Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, the Calligraphy and Ornamentation School was established in 2023 in the Emirate of Fujairah. It serves as a specialised centre dedicated to reviving and developing the traditional arts of writing, and to strengthening their presence within the contemporary cultural landscape, both locally and internationally.
The Calligraphy and Ornamentation School offers educational programs for adults through three main learning pathways: the academic pathway (Postgraduate Diploma and Master’s degree), specialised annual programs that allow full dedication to learning one or more art forms over the course of an entire year, and flexible short programs delivered both in person and online. The school also includes a dedicated department for children and youth aged 6 to 18, aiming to nurture aesthetic sensibility and build an early, lasting connection with the arts.
The school attaches particular importance to research and publication, issuing the annual academic journal «Mishkat.» This peer-reviewed journal focuses on publishing research and outputs from the Fujairah International Conference on Calligraphy and Ornamentation, alongside other specialised publications and releases. These include rare educational and practical books that contribute to enriching knowledge, supporting practitioners, and serving the traditional arts community more broadly.
The role of the school is not limited to education; it extends to energizing the cultural landscape through free creative spaces, regular gatherings for calligraphers across the United Arab Emirates, and wide-ranging collaborations with local and international institutions. The school also organizes a major international biennial competition in classical and contemporary Arabic calligraphy, ornamentation, and miniature art, in addition to a special category dedicated to calligraphers from the United Arab Emirates. The competition offers prizes that serve as a genuine launchpad for artists’ professional careers.
The Fujairah International Conference for Calligraphy and Ornamentation is one of the most prominent intellectual platforms organised by the school, addressing the applications of these arts in manuscripts, architecture, and contemporary visual fields, with the participation of a select group of researchers and artists from various countries around the world. The conference is followed by Art Week, which opens its doors to the local community through a rich programme of practical workshops and live experiences, allowing the public to interact with international experts, educators, and artists, thereby bringing this ancient heritage closer to daily life.
With this integrated vision, the Calligraphy and Ornamentation School continues to strengthen its position as an educational and cultural center that contributes to preserving traditional arts, developing them, and passing them on to new generations.
