In the United States, there is often talk of defunding education programs to save costs to the school district’s budget.  Unfortunately, the arts are usually at the top of these lists.  Many in the world of academia feel that studying art creates a well-rounded student by building confidence and a sense of individual identity. Studying art subjects also helps to develop critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us.  Having spent a long-time teaching and managing schools around the world, I was pleasantly surprised to find that many countries still embrace the arts and make art and music classes an integral part of the national curriculum of their countries.  Kuwait seems to be no different in this matter as many schools across the nation offer intensive art and music courses to all age levels.  Studying art not only helps develop a well-rounded person, but it also gives students insight into their past.  

Art in Kuwait could, depending on the historian, go back as far as 1000 BC but is this Kuwaiti art?  Many in the art world would say that Kuwaiti art first started in the middle of the 21^st Century just as Kuwait was emerging on the world scene.  In 1936 Kuwait became the first Gulf State to offer scholarships to Art majors.  Kuwaiti artist, Mojeb-al-Doussri, was the first recognized visual artist in the Gulf cementing Kuwait’s position as the pioneer of art in the region.   Since then, Kuwaiti artists have been evolving with the times and today you can find a wide range of artists throughout the modern State.   

AIU, which prides itself as a beacon for culture and decorum, offers students the opportunity to be a part of the acclaimed School of Architecture and Design.  Professors who are well-established artists from around the world instruct students in Interior Design, Architecture, Art History, and other art and design courses preparing students for a four-year diploma, which many colleges and universities in the area do not offer, making AIU a unique campus.  Students are emersed in rigorous coursework which relies heavily on design and production.  Each month the School of Architecture and Design promotes student art by installing Pop-Up exhibitions.  Through these informal art displays, students can showcase their talent to the campus community.  It not only enhances the beauty of the AIU campus but also gives students the well-deserved recognition they need to continue to be inspired and creative.   

“ At SCAD we aim to constantly provide our students with the support and exposure needed to motivate them to prosper in the design field.”   

- Alia Alazzeh, School of Architecture and Design at AIU