CAIRO — In its 7th consecutive year, the highly successful Art Jameel Program for Traditional Arts and Crafts will celebrate the graduation of a new generation of artists and artisans at the Fustat Traditional Crafts Center on Aug. 25. Established in 2009 by Art Jameel, in collaboration with the Prince's School of Traditional Arts and the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, the program aims to train young Egyptians in the traditional arts, covering geometry, observational drawing, decorative floral patterns, painting, color theory, and the crafts of woodwork, ceramics, gypsum and stained glass, and metalwork. In line with Art Jameel's focus on preserving cultural heritage, including traditional arts in Egypt, the program develops students' abilities to apply the foundational skills they learn during the program to contemporary design and the restoration of monuments. The program also focuses on securing job opportunities for its students within the fields of art and design, and some of its more than 55 graduates have gone on to teach at academic institutions, venture into the world of furniture design, and hold successful exhibitions of their artwork. This year's graduating class consists of 17 promising students over three specializations; ceramics, wood, and metal work. "In order to encourage the creation of small businesses, we have also started to provide business courses to the students and to give alumni from the program new opportunities to exhibit and sell works at an annual alumni exhibition," said Renata Papsch, general manager at Art Jameel International. This year, the program placed a significant focus on the architectural environment of Islamic Cairo, with students actively engaging with historic monuments. "In line with Art Jameel's commitment to cultural heritage protection, we are continuing to explore openings for the students to engage with the architectural heritage of Cairo and hope to find a future opportunity for the students to contribute a piece to the restoration of a major site," said Papsch. The graduation ceremony will take place in the presence of students' friends and family, alumni from previous editions of the program, as well as several distinguished guests from Egypt's cultural scene, including Dr. Neveen El-Kilany, head of the Cultural Development Fund at the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The program director, Mamdouh Sakr, and the director of the Prince's School of Traditional Arts, Dr. Khaled Azzam, will also be in attendance. Ms. Renata Papsch, will also attend. Community Jameel, the social enterprise organization that includes Art Jameel among its initiatives, will be represented by Mr. George Richards, director of strategy development. The Art Jameel Programme for Traditional Arts and Crafts is part of a developing network of Art Jameel projects focused on preserving cultural heritage. This includes other partnerships with the Prince's School of Traditional Arts at the House of Traditional Arts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the Jameel House of Traditional Arts and Building Skills, currently under construction in Scotland.
