Geekdom nurtures Qatar’s growing creative community
What began as a space for people to celebrate their passions is becoming a platform for Qatar’s artists, aspiring entrepreneurs, and creative communities, with Geekdom founder Abdulla al-Musallam call...
Geekdom, a platform that began as a space for people to celebrate their passions, is now fostering Qatar's growing creative community. Founder Abdulla al-Musallam encourages young people to embrace their interests and turn their talents into opportunities. The recent Geekend 2026, held at the Geekdom Building on Lusail Boulevard, recorded its highest attendance yet, with artists, illustrators, families, independent creators, and small businesses coming together to celebrate creativity.
Al-Musallam, who also serves as the chief administrative officer of the Doha Film Institute, attributes the growing turnout to the community's increasing appetite for spaces where people can freely express themselves and connect with others.
The event, which emphasizes a sense of belonging, provides a welcome environment for individuals to discover others who share their interests. However, the event's growth has brought a new challenge; the organizers need to find a larger space to accommodate the expanding community. This year's Geekend focused on artists and illustration, featuring live drawing competitions and an illustration contest organized with the Embassy of Japan. The standard of work produced by participants showcased the creative potential within Qatar.
In addition to the artwork, Geekend offers a platform for independent creators and small businesses to reach audiences and establish themselves in the market. This year, around 27 participants were selected from over 100 applicants, including small businesses and individuals showcasing their creations. Al-Musallam emphasizes that Geekdom is not just a pop-up event but a year-round program.
Throughout the year, Geekdom collaborates with organizations such as Scale7, Qatar Development Bank's creative business incubator, and Media City Qatar to help creators understand business planning, pricing, monetization, and inventory management. This guidance aims to help creators move from occasional sales to building sustainable businesses and become part of Qatar's creative ecosystem.
Al-Musallam founded Geekdom in 2013, driven by his enthusiasm for communities and interests that inspired the platform. He encourages young people to celebrate their passions, be unapologetically geeky, and embrace their interests to turn their talents into opportunities within Qatar's creative ecosystem.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
