COMING UP

By Ashley Barlow

Once again we find ourselves in uncertain times, but don’t worry! The Station still has an exciting year ahead, delivering new and exciting programmes and opportunities.

We are delighted to announce a major new development at The Station, designed to support the creative industries in Baghdad! We recently opened our creativeSpace branches in Baghdad and Mosul, a new and exciting co-working space dedicated for artists, designers and the artistic community! The creativeSpace Baghdad will be a hub for Iraqis working in the cultural sector. Generously supported by the National Bank of Iraq, we will be hosting 15 creatives who will benefit from the use of the space to do their work, access mentors and exhibit their work. We will also be bringing exciting new programmes for those who want to enhance their skills or try something different! In addition, we will have new training rooms, with two dedicated for music rehearsal space so we can continue to support those who want to build up their musical expertise. Stay tuned to see what is coming up with new events, exhibitions, and programmes!

As we open the creativeSpace, we are excited to launch our first programme dedicated to supporting the artist community here in Baghdad! Crossroads is The Station’s project in collaboration with the British Council’s Masarat initiative. We will be inviting participants to join one of four different workshops: photography, calligraphy, mosaic making, and collage. Participants will learn new skills, enhance their abilities and have the opportunity to pitch for a residency in the creativeSpace where they will also benefit from mentorship. This will culminate in a final exhibition to be held later this year. This programme is a celebration of Iraqi artistic traditions that can be applied to business, new products and highlight the diversity of Iraq’s art scene.

Meanwhile in Mosul, we launched NinevArt, funded by UNESCO and the European Union. This programme has seen the creation of our second creativeSpace in addition to many activities. If you are a young creative in Mosul and would like to develop your professional skills join us and compete in a pitch battle to win the opportunity to have your project funded in Mosul, or abroad. Other activities will include documentary making workshops, art therapy, as well as numerous other activities throughout the year.

Whilst we will have many events at both creativeSpace, one of the first regular groups will be our film club. This will be an opportunity for individuals to meet and discuss the themes and ideas about international and national film. Our concerts are back, with new and exciting artists bringing you evenings of music. Come and get involved!

This year, The Station has been selected to hold the license for the Global Entrepreneurship Network in Iraq, generously supported by the US Embassy. We will be hosting monthly get togethers, Startup Huddle, for entrepreneurs to share their experiences, stories and challenges. These meet-ups will also have activities to help get you thinking creatively before finishing with a coffee break whilst networking with the community. The GEN will also be supporting those startups with exciting opportunities over the year to network, attend physical and online events, as well as gain international exposure for their project.

theStream will resume after Ramadan with more live sessions that will focus on key areas of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Previous discussion points this year have related to the devaluation of the dinar and the opportunities that may arise; environmental entrepreneurship and its role in the climate crisis; and women in the creative industries. In July, expect our first sessions related to the video game industry in Iraq as well as an upcoming session on marketing. In August, we will turn our attention to architecture and the creative scene. Don’t forget to tune in online, or join us in our event hall.

Our flagship Yanhad programme continues in both Baghdad and Mosul with exciting opportunities to get involved. Over the next few months our preincubation projects will be continuing to support those entrepreneurs in the areas to develop their ideas into viable business ideas. From May, we will also be looking for new participants to join our ideation programme in Mosul - if you have an idea, keep your eyes open! In addition, we have coding bootcamps underway in Baghdad and Mosul. A new group will be opening in Mosul in May, so if you have an interest in developing your programming skills, be prepared to sign up.

Our mentorship services, as part of our wider Yanhad programme, are underway and it is an opportunity for you to also request support from our mentors. These services are available to startups and SMES from within our cowering space, or from outside. Contact us to find out more.

Raidaat is back for 2021 and if there are any female entrepreneurs in Mosul, Baghdad or Karbala looking to develop their ideas, look out for opportunities. This programme, sponsored by the Embassy of France, will train you on how to develop your ideas, gain key insights from the business world and pitch in local and national competitions.

Our Coursera Learning programme, through the support of the Central Bank of Iraq and the Iraqi Private Banks League, has allowed us to provide certified courses to hundreds of people across Iraq. Currently, many participants who have signed up are studying with major international universities in fields relating to business development, English, creativity and programming! We will be announcing periodic opportunities to sign up for new pathways and have even more people join the programme to enhance their CV. If you have not received your license just yet, we aim to continue delivering them as soon as more spaces are available, keep an eye on your email inbox!

Our friends in the Himma Project will be launching new exciting opportunities to get involved with their activities as they start their 2021 project. Debates, exhibitions, campaigning and an upcoming play! The Station is always keen to extend its services to other parts of the country, and is cooking something up for the community in Basra, Amara and Nasiriyah. We can’t say much right now, but keep your eyes peeled for something coming soon!

As always, follow our social media to see what we have coming up and how you can get involved, our team is always working tirelessly to bring fresh ideas for the community so stay tuned for even more updates!