Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo is a branch of Art Jameel, an independent organisation that supports artists and creative communities. It was launched in 2009 by Art Jameel, the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts and the Cultural Development Fund of Egypt.

The major educational institute teaches young Egyptians traditional Islamic geometry, drawing, colour harmony and arabesque studies, as well as specialised training in ceramics, glass and gypsum, metalwork and woodwork. The Jameel House has a two-year educational programme that develops new generations of artists and craftspeople over varied specialisations.

The graduation ceremony, which was held on 8 September at the Jameel House in the Fustat Traditional Crafts Centre in Old Cairo, presented the graduation projects of the 12th class, consisting of 15 promising artists and craftspeople working in gypsum carving, woodwork, metalwork and ceramics.

The graduation ceremony began with a walk-through of the exhibition, displaying the students’ work in the presence of Deputy Executive Director of the Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts Khaled Azzam, Outreach and Open Programme Manager Delfina Bottesini and Uzma Sulaiman, Associate Director at Community Jameel as well as students' friends and family, Jameel House alumni and several distinguished guests from Egypt's cultural scene.

Mamdouh Sakr, programme manager at the Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo, commented in the press release that: “This year, the 12th group of graduates made extraordinary works, which included large-scale lanterns of gypsum and brass, a wooden storage unit, a large carved wooden frame and tea set, a chair with intricately carved sides, in addition to several ornate ceramic tile panels and plates.”

He gave examples of students such as Yehia Soliman, whose project was based on the traditional joinery technique, and Mariam Ashraf, who decided to take the craft of gypsum carving to a new level, by designing original and practical gypsum lighting units.

The graduates’ work will remain on display in a public exhibition until 15 September, from 10am to 3pm, at the Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo in the Fustat Traditional Crafts Centre. The exhibition is free and open to all visitors.

In line with Art Jameel’s focus on preserving cultural heritage, the programme equips students with foundational skills of contemporary design, the restoration of monuments, and assists with vocational opportunities – some of its more than 120 graduates have gone on to teach at academic institutions, venture into the world of furniture design, and continue to be featured in solo and group exhibitions.