Islamic Arts & Handicrafts

The Centre undertakes studies, organizes festivals, symposiums, exhibitions, competitions and training programs relating to various branches of the classical and the traditional handicrafts of the Islamic world. The aim is to promote the understanding and appreciation of these arts, encourage artists to observe and help to preserve their classical and traditional features alongside contemporary applications, publish research on the history and development of the arts and handicrafts.

• IRCICA’s International Calligraphy Competition has been organized every three years since 1986: the 12^th edition is on, to be finalized in mid-2022. Thousands of calligraphers from around the world have participated in the competition from around the world. Each edition of the competition covers, on average, ten categories of writing styles;
• International conferences on subjects relating to the history and development prospects of arts and handicrafts and topics of particular relevance such as women in arts and handicrafts (1983, 2002, 2010, 2014);
• Training programs on Islamic calligraphy held both online and in presence at IRCICA and in the Member States;
• Festivals of handicrafts comprising exhibitions awards, congresses and workshops, organized in the Member States since 1991;
• Publication of books on the history and the branches of Islamic arts, albums and catalogues of prized works of the calligraphy competitions and handicraft awards.