What: Malja is the first creative community and open collaborative studio in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Malja is the product of the growing need of a creative working and networking hub on the island. Malja will house an open space for young and innovative minds from various creative disciplines to engage and grow in an environment that nurtures and contributes to their creative and social skills. An open space filled with innovative, inspiring, and creative minds. Malja is the place to exchange ideas and convert the basic human interactions into the island's most creative ideas.
Why: In December of 2010, H.E. Shaikha Mai bint Mohamed Al-Khalifa, Minister of Culture, generously assigned Obai & Hill's Creative Director Wafa Al Obaidat to transform the Art Center in the Kingdom of Bahrain to an active and permanent venue.
Wafa teamed up with the young Graphic Design and Photography extraordinaire Bader Kamal to merge minds and come up with a concept to solve some of the neglected obstacles facing the young creative community in Bahrain using the Art Center.
Malja is on track to provide the following:
- One-stop hub for the increasing number of creatives to temporarily work, network, and collaborate with peers from other creative fields.
- A simple streamlined process to aid the growing creative industry in Bahrain in finding, supporting, and promoting new artists.
- An inspiring venue that actively promotes work and ideas of all creative fields into one melting pot.
- Encouraging the growing artistic and creative community by organizing auctions, galleries, presentations, and workshops.