Muscat – Fifty cultural initiatives from across Oman will come together in Muscat on Tuesday for a forum aimed at strengthening partnerships, improving sustainability and expanding the reach of community-led cultural projects.

The third Cultural Initiatives Forum, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth under the theme ‘Towards a Sustainable Cultural Partnership’, will be held at Bait Al Zubair Museum.

The programme will move beyond traditional cultural activities to examine practical issues affecting the long-term survival of initiatives, including governance, funding, digital transformation, audience development and international outreach.

It will feature dialogue and brainstorming sessions, case studies, interactive workshops and presentations by cultural groups. Participants will also take part in sessions on digital literacy and the use of technology to develop and sustain projects.

A poetry evening and a visit to a cultural institution in Muscat are also planned.

Huda bint Saeed Al Riyami, Director of the Department of Cultural Activities at the ministry, said the forum reflects efforts to give civil society organisations a greater role in cultural production while encouraging creativity and community participation.

She said the rapid growth in cultural initiatives across Oman has created a need for a network that allows groups to share experiences and identify opportunities for cooperation.

“The forum focuses on moving from talking about traditional activities to discussing the actual elements of sustainability, most notably partnerships, governance, digital transformation, audience building, funding and international outreach,” Huda said.

She added that the event seeks to build the capabilities of initiative leaders in cultural management, encourage joint projects and help organisations use modern media and digital tools more effectively.

The ministry stated that stronger cooperation between public institutions and community cultural groups would help broaden participation and increase the social impact of projects across Oman.