About the Initiative
Liwan Studio Resident provides a private studio space for a year-long initiative hosted
at Liwan Design Studios and Labs. Tailored for local designers and collectives, this
initiative is launched through an annual open call. Our selection process prioritises
design projects under development and/or applicants with strong potential to scale
within the Qatar creative economy.
Objectives
- Creative Fostering & Community: Integration into a cross-disciplinary creative
ecosystem that prioritizes networking, peer-to-peer critique, and collaboration, and offers
art direction guidance.
- Professional Development: Empower selected designers by connecting them
with leading creative and commercial mentors. Selected participants will gain
direct access to industry clients and market opportunities designed to scale
their practice.
- Community Engagement: Encourage participants to actively engage with the
local creative ecosystem. Through showcasing opportunities, public workshops,
and outreach ventures, this platform fosters meaningful dialogue, cultural
exchange, and sustainable development for the creative and design community
in Qatar.
Eligibility Criteria
- The opportunity is open to Qatari nationals and residents of Qatar.
- Designed for both emerging designers and mid-career professionals who require
dedicated studio space to deliver a design project and/or business development
resources to scale their practice.
- Open to applicants who are either working on a time-limited project or seeking to
develop a new creative initiative built upon their past body of work.
- Open to all design mediums. We welcome diverse practices across the creative
spectrum, including but not limited to product design, industrial design, craft,
photography, fashion, textiles, graphic design, and furniture.
Benefits
- 2. 3. Dedicated Studio Space: Each participant is provided with a private, dedicated
studio space within Liwan, featuring full 24/7 open access to support their
independent creative workflow.
Facilities: Selected designers receive access to specialized labs—including the
clay, photography, and prototyping labs with support from our lab technicians.
Business Development: professional development through custom,
personalised business and creative growth tracks, connecting the designer
directly with industry leaders and commercial opportunities.4. 5. Showcase Opportunities: Participants can showcase the progress of their work
throughout the year, including participation in Open Day and other Liwan events.
Media & Publication Spotlight: Selected designers will have the unique
opportunity to amplify their creative journey by being featured on the Liwan
Social media, Podcast as well as a chance to have their work documented and
published in Liwan’s print/digital publication, Aljournal.
Participant Expectations
To maintain a vibrant, collaborative environment and fulfill the cultural mission of this
initiative, selected participants must commit to the following engagement and
attendance milestones:
- Community Contribution (A Minimum of 4 Public Events):
- Public Deliverables: Deliver 2 public workshops and 1 panel talk over
the course of the year.
talk.
- Institutional & Public Engagement:
- Open Studios: Actively participate in scheduled Open Day studios to
welcome the public and peers.
Ramadan event.
workspace during official institutional and high-level VIP delegation visits.
- Studio Presence:
- To foster genuine collaboration and peer-to-peer engagement within the
cohort, designers are expected to maintain an active physical presence,
utilizing their assigned studio space a minimum of 3 days per week.
Selection Process & Onboarding Timeline
- Step 1: Jury Selection: Applications undergo a rigorous review and shortlisting
process by an expert jury panel.
- Step 2: Candidate Notification: Successful candidates are contacted
confidentially regarding their selection.
- Step 3: Onboarding & Consultation Briefing: Selected designers are invited to
Liwan for an alignment session covering facilities tours, contract signings, public
schedule mapping, and communications/PR planning.
- Step 4: Public Announcement: The final cohort is revealed to the public and the
media.
Application Form Requirements
Applicants are required to submit their materials digitally through the online application
portal. Please ensure all documents follow the specified formats below.1. Personal & Professional Information
- Applicant Details: Full name, contact information, residency status verification
(QID/Passport copy), and link to professional website/social channels (if
applicable).
- Artist/Designer Biography: A brief narrative biography introducing your
professional background, creative philosophy, and key career milestones
(Maximum 250 words).
- Current Curriculum Vitae (CV): A comprehensive professional CV detailing
your education, exhibition history, past creative projects, and awards (PDF
format).
- Creative Portfolio
- A curated selection of past work that demonstrates technical mastery,
innovation, and your unique design perspective.
- Format Requirements: A single compiled PDF document (Maximum 15 pages,
20MB file size limit).
- Content: High-quality imagery of past projects, sketches, and prototypes. Each
project must include a caption specifying the title, year, medium, and your
specific role in its execution (especially for collective/collaborative projects).
- Project Proposal
A clear, detailed breakdown of the initiative you intend to develop, execute, or scale
during your 12-month tenure at Liwan. Your proposal should address the following key
prompts:
- Project Concept & Context: Describe your proposed design project under
development. What are its core concepts, methodologies, and intended
outcomes? (Maximum 500 words).
- Resource Alignment: Explain how you plan to utilize Liwan’s specialized labs
(clay, photography, prototyping, etc.) and studio space to realize this project.
- Scalability & Market Growth: How will this opportunity, alongside the M7
business development tracks, help scale your practice within the
contemporary Qatar creative economy? (Maximum 250 words).
- Community Engagement Proposal
- Public Delivery Idea: A brief outline of your ideas for the required 2 public
workshops and 1 panel talk. What topics or techniques are you passionate
about sharing with the wider Doha and Liwan design community? (Maximum 250
words).