Artists putting Sharjah on the world map

Urban Sketchers Sharjah: Putting Sharjah on the world map and providing opportunities for everyone to exchange ideas and learn together

Urban Sketchers is a global community dedicated to the practice of on-location drawing. We share our love for the places where we live and travel. Founded in the USA in 2007, the organization now has chapters in 450 cities across over 70 countries. 

Our community welcomes people from all professions and all skill levels. I am thrilled to lead this community in Sharjah and to have started a chapter here. The Dubai chapter is run by Manupriam Seth, and the same has been active for over six years.

Shrutika Gosavi is an acclaimed artist and poet based in the UAE. She always aspired to become an artist and holds a Master's degree in Fine Arts. She is a recipient of many international awards and fellowships. A full-time practicing visual artist, Shrutika has been living in Sharjah for over a decade. She contributes an exclusive on the work dedicated to building a community for artists and sketchers, Urban Sketchers Sharjah Chapter.

In March 2024, we decided to start a chapter for sketchers in Sharjah. Initially, I was unsure of how to proceed, but after talking to various individuals, we began securing venues for our sketch sessions. We later partnered with the Sharjah Museum Authority, which graciously opened all their museums for us to visit and sketch. 

We started our sketch walks with the Sharjah Architecture Triennial in March. Later, we had our sketch walks at Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Sharjah Art Museum, World Art Dubai, Sharjah Maritime Museum, and recently, we went to the Sharjah Aquarium. We are planning more exciting sketch walks once the weather improves, including trips to Khorfakkan and Kalba. Our goal is to capture every corner of the city so that, over the years, one can see the history of Sharjah through our sketches.

Our sketch walks are organized every other Sunday and last for two-three hours, showcasing amazing talents from everywhere. All walks are free of charge. We do not charge anyone for anything.

Since we began our activities in March 2024, we have organized nine successful sketch walks with up to 40 participants each. My goal is to put Sharjah on the world map and provide opportunities for everyone to exchange ideas and learn together.

You can follow our Instagram page to learn about our upcoming sketch walks @usksharjah