19 March 2019
Bahrain Culture Authority & the Supreme Council for Environment Launch “ Studio 244” Project at Arad Bay
In order to create a common open multipurpose space, merging between cultural, environmental and social trends, Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities, in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Environment, launched, on 19 March 2019, its new challenging project “Studio 244” at the heart of Arad Bay Protected Area and Park. The event was attended H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities (BACA), Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Dainah, the Chief Executive of the Supreme Council for Environment, H.E Shaikha Hala Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director General of the Culture and Arts Directorate, artists, and culture lovers amid big media coverage. The project is part of the 14th Edition of the Spring of Culture Festival. “ Studio 244”proejct kicked off with an exceptional exhibition organized by “ Fab Lab Bahrain”, whereby many Bahraini artists masterminded and showcased many artworks, depicting migratory birds, many of them are considered endangered species because of loss of their natural habitat.
In this regard, H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa said that this project is exceptional because it is a fruit of cooperation between Culture Authority and the Supreme Council for Environment, confirming, thus, the message of culture to the whole world through these works of art. Artists need a space fertile and encouraging so that they can come out with beautiful masterpieces, as the birds who migrate to the Kingdom of Bahrain need to live and prosper in a healthy natural habitat. H.E added that degradation and fragmentation of important migratory bird habitat have been identified as potentially the largest individual threat to migratory birds, a threat that whole world community should be preoccupied with. Indeed, birds need essential resources for breeding, feeding, shelter, and survival, including access to food, water, and nesting sites, a message that we have to convey to all lovers of arts and culture “ as a real resistance action plan to eradicate all threats to birds flying over our sky and the world at large”, H.E concluded.
Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Dainah, for his part, highly valued this cooperation between Culture Authority and the Supreme Council for Environment, which would raise social awareness about these noble causes through art works by Bahraini artists depicting nature and environmental issues to be taken care of and preserved. Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Dainah noted that Arad Bay Protected Area and Park, Muharraq City is center managed by the Supreme Council for Environment, visited by all social categories, confirming that “ Studio 244”, at the heart of Arad Bay, will create a creative and incentive artistic atmosphere that reflects natural environment protection. Dr. Dainah added saying “ we hope that these awareness raising messages embodied in these artworks will to preserve nature and help protect it from threatening factors. Artists can surely help to convey these messages to the whole society members and raise awareness about the dangers and damage that might be inflicted on natural environment if left unchallenged”.
H.E Shaikha Hala Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director General of the Culture and Arts Directorate lauded this cooperation endeavor between Culture and Environment Council, arguing that culture should reach all social categories. H.E said “ Studio 244 should successfully carry out this mission being placed at the heart of Arad Bay so that culture and arts would be accessible and touch the greatest number”. H.E also argued that the inauguration of this project shed lights on local and migratory birds, in collaboration with “ Fab Lab Bahrain”, an art company working on the transformation of ideas into tri-dimensional applications. H.E also said that this cooperation was made possible and fruitful thanks to the creative visions of a selection of Bahraini artists.
The project is made up of three buildings, the biggest of them is “ Studio 244”, a space for cultural, communal and creative activities serving the visitors of the park, while “Units 17 & 19” will serve as annual multipurpose hall to host exhibitions, talks and workshops and two artists residencies. These spaces will be designed professionally to accommodate and habilitate arts and crafts’ business occasions, as well hosting social art workshops.
The project aims to create an open multipurpose space in the heart of Arad Bay Protected Area and Park supervised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities . The space will present a series of educational programs and activities addressed to all social categories. “Studio 244” aims to facilitate the public’s access to culture and arts platforms, by creating a special exceptional free social convivial atmospheres in Bahrain. The space will also highlight the significance of the site as a natural reserve and enrich the visitors’ experience through the programs and events offered, enhance the dynamic relation between artists, urban areas’ developers, environmentalists and society members.
The project “ Studio 244” is the fruit of Mmemorandum of Understanding signed between Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities and the Supreme Council for Environment, in September 2018, enhancing cooperation and imparting the legal aspect to future wider joint projects and programs between both parties.
