Overview
Sharjah Art Foundation invites you, your family and friends to join us on Wednesday and Thursday, 15 and 16 May 2019 in Sharjah’s Arts Square for Ramadan-inspired workshops and performances that are accessible to adults and children of all ages and abilities. This year’s Ramadan Nights also feature food and artisanal vendors from the community.
Come create Ramadan zines and postcards, design your own prayer beads, learn how to draw on pebbles and carve on candles, participate in our charity campaign and get involved in storytelling, both as a performer and a listener.
This event is free and open to the public.
Sharjah Art Foundation is committed to making its programmes as inclusive and accessible as possible. Disability access symbols are included in all session descriptions below to indicate the accessibility of the workshops and other activities.
Sharjah Art Foundation Ramadan Charity Campaign
In the spirit of Ramadan-giving, Sharjah Art Foundation invites community members to participate in its annual Ramadan Charity Campaign by donating second-hand clothes for those in need. The clothes will be collected by the foundation and upcycled through the Revamping Clothes workshops taking place during Ramadan Nights on 15 and 16 May 2019.
In addition to collecting and upcycling clothes, this year’s charity campaign is also providing free site-specific workshops and activities for the elderly at Sharjah’s Old People’s Home.
Second-hand clothes in good condition may be dropped off at the Collections Building, Arts Square, throughout the month of Ramadan. If you have questions about donations or the charity campaign in general, call 06-5444113 or send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Workshops and performances: Day 1
Ramadan Night 1 Workshops and Performance
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
9:30 pm–12:30 am
Children’s Workshop: Postcard Prints
9:30 pm–10:15 pm
Accessible for all
In this workshop, participants will colour postcards prints related to Sharjah Art Foundation programmes and events. They will then write a message on the postcard, which they can hang in their homes during Ramadan and Eid.
Adult Workshop: Ramadan Zine
9:30 pm–11:00 pm
Accessible for all
In this workshop, participants will draw on the variety of resources available to them, such as personal pictures and magazine images, to create their own zines inspired by the Ramadan spirit. Zine art can consist of photos, clipart, drawings or collages, and as zines are personal projects, all levels of quality are welcome and acceptable.
Workshop: Revamping Clothes
All ages
9:30 pm–12:30 am
As part of Sharjah Art Foundation’s annual Ramadan charity campaign to help those in need, participants in this workshop will upcycle donated second-hand clothes. They will collaborate with neighbourhood tailors to revamp and restore each piece, giving the clothes new identities. This workshop and the charity campaign provide an opportunity for participants to present the upcycled clothes as personalised gifts that maintain a sense of care and dignity.
Walk-in Activity: Learn Sign Language
In collaboration with Sharjah City Humanitarian Services
All ages
9:30 pm–12:30 am
Accessible for all
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the sign language expert Hasan Odeh, who will demonstrate how to say phrases such as 'Hello' and 'Ramadan Kareem' in sign language. Visitors will also receive a sign language guide.
Children’s Workshop: Questions and Answers
10:15 pm–10:45 pm
In this workshop, participants will gather together to engage with a Sharjah Art Foundation speaker and answer questions directed at them. Prizes will be given to every participant who answers correctly. This workshop focuses on communicating well and sharing knowledge.
Storytelling Performance: Listen to the Hakawati [Traditional Arabic Storyteller]
All ages
11:30 pm–12:30 am
Accessible for all
A hakawati [traditional Arabic storyteller] will tell a folkloric story in an entertaining and interactive way. Before the advent of television, the hakawati used to provide the whole community with their evening entertainment, delighting listeners with stories of heroism or romance that included important life lessons.
Workshops and performances: Day2
Ramadan Night 2 Workshops and Performances
Thursday, 16 May 2019
9:30 pm–12:30 am
Children’s Workshop: Carving Candles
9:30 pm–11:00 pm
In this workshop, participants will carve Ramadan or Eid designs onto wax candles and colour their work using special colours.
Workshop: Design Your Own Prayer Beads
All ages
9:30 pm–11:30 pm
Accessible for all
In this workshop, participants will personalise and design their own prayer beads (sabha) using a variety of colourful beads and tassels. Once done, participants can take their prayer beads home.
Workshop: Revamping Clothes
All ages
9:30 pm–12:30 am
As part of Sharjah Art Foundation’s annual Ramadan charity campaign to help those in need, participants in this workshop will upcycle donated second-hand clothes. They will collaborate with neighbourhood tailors to revamp and restore each piece, giving the clothes new identities. This workshop and the charity campaign provide an opportunity for participants to present the upcycled clothes as personalised gifts that maintain a sense of care and dignity.
Walk-in Activity: Learn Sign Language
In collaboration with Sharjah City Humanitarian Services
All ages
9:30 pm–12:30 am
Accessible for all
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the sign language expert Hasan Odeh, who will demonstrate how to say phrases such as 'Hello' and 'Ramadan Kareem' in sign language. Visitors will also receive a sign language guide.
Adult Workshop: Acrylic Painting
In collaboration with the Emirates Fine Arts Society
9:30 pm–12:30 am
Accessible for all
In this workshop, participants will paint with acrylics on canvases to create artworks inspired by Ramadan themes.
Open Mic Night
Ages: 16 +
10:30 pm–12:30 am
Accessible for all
Sharjah Art Foundation invites poets, musicians, comedians and other members of the community to reflect on the spirit of the holy month, its related themes and ways it brings the community together in open mic performances. To register as a performer, please click here.
Children’s Workshop: Drawing on Pebbles
11:00 pm–11:45 pm
In this workshop, participants will make drawings on pebbles to express their thoughts and feelings about the month of Ramadan. They will also add the date and year to document the activity.