QAIC Community Day

Join QAIC for our summer open house as we celebrate the Alif Ba exhibition with a building full of fun activities! There will be an alphabet-themed sensory experience, ‘Shorts by Shorties’ student film screenings, musical demonstrations, local vendors, and more!

Alif Ba Exhibition

Co-produced by Qatar Foundation and the National Children’s Museum in honor of the 2021 Year of Culture between the United States and Qatar, the Alif Ba Exhibition is an interactive experience aimed at introducing young audiences to the Arabic alphabet and language through touch and sound.

The Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) has the honor to further the legacy of these pieces through coordinating the travel of the exhibition across the nation. After previously being hosted by the Mahurin Honors College at Western Kentucky University and Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Alif Ba Exhibition will conclude its tour at QAIC headquarters in DuPont Circle, Washington, D.C.

About QAIC

Founded in 2017, the Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creates, curates, and executes programs and research that amplify the prominence of all forms of art and culture in society. QAIC cultivates artistic expression and cultural dialogue from the United States, Qatar, and the larger Arab and Islamic worlds.

QAIC serves as a vital hub to convene artists, curators, storytellers, creatives, scholars, and academics, connecting them with a global network that extends beyond its physical space in Washington, D.C. Through art exhibitions, educational programs, scholarly research, and cross-cultural partnerships, QAIC provides interactive experiences in an inclusive environment to celebrate and appreciate art and culture.

COVID-19 Policy

Masks are required to be worn at all times inside unless eating or drinking.

Schedule

12:00 pm – “Shorts by Shorties”

12:15 – 12:50 pm – Sitar demo featuring Alif Laila

1 pm – Welcome remarks | “Shorts by Shorties”

1:15 pm – Storytelling

1:30 – 2:10 pm – Sitar demo featuring Alif Laila

2 pm – “Shorts by Shorties”

2:15 pm – Storytelling

2:45 pm – Oud demo featuring Laith Alattar

3 pm – “Shorts by Shorties”

3:15 pm – Storytelling

Untimed/ongoing activities:

Alif Ba exhibition

Alif Ba sensory experience

Scavenger hunt

Vendor & partner tables

Puzzle table

Museum of the Palestinian People

Middle East books

Youth activities

Food vendors

Spin art