Reimagine Maps Art Workshop 2026 in Sharjah

Reimagine Maps in Sharjah is a two-hour art workshop at Al Hamriyah Studios on Saturday 14 November 2026, run by Sharjah Art Foundation. It starts with a simple question: how can a place be read through the memory of someone who has lived it? You listen to a fisher or a resident of Al Hamriyah talk about the sea, then turn what you hear into a map of your own.

It is not a mapping class in the usual sense. Nobody hands you a grid or a compass. Instead, you work from spoken memories, using drawing, symbols, lines and colour to show the sea as a space of experience rather than a set of coordinates. The session runs between 4pm and 6pm and is part of the Foundation’s Al Hamriyah Autumn Programme 2026.

About Reimagine Maps in Al Hamriyah

Most maps tell you where things are. This workshop asks what places mean. The guest speaker, a fisher or a long-time resident, shares stories about wind directions, fishing grounds and spots along the water that hold special memories for them. Those accounts become the raw material for the afternoon.

Sharjah Art Foundation describes the aim as reimagining the sea as a space of memory and experience, not simply a geographical location. That framing matters. A fishing ground might sit on a chart as a patch of blue, but to the person who has worked it for years it carries weather, luck, hard mornings and good catches. The workshop gives you a way to put some of that on paper.

The session is delivered in Arabic and English, so you can follow the stories and the instructions in either language. That also makes it a nice meeting point between longer-standing residents of the area and newer arrivals who want to understand it better.

What Happens in the Session

Part one: listening

The afternoon opens with the speaker. Expect talk of the sea itself, how the wind is read, where people go to fish and which places carry personal meaning. This is the part to soak up. Jot down words, directions and images that stick with you, because you will draw on them shortly.

Part two: making your map

Next, you translate those stories into a visual map. The Foundation lists four building blocks: drawing, symbols, lines and colour. You might use a line to trace a route described by the speaker, a symbol for a favourite fishing spot, or a wash of colour to suggest a change in the wind. There is no right answer. Two people listening to the same story will almost certainly produce very different maps, and that is rather the point.

Materials

All materials are provided by Sharjah Art Foundation, so you do not need to buy or bring art supplies. Just turn up ready to listen and draw.

Who It Is For

Reimagine Maps is open to participants aged 15 and over. You do not need any drawing experience. The emphasis is on how you interpret a story, not on technical skill, so confident artists and nervous doodlers can work side by side.

It should appeal to older teenagers with an interest in art or geography, adults curious about life on the Sharjah coast, and anyone who enjoys sketchbooks, journaling or visual storytelling. Because it is built around a local voice, it is also a thoughtful way for residents of Al Hamriyah to hear their own area described by someone who knows the water well.

If you are coming with a teenager, note the minimum age of 15 and plan accordingly. Younger children can look at the Foundation’s family sessions elsewhere in the emirate instead.

The Venue: Al Hamriyah Studios

The workshop takes place at Al Hamriyah Studios in Al Hamriyah, in the emirate of Sharjah. The Foundation’s event page includes a map link to the studios, which is the easiest way to plan your route. Sharjah Art Foundation runs its Autumn 2026 learning programme across several community centres in the emirate, and Al Hamriyah is one of them.

If you enjoy this session, the same weekend has two more Foundation workshops in other parts of Sharjah: an embroidered wall clock workshop for ages 11 to 15 at Al Dhaid Art Centre on the Sunday morning, and an introduction to screenprinting for ages 15 and over at Al Madam Art Centre on the Sunday afternoon.

Visitor Tips

• Register first. Places are booked through Sharjah Art Foundation’s online form for the Al Hamriyah Autumn Programme 2026, linked from the official event page. Sign up before you travel.
• Ask for support if you need it. The Foundation says it is committed to inclusive, accessible programmes, and you can arrange any support you need through the registration form.
• Questions? The Foundation lists alhamriyahcentre@sharjahart.org and 065688800 for enquiries about this session.
• Bring curiosity. The storytelling part is a rare chance to hear first-hand knowledge of the sea. Listen closely and note down details you want to map.
• Pick your language. The session runs in Arabic and English, so you can follow along comfortably in either.

Plan Your Weekend in Sharjah

Reimagine Maps is a calm, rewarding way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and a good reminder that some of the most interesting art starts with conversation. Browse more workshops in the UAE, see what else is on in Sharjah, or check our pick of things to do in November. Then register your place with Sharjah Art Foundation and come ready to listen, draw and see the sea a little differently.