In this episode of Relay, host Raja Aderdor speaks with Habeeb Abu-Futtaim from Gubgub Studios in a conversation that explores artist-run spaces, independent creative practice, and the role of community in building a more sustainable arts ecosystem in Qatar.
Gubgub Studios is the first artist-run, affordable shared studio space for artists of all disciplines in Qatar. Beyond providing workspaces, it operates as an active community hub, offering events, mentorships, talks, exhibitions, screenings, workshops, and other forms of programming that support creative and professional development. Through peer exchange and connections with local, regional, and international practitioners, the space aims to help grow a vibrant grassroots arts scene.
Together, Raja and Habeeb reflect on the importance of stable and accessible spaces where artists can maintain a continuous practice, collaborate, exchange ideas, and develop a culture of dialogue, critique, and mentorship. The discussion considers how shared resources, including studio spaces, workshops, photography and printing facilities, a library, and a flexible multipurpose space, can support artists across different disciplines and stages of their careers. The conversation also situates Gubgub Studios within Doha’s Industrial Area, where changing patterns of development and more affordable spaces create new possibilities for artist-led activity. It explores how artists can build connections with local fabricators, materials, and the surrounding industrial environment, while contributing to a more independent, visible, and sustainable creative community in Qatar.
Relay, a podcast from
Clavis Aurea Podcasts, explores the people and processes behind publishing, art, and cultural production. Through conversations with people working across the cultural sector, the podcast looks at how ideas move from concept to physical form through books, exhibitions, and printed production. At its core, Relay focuses on the creative chain behind cultural work. Writers, editors, designers, photographers, publishers, printers, and institutions each play a role in bringing ideas into the world.
Interested in collaborating or being part of the podcast? Reach out through the
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What is Relay?
Relay, hosted by Raja Aderdor, is a podcast built around conversations with the people who shape publishing, art, and culture. In each episode, publishers, photographers, designers, artists, writers, and curators come together to reflect on their work, their creative processes, and the ideas that eventually take form in books, exhibitions, and printed matter.
We are Clavis Aurea: a dynamic team of publishing professionals working on innovative marketing and communication in the industry. Based in Leiden, we eat, sleep, and breathe publishing.