Tasweer to mark World Photography Day with awards, artist residency

Qatar's Photography Festival, Tasweer, will commemorate World Photography Day on August 19 with a special evening event. The celebration will honor exceptional photographic works and spotlight opportunities for emerging talent in Qatar. Entitled "Together in Photography: World Photography Day," the program will take place at Fire Station Cinema from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

It will gather photographers, artists, and members of the public to reflect on photography's role in preserving memory and shaping contemporary visual narratives. Key to the evening's proceedings will be the announcement of the 2026 Tasweer Awards, recognizing outstanding visual projects and individual photographs from this year's submissions.

The awards ceremony will be streamed live across Tasweer's digital platforms, allowing audiences outside Qatar to join the festivities.

In addition to the World Photography Day program, Tasweer is expanding its commitment to contemporary photographic practice through its 2026-27 Artist in Residency Programme. Applications for the second edition are now open until September 3. The five-month residency, hosted at Bait Al Wakra Studios in Al Wakra, targets photographers and visual storytellers aged 21 and above who reside in Qatar.

Selected participants will receive a private studio, a monthly stipend of QR4,000, and professional mentorship and training from seasoned photographers. The residency encourages projects exploring the intricate relationships between people, cultures, memory, and the environment—both within Qatar and beyond. Approaches such as documentary, experimental, and conceptual photography are welcomed, with participants developing their ideas inspired by Al Wakra's unique cultural landscape and heritage.

The residency will culminate in an exhibition titled "When the Image Unfolds – The Language of Impact," showcased as part of the 2027 Tasweer Festival. Simultaneously, a digital magazine will document the participants' creative journeys and exhibit the results of their artistic exploration. Tasweer's director, Khalifa al-Obaidli, emphasized photography's enduring significance in modern life.

"Photography has become an integral part of our daily lives," he stated. "Images remain among the most powerful ways of preserving the details of time and place in our collective memory." Al-Obaidli highlighted that the artist in residency program offers photographers a dedicated creative space where they can refine their ideas with expert guidance, transforming artistic concepts into completed projects while drawing inspiration from Al Wakra's distinctive cultural heritage.