Led by specialised artists and art practitioners, many sessions take inspiration from the Foundation’s exhibitions and events. Workshops drawn from the works on display at the recently concluded exhibition Laila Majid and Inaam Zafar: Body Quotidian invite younger participants to learn what different visual details can reveal, while sessions inspired by Vantage Point 13 introduce participants to photography, image-making and different ways of interpreting the visual world. 
Central to the Art Centres Learning Programme are activities that respond to the particular environments and histories surrounding each centre. Alongside artists and art practitioners, members of local communities will share knowledge shaped by their own experiences of place.

In Al Dhaid, Seed Season encourages home growers and gardening enthusiasts to exchange seeds and practical knowledge. In this hands-on activity, participants will prepare and plant a selection of seeds or small seedlings, and learn about methods of germination and plant care.

Reflecting Al Hamriyah’s relationship with the coast, Stories and Tools from the Sea introduces children to traditional fishing practices through an encounter with a fisherman. Participants will create artworks that draw on the forms of traditional fishing equipment. 

In Textiles from Al Madam, participants will meet a resident to explore local textile and craft practices that they can use to make their own contemporary works from materials found in the surrounding environment. In Coastal Archives, a community member from Dibba Al Hisn will speak about stories, customs and practices passed down through generations, which participants will document through drawing and writing.

In addition to the workshops, the autumn programme offers longer courses where participants can develop their skills in art forms such as ceramics, textiles, screenprinting, drawing and mixed media. In Al Dhaid, a multi-session introduction to the pottery wheel takes participants through preparing and centring clay, forming basic shapes and preparing finished pieces for glazing and firing. 

Activities are designed for a broad range of age groups, from sessions for pre-school children accompanied by caregivers to programmes for older children, teenagers and adults. Most sessions are conducted in both Arabic and English. 

The majority of learning programme activities are free, with materials provided. The Foundation is committed to making its programmes inclusive and accessible, and participants can request any support they may need through the registration form. 

The autumn Art Centres Learning Programme runs from September through November 2026.