provides focused support to nurture local and regional photographers' personal and professional growth. The inaugural Tasweer Photo Festival, Qatar and the first Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Awards presentation were held across multiple venues and heritage sites – with a dynamic online programme of conversations and workshops – in Spring 2021. Tasweer is headed by Director Khalifa Ahmad Al Obaidly and Artistic Director Charlotte Cotton, with Tasweer's Senior Curator Maryam Hassan Al-Thani and Head of Exhibitions Sinem Yoruk.

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, restores, and expands the nation's cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region 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 education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar's people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar.

Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival and the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7—that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.

Animating everything that Qatar Museums 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.

Download Images & Press Release