The Qatar–UK Festival is more than a celebration, it is part of a story that began with the Qatar–UK Year of Culture in 2013. That landmark year was part of Qatar Museums’ Years of Culture initiative, designed to deepen understanding and strengthen ties between nations through shared cultural experiences.
In 2013, Qatar and the United Kingdom embarked on a year-long journey of collaboration, presenting audiences in both countries with an extraordinary program of exhibitions, performances, and educational projects. Highlights included Damien Hirst’s Relics exhibition in Doha—the largest solo show by the artist in the Middle East; the Pearls exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum; the world premiere of Globe Education’s Romeo and Juliet in Doha; and a major digitization project between the British Library and Qatar Foundation, preserving over 500,000 pages of historical material. The year also featured the region’s largest Arts and Disability Festival at Katara Cultural Village, the Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport exhibition in Manchester, and reciprocal family festivals and film showcases.
These initiatives laid the foundation for lasting partnerships in arts, heritage, and education. Today, the Qatar–UK Festival builds on this legacy. The festival continues to bring together artists, innovators, and audiences from both nations, ensuring that the dialogue started over a decade ago remains vibrant and forward-looking.
