Heritage and Culture
Craft Industries
The Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI) will administer two Royal Grants conferred on craftspeople by Sultan Qaboos on 19th October 2008. The first Grant is in support of craft industries and craftspeople, providing them with the necessary equipment, maintenance of craft sites and covering the cost of research. The second Grant provides for the setting up of crafts production and training...Oman Society for Fine Arts
Omani artists have won several Arab and international prizes for their work since the Omani Society for Fine Arts was established in 1993 as a creative forum. The Society runs a full programme throughout the year, which usually culminates in its annual exhibition. Events in last few years included an exhibition of work by students of Sultan Qaboos University’s Art Education Department, an Arabic...Sultan Qaboos University’s Cultural Centre
During His Majesty’s historic visit to Sultan Qaboos University in 2000, he announced plans for the creation of a major cultural centre with a multipurpose auditorium capable of accommodating up to 5,000 people. Other features of the project include an Oman Studies Centre with a number of specialist libraries and a second auditorium with seating for up to 200 people. The Centre has a main library...
The Oman Centre for Traditional Music (OCTM)
The Oman Centre for Traditional Music (OCTM) at the Ministry of Information was established in 1984. The Centre documents traditional Omani music and songs and makes audio and video recordings of them on location. All recorded material is kept in the Centre’s archives along with details of the musical forms, instruments, performers and the regions to which they pertain. These archives will be...
Al Fulaij Castle Theatre
Al Fulaij Castle Theatre in Barka, which opened in 1999, is the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism. During its 2007-2008 season it staged three productions. In the first of these, the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra and Syria’s Mari Orchestra (with Maestro Raad Khalaf) performed a joint concert featuring 50 girl musicians – the first time an event of this kind had been staged in the Gulf. The...The Royal Opera House
On the instructions of His Majesty a ‘Royal Opera House’ (formerly called the ‘House of Musical Arts’) is being constructed by the Diwan of Royal Court Affairs on an 80,000 sq.m. area in Qurm, Muscat. This hi-tech project have state-of-the-art, lighting and sound systems and an expandable stage and orchestra pit. The seating in the auditorium will be adjustable according to the type of...
The National Documents and Archives Authority
The National Documents and Archives Authority which catalogues and stores a wealth of Omani records and written documentation. Its property is deemed to be public property. The Authority is based in Muscat with plans to establish computer linked branches in the governorates and regions. The Authority held an international symposium in October 2007 in conjunction with the Institute of Public...The Oman Encyclopaedia
The Oman Encyclopaedia is a national project that aims to publish a comprehensive reference work on Oman and its people. It will cover Omani society, history, religion, economy, politics, art and literature, as well as various aspects of Oman’s natural history such as its flora, fauna, marine environment, climate and other features. The Encyclopaedia is designed for the general reader who has an...The Cultural Club
The Cultural Club operates under the supervision of the Minister of Heritage and Culture, with the aim of fostering cultural and social ties between intellectuals, writers and artists and promoting cultural awareness through events such as seminars and lectures. The club stages art exhibitions and cultural evenings as well as featuring works by members and non-members, in collaboration with other...The Literary Association
The Literary Association, part of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, holds a full programme of activities throughout the year and across the country. Literary evenings, poetry recitals, short story readings and criticism sessions are an important part of its annual programme along with events hosting distinguished living Omani poets and writers. The Association also stages annual seminars on...Omani Manuscripts
The Ministry of Heritage and Culture’s Manuscripts Department has a collection of some 4,600 manuscripts from Oman and elsewhere covering a diverse range of topics. It continues to collect and purchase manuscripts through the Manuscripts and Archives Valuation Committee. Recently the Department acquired a number of superbly illuminated rare manuscripts including ‘Takhmis al Burda’ by al Busiri, ‘...
Cultural Weeks, Exhibitions and Festivals
Cultural Weeks are a form of bilateral exchange between different countries that offer opportunities for artists and writers to meet and exchange ideas. The Ministry of Heritage and Culture has taken part in numerous cultural weeks, including events in Algiers, Berlin and Syria. A week long Book Fair was held for the first time from 23-30 August 2008 at the Salalah Tourism Festival as part of the...Literature and The Arts
In September 2008 Sultan Qaboos confirmed the formation of a supreme committee, headed by theMinister of Diwan of the Royal Court, to study the status of theatre and the standard of drama in the Sultanate, and to evaluate current levels of performance. The committtee will begin its work shortly by seeking the views of experts in the field of theatre and drama.
Literature and the arts are the...
Library of Public Knowledge
The Library of Public Knowledge is based in Qurm, Muscat and run by the Diwan of Royal Court. It invites the public to make use of its information services including the latest books, periodicals and internet services.
The Public Knowledge Library was established on November, 13th 1990,Under the directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for the benefit of the general public and to add to...