Celebrating Art, Music, and Heritage
The much-anticipated Spring of Culture Festival is making a grand return this year, promising a season rich in art, music, and heritage. The festival’s diverse programme was unveiled at the Bahrain National Theatre by Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) president Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, alongside Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre chief executive Damian Bush and deputy chief executive Mohamed Al Ansari.
Shaikh Khalifa highlighted the festival’s role in revitalising Bahrain’s cultural movement. “As we are accustomed to every year, the festival revives our cultural movement and reminds us that culture is our way to affirm the authentic spirit of Bahrain, its ancient civilisation, and culture,” he stated.
Scheduled for January and February 2025, the festival is a collaborative effort involving BACA, Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre, and Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research, with contributions from Albareh Art Space, Al Riwaq Art Space, Art Concept Gallery, Folk Art Space, La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art, and RAK Art Foundation. Activities will include tours exploring the kingdom’s history, archaeological sites, and ancient cities.
“The continued success of the festival cannot be achieved without the constructive cooperation between the organising and collaborating parties, and the support from partners and embassies,” emphasised Shaikh Khalifa. “This spirit of cooperation is essential to elevating Bahrain’s cultural scene and solidifying its position as a cultural hub.”
Mr Bush spoke about the significant support the festival has received from various sectors. “The success of the Spring of Culture Festival over the past years is due to the generous support from public and private sector institutions,” he noted. The festival has benefited from partnerships across different fields, working towards elevating Bahrain’s cultural standing. Bush also highlighted the festival’s impact on tourism, positioning Bahrain as a vital centre for attracting diverse investments.
One of the festival’s main objectives has been to connect and develop private sector investments in culture, showcasing Bahrain’s openness to global cultures. This supports tourism, an important and growing sector with significant potential for economic development.
The festival will transform various spaces around Bahrain into vibrant platforms for music and art. Highlights include an exceptional performance by Bahraini artist Ebrahim Habib with the Bahrain Music Band on January 9, and a series of performances at the Bahrain National Theatre hosted by Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre. These include the ballet Don Quixote on January 30-31, a concert by Egyptian composer Omar Khairat on February 6, and a performance by Egyptian artist Amal Maher on February 13. Additionally, the Bahrain Philharmonic Orchestra will present “Yemeni Melody” in Manama on February 20, and Grammy-winning composer Lorne Balfe will perform with the Manchester Camerata orchestra in “Top Gun: Maverick in Concert.”
Other performances will feature artist Kadim Al Sahir on January 10, Khalid Abdulrahman with Ayed Yousef on February 7, and Dutch Maestro André Rieu with his Johann Strauss Orchestra on February 14. The Cultural Hall will host musical evenings starting January 16, including performances by the English Chamber Orchestra’s Duo, the “Rouh Al Sharq” Choir from Egypt, traditional music from Southern Italy, and French mezzo-soprano Elinor Morel. Grammy-winning Pakistani artist Arooj Aftab will also perform, in collaboration with Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre, alongside family-friendly plays and a concert by Kid Francescoli at Darseen Cafe in the Bahrain National Museum. Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research will also host concerts and performances, highlighting Bahraini folk arts and featuring local bands at venues like Dar al Muharraq, Dar al Riffa, and Dar bin Harban.
The festival also boasts a vibrant artistic scene, offering numerous visual experiences for Bahraini audiences. The Bahrain National Museum will be the first stop, hosting the exhibition “Memories Carved in Steel” by Spanish sculptor Juan Garaizábal until the end of May, in collaboration with the RAK Art Foundation. Additionally, the museum will feature the opening of the exhibition “The Artist Books of Rafa Al Nasiri”. The Arts Centre will present exhibitions such as “The Palm Leaf” and the Japanese crafts exhibition “From Hand to Hand: 100-Year-New Craft”. At Kurar House in Muharraq, artist Khalid Farhan will showcase his latest works inspired by plants.
Al Riwaq Art Space will host the artist-in-residence exhibition “Application 004” and the Al Bait Festival, a space for artists, creators, youth, and families. Albareh Art Space will present the exhibition “Twilight” by artist Fatema Aljameaa and “On the Edge of a Crushing Cliff” by artist Hussein Al Mohasen. The Art Concept Gallery will feature artist Ahmed Emam’s exhibition “Fayoum Portraits”, while the Folk Art Space will host the exhibition “Klay Kassam”. Finally, La Fontaine Centre for Contemporary Art will present a photography exhibition “Ala Rasi” by photographer Rana Khadra and a talk by writer Tim Mackintosh-Smith.
The festival also offers a range of other activities across Bahrain, including poetry evenings, lectures, and seminars, along with various cultural events. The Post Office Museum will host “From the Post” cultural activities every Saturday in February, aimed at rediscovering the historical city of Manama, its landmarks, markets, and old neighbourhoods. An open-air cafe will also be set up at the museum. The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities is organizing interactive programs to showcase the kingdom’s heritage and history, including tours in collaboration with Kashta Tours at the Pearling Path in Muharraq, the A Farm Tour near Qal’at Al Bahrain, the On Board the Jalboot tour, and the Bahrain National Museum Tales tour. The Muharraq Talks discussion series will also return. The Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research will host a series of lectures and intellectual seminars featuring influential cultural and media figures, including Bahraini poet Qassim Haddad, Syrian Ibrahim Al Dogheim, Palestinian American writer Susan Abulhawa, and Egyptian journalist Suleiman Judeh.
Among the educational programmes are workshops on filmmaking, art, artificial intelligence, design, heritage, and crafts, held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
