SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Louvre Abu Dhabi has invited school students to the 8th edition of the Creative Interpreters Programme, which offers a platform to engage creatively with artworks spanning from antiquity to the modern era.
The children reinterpreted the works through performances, poetry, workshops and visual art, presenting their perspectives to the public.Participants ranged from Cycle 1 to Cycle 3, from grades 1 to 12, with schools drawn from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, including charter and private institutions. "We have a nice mix of schools," she said.
"For the 8th edition, we had more than 20 schools participating," she said, adding that activities included four workshops, 11 performances, under the museum's dome and inside the main galleries, alongside a student art exhibition and a poetry recital inspired by the artworks.
The programme illustrated how a single colour can connect cultures, histories and perspectives across time.
Speaking to Aletihad, Noura Mohamed Almansoori, Museum Educator at Louvre Abu Dhabi, highlighted the significance of the programme, describing it as an annual initiative built around a new theme each year to deepen students' engagement with the museum's collection.
Almansoori explained that this year's theme, "How does blue speak to you?" invited students to reinterpret artworks featuring the colour blue. "We selected 15 artworks from the museum's collection that has the colour blue, and we wanted the students to interpret the colour in different ways. Maybe they can see blue as strength, as an emotional colour, or connect it to nature," she said.
She added that blue was chosen because of its recurring presence across civilisations. "If you notice, inside the galleries, you will see the colour blue repeating a lot throughout time. We wanted to take the students into a journey of time, and blue is there throughout time."
The programme culminated in a presentation day where the students will showcase their work through creative formats.
"Today is the final day where they present all their performances," she said, pointing to theatrical and dance performances, comedy acts, workshops and artistic interpretations inspired by the collection.
She highlighted the diversity of expression showcased during the programme: "We have students highlighting poetry in Arabic and English, comedy plays, and even a choir performing a Chinese song. It is really interesting how they connect with visitors, different languages, and universal themes."
Reflecting on the programme's vision, Almansoori emphasised student empowerment. "The goal of the programme is really to give voices to the students. We want them to be confident through their interpretations of the museum," she said. "We don't want the collection to be just something people see and that's it. We want it to have a reaction that they display to the public."
Discussing the expected impact, she expressed hope that participants leave with renewed perspective. "We really want the students to go back to their schools with a new admiration for the museum collection, but also new knowledge, a new understanding, looking at the collection through a new lens."