The Maraya Art Centre is a non-profit art space and cultural platform located in Al Qasba, the leisure center on the canal between the Al Khan and Khalid Lagoons.
Maraya Art Centre is supported by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), with the purpose to promote young artists from the Arab region, and from the international art scene.
Launched in March 2010, the three-storey art centre is set up over 1500 square meters of exhibition space.
The first level hosts the Maraya Community dedicated to educational activities, exchange and networking in the contemporary arts. The Book Shelter library makes books accessible free of cost.
The second level is the exhibition space of the Barjeel Art Foundation. The 475-square-metre space showcases the Barjeel collection, which includes more than 200 pieces of Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi’s personal collection. The Foundation presents artworks in rotating curated exhibitions, with different themes of political, social and cultural relevance to the Arab world.
The Maraya Gallery, a contemporary art space, is located on the third floor.