Photographers from Western Asia and North Africa invited to submit entries before 1 November 2022 

Qatar Museums has announced an open call for the third edition of the Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Project and Single Image Awards. The open call forms part of Tasweer, an annual photography festival celebrating photographers from the Western Asia and the North Africa (WANA) region. The award, dedicated to Sheikh Saoud Al Thani (1966-2014) — one of Qatar’s greatest collectors who largely shaped the Museum of Islamic Art’s extraordinary collection — invites photographers from across the WANA region to submit their entries before 1 November 2022. 

The Sheikh Saoud Project Award is an annual grant award for photographers residing in WANA, supporting proposals for the development or completion of a photographic project. The jury-selected awardees will each receive a grant award of QAR30,000 to support their in-development or new photographic project. The Sheikh Saoud Single Image Award is an open call for a single image that best represents the photographer's experience and personal narrative. 

Khalifa Al Obaidly, founding director of Tasweer, said: “We are delighted to invite aspiring and established photographers from across the WANA region to submit their entries for the third edition of the Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Project and Single Image Awards.  The annual competition provides an opportunity to discover phenomenal talent with winning entries being featured in an exhibition during Tasweer in March 2023, drawing local, regional and international attention to the photographic energy and creativity of the region.”

The annual photography competition is held in partnership with the Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Foundation and Hamad Medical Corporation. As part of Tasweer’s collaboration with HMC, a selection of the winning images will be displayed on screens in the rooms of in-patients. 

Qatar Museums founded Tasweer to nurture and shine an international spotlight on aspiring and established photographers and photographic communities from the WANA region. The initiative builds on Qatar Museums’ commitment to nurture artistic talent and support the nation’s thriving cultural landscape. 

Photographers from WANA are invited to submit their entries at www.tasweer.org.qa before 1 November 2022 . Winners will be announced in March 2023 during the launch of the next edition of Tasweer.