An innovative art space designed to bring local artists and musicians together is opening today (January 30) at Amwaj Islands, Bahrain.

Malja (sanctuary) is made up of four sections - a cafe, an art and dance studio, a gallery and a recording studio, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It is a non-profit venue that has been put together by Red Bull Bahrain and designed by Bahrain-based Spoon Design Consultants.

It was created to give artists a permanent outlet to express themselves and showcase their talents, said Red Bull Bahrain communications specialist Julie Tegho.

“After two years of holding all these Red Bull events with a lot of incredible talents, we were being told that they didn't have a space to express themselves,” she told GDN.

“That's when we decided we wanted to have a space that could host all these people and give them what they need to create.

“Malja is free to access for all residents of Bahrain and the region, although for workshops and use of facilities there will be an entry fee depending on the event.

“We have had artists bringing in their ideas for the space because they understand what the urban scene needs here.

“Malja is important because it gives the opportunity for artists from different backgrounds to come in one space, brainstorm and come up with creative ideas. They can also present them there.”

The art space has been built on the old Alosra Supermarket grounds and will be open to the public tomorrow.

“Starting on Saturday we'll be open from noon to 6pm, having a sort of open day for the public to come and see what's going on,” said Tegho.

“In the evening we will hold workshops with regional and local artists as a sneak peak into the kind of workshops we will have at Malja.

“Among other things, on Thursday, we will have a talk by DJ Outlaw and an intro to stand-up comedy with Imran Al Aradi.”

The cafe at the venue has been named the Energy Station, while the gallery is called The Wall and the recording studio is named QTF (Quarter Tone Frequency) Sound Space.

“The Energy Station is a place to hang out and relax. The food available is locally produced and you will be surrounded by a music and art library,” explained Ms Tegho.

“In The Wall, we will have one permanent exhibition from January to December curated by Stafford and Sharabi Art Consultants.

“That will be taken down four times a year for short-term projects and exhibits in March, May, September and November. Those exhibits will last two or three weeks each.

“The gallery will also have a stage that can host concerts and events for up to 250 people.

“It's an opportunity for artists and anyone who has a creative mind-set in Bahrain - they can apply on the website to get involved.”

The QTF Sound Space is an electronic music production studio equipped for musicians and will have monthly hour-long shows featuring independent musicians from the region.

Musicians can sign up for studio time online through the website, www.maljabahrain.com.

The art and dance studio aims to encourage young dancers in the island, as well as artists who need space to work on their projects.

The exterior of the building is a special installation by Conor Maguire and Sarah Valente, as a bird's wing recreated by re-purposing old supermarket shelves that were meant to be thrown out. - TradeArabia News Service