HOUSTON - s4story -- The Islamic Arts Society wishes to thank its patrons and friends for making the 12th annual Islamic Arts Festival a resounding success. The event was held on the 15th and 16th of November at the University of Houston and brought together artists and visitors from all across the United States. The Mayor of Houston, John Whitmire, inaugurated the festival at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and emphasized the importance of art and cultural events in building an inclusive and diverse Houston.

Over 5000 visitors attended the festival over two days. The event showcased the art of over 50 artists, including 12 who attended from various parts of America and Canada. The Islamic Arts Festival is the largest display of Islamic arts under one roof anywhere in America.

To mark our 12th anniversary, several famous artists appeared at the Islamic Arts Festival at the invitation of the Ibn Sina Foundation. These include world-famous mosque decorator Harouth Bastajian and multimedia artist Aisha Changezi from Michigan. Calligrapher Elinor Holland and illumination artist Ism-i Nur from New York, and calligrapher Haidar Muhsen from Dallas

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Famous Turkish Sufi music sensation Abdullah Kaymak was the highlight of the Festival's evening entertainment program. He thrilled the audience with his dynamic performance blending the sacred tradition of Sufi music with jazz, blues, and global music influences. The evening Muslim comedy show featured Preacher Moss and Sabeen Sadiq. In addition, the festival featured a film festival, a spoken-word program, and an academic seminar organized in collaboration with the University of Houston's Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts. Islamic art workshops were also held during the festival, and attendees learned Islamic Calligraphy from Elinor Holland & Islamic decorative art from Harouth Bastajian.

Visitors especially enjoyed the live interactive art demonstrations including calligraphy, Ebru, henna, painting, and children's art activities. The Asia Society, The Children's Museum of Houston, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston supervised the children's art section this year.

An estimated 250,000 Muslims live in the Greater Houston area. The purpose of this event was to celebrate our culture and promote the positive image of our community among Muslims and non-Muslims. Some of the art was displayed inside the prayer area and it allowed many native Houstonians to visit a working mosque for the first time. The oldest and largest festival of Islamic arts brought people from diverse cultures, faiths, and backgrounds together for a weekend of learning, fun, and festivity.
For more details, see https://www.islamicartssociety.org