Muscat – Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth is set to open the inaugural Raneen art festival in Muttrah on November 21, welcoming artists from around the world to Oman. 

Running till November 30, the ten-day event will celebrate contemporary art through a fusion of visual and audio presentations held at three prominent historical venues in Muttrah.

Featuring 13 Omani and seven international artists, alongside eight solo musicians, Raneen promises an engaging mix of exhibitions, installations and live performances that highlight Oman’s heritage with a modern twist.

H E Sayyid Saeed al Busaidi, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, informed that the festival will include curated contemporary art exhibitions and artist-led work- shops. “Raneen will explore new interpretations of Oman’s architectural heritage, placing special emphasis on Muttrah’s historical significance. This initiat-ive seeks to rejuvenate Muttrah’s cultural landscape by infusing it with contemporary expressions of visual and audio art,” he explained.

The local artists include Ammar al Kiyumi, Bashair al Balushi, Haitham al Busafi, Huria al Harrasi, Israa Mahmood al Balushi, Khadija al Maamari, Marwa al Bahrani, Mahmood al Zadjali, Radhika Khimji, Ruqaiya Mazar, H H Sayyida Tania al Said, Tariq al Hajri and Makan Studios.

The international artists include Azra Akšamija (Austria/US), Clive Gracey (UK/Oman), Elina Brother-us (Finland), John Rea (UK), Laurenz Theinert (Germa-ny), Luke Jerram (UK) and Moath al Ofi (Saudi Arabia).