Event Information
19 May 2026
9:30am – 5:30pm
Leighton House
About the Study Day
An engaging and informative full-day study session exploring several aspects of Leighton House’s major exhibition, The Arab Hall: Past and Present. From an exploration of some of the more unusual tiles decorating this iconic room, to new readings of their calligraphy inscriptions, to the making of the newly commissioned film ‘When the Tiles Spoke’ and the ideas and process behind two of the site-specific contemporary installations on display.
In collaboration with Community Jameel, who will join the sessions and present their work in the traditional arts.
Full programme will be published soon.
Useful information
- The ticket price includes all the sessions, access to the historic house and exhibitions.
- Refreshments and lunch will be provided (refreshments on arrival at 9:30am and during afternoon break).
- All levels of interest welcome
Meet the speakers
Hidaya Abbas (PhD student, SOAS)
Omniya Abdel Barr (V&A, London)
Moya Carey (Chester Beatty, Dublin)
Dr Melanie Gibson (Gingko)
Soudade Kaadan (Film Director)
Hannah Lund, Curator of Exhibitions and Displays at Leighton House in conversation with artists Soraya Syed and Kamilah Ahmed
Charlotte Maury (Louvre Paris)
George Richards (Director of Community Jameel)
About Community Jameel
Community Jameel advances science and learning for communities to thrive. A non-profit organisation, Community Jameel was founded in 2003 to continue the tradition of philanthropy and community service established by the Jameel family of Saudi Arabia in 1945. We support scientists, humanitarians, technologists and creatives to understand and address pressing human challenges. The work enabled and supported by Community Jameel has led to significant breakthroughs, including the MIT Jameel Clinic's discovery of the new antibiotics halicin and abaucin, critical modelling of the spread of COVID-19 conducted by the Jameel Institute at Imperial College London, and a Nobel Prize-winning experimental approach to alleviating global poverty championed by the co-founders of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL).
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