Doha, November 21 (QNA) - Qatar Museums is hosting the World Wide Walls (formerly known as Pow! Wow!) international mural festival from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2 at the Old Doha Port, Mina District in Doha.

The biannual festival of mural arts, being hosted for the second time in the MENA region will see 13 local, regional, and international artists add striking artworks to the walls in and around the Old Doha Port.

After 10 years, the festival changed its name from POW! WOW! to World Wide Walls (WWW) the name was chosen to highlight the part of the organization that revolves around cities, people, and artistic talent. The WWW organization has evolved into a global network of artists, hosting gallery shows, lecture series, art and music schools, mural projects, and live art installations across the globe. The festival's impact goes beyond the art created during the event and has been known to bring about a sense of pride and community to the areas it has touched.

This year, 10 international and 3 local artists will have their own station at the Mina District where they will display their work. Participating artists include Noura Al Mansoori (Qatar), Ghada Al-Suwaidi (Qatar), Abdulla Alsallat (Qatar), Kevin Lyons (USA), Ettoja (Lithuania), Caratoes (Hong Kong/Belgium), Moh Awudu (Ghana), Lula Goce (Spain), Adry del Rocio (Mexico), Sofles (Australia), Hood (Oman) and Belal Khaled (Palestine). In partnership with the Years of Culture initiative, WWW has also invited Indonesian artist Herzven to commemorate the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture.

"At World Wide Walls, our mission is to enhance communities through public art while offering diverse platforms for local and global artists. Originating in Hawaii, we've extended our presence to over 25 cities worldwide. Collaborating with the Qatar Museums to introduce our initiative to Doha marks a significant stride in fostering connections through art. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with regional artists, contributing to the global art landscape and further enriching our shared cultural tapestry," WWW founder Jasper Wong said.

For his part, Director of Public Art at Qatar Museums Abdulrahman Ahmad Al Ishaq said that Public Art has transformed Dohas urban landscape over the past few years.

"We have added more than 50 murals across the city, continuously widening the scene and introducing new artists. Qatar Museums is excited to host World Wide Walls for the second time in Doha, an international mural festival. We are thrilled to support a global network of artists whose artworks will match the vibrancy of the MINA District, in Old Doha Port," he added.

World Wide Walls was founded in 2010 by artist, illustrator, curator and art director, Jasper Wong, in Hong Kong, where the first edition of the week-long mural festival was held. The festival has since exhibited in more than 25 cities worldwide with the purpose of city beautification and community building.

The first edition in Qatar and in the MENA region took place at the Al Sadd Metro Station in 2021, where 12 local and international artists brought life to Doha walls. (QNA)