Ideas may begin with a small group of people, but with the right partnerships, they can grow into movements that shape communities. This is the thinking behind the third edition of the Cultural Initiatives Forum 2026, bringing together 50 licensed cultural initiatives from across Oman under the theme “Towards a Sustainable Cultural Partnership”.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, represented by the Department of Cultural Activities, the two-day forum is being held at Bait Al Zubair in Muscat on August 18 and 19. It seeks to create a space where cultural initiatives can exchange experiences, build connections and explore ways to make their work more sustainable and far-reaching.
Huda bint Said al Riyami, Director of the Department of Cultural Activities, said the forum reflects the ministry’s cultural strategy by strengthening the role of community institutions in cultural production and encouraging creativity, innovation and new approaches. She noted that this supports the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, particularly in developing stronger institutional partnerships and reinforcing identity and social cohesion.
As the number of cultural initiatives continues to grow across the Sultanate of Oman, Al Riyami highlighted the importance of creating a network that brings them together. This year’s forum shifts the conversation beyond activities themselves to the foundations of sustainability, including partnerships, governance, digital transformation, audience development, funding and international outreach.
The programme combines interactive workshops, dialogue sessions, a round-table, brainstorming sessions and presentations of inspiring initiatives, alongside a poetry evening featuring participating poets and a visit to a cultural facility in Muscat.
For Saleh bin Said al Hamdani, founder and chairman of the Suhar Cultural Council, the forum is also about preparing cultural initiatives for a rapidly changing landscape. He said the gatherings help develop leadership capabilities while introducing participants to developments such as artificial intelligence and emerging digital technologies.
Al Hamdani praised workshops led by Dr Salman al Hajri and Dr Jamil al Shaqsi, saying they offered valuable knowledge even to those already familiar with the field. He added that participants can carry these lessons back to their own initiatives.
Dr Salman al Hajri, Omani academic and associate professor of art and graphic design at Sultan Qaboos University, described cultural initiatives as part of a wider cultural movement within society. He stressed the need for those managing them to strengthen their digital awareness, particularly in how their initiatives are represented through social media.
For Al Hajri, attending the workshops is only the beginning. The real value, he said, lies in applying what is learned, continuing to develop and building teams with stronger digital knowledge and practical skills.
By bringing 50 initiatives under one roof, the forum offers more than a platform for discussion. It creates a meeting point for ideas, experience and collaboration, with the ambition of turning individual cultural efforts into a more connected and sustainable movement across Oman.
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