FIKAR - Failaka Institute for Knowledge and Arts Research

The Failaka Institute for Knowledge and Arts Research (FIKAR) is a non-profit organization that operates as a think thank and artistic production platform to usher new narratives, forms of research and expressions, and experiments in response to contemporary global issues. The epicenter of FIKAR is the island of Failaka as it provides a unique laboratory to observe at a micro-level the consequences of climate change and the fallout of late-stage capitalism. Paradoxically, the island’s current state of inertia, combined with its incredibly rich history, mythologies, and relative autarky, allows to incubate practices of artistic and intellectual production conditioned by ephemerality, fragility, and transition. Currently, Dar FIKAR is the main site of research and creation; in the coming years, FIKAR will expand through the creation of permanent and ephemeral hubs in collaborations with kindred partners. FIKAR works across geographies and disciplines with leading artists, scientists, cultural organizations and academic institutions.