Standing Tall: the Water Garden's mosaic pillars

For the past decade, Art Reach Bahrain has stayed true to one mission:

To design and implement community art initiatives that create lasting social impact.

In 2025, in partnership with the US Embassy in Bahrain, Art Reach brought that mission to life once again. Over six inspiring weeks, the team collaborated with alumni from the English Access Scholarship Program to design and build a vibrant mosaic installation for a public park in Manama.

Throughout the process, students strengthened their English language skills while discovering what it means to be true #placemakers: citizens who shape their surroundings through creativity, care, and collaboration.

Community art has a powerful way of bringing people together, of linking individuals to the places they live and to one another. Mosaics, especially, remind us that beauty is built piece by piece, by many hands working as one.

Through hands-on workshops and guided discussions, students learned not only the techniques of mosaic art but also the importance of planning, teamwork, and shared decision-making; transforming small actions into meaningful community impact.

Every public artwork tells a story: that a place is valued and cared for. When we invest in our shared spaces, the community responds with pride, connection, and belonging.

I recently joined [the English Access Scholarship Program] that combined mosaic art and life skills, which sounds like an unusual combo, but trust me, it worked!

I learned how to create beautiful designs using tiny pieces of tile. It turns out, sticking little squares into the right place is not just art, it's a lesson in patience, focus, and not losing your mind when one piece keeps falling off!

We also talked about some really useful life skills, like how to manage our time, budget our money without spending it all on snacks. This experience helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect–not just creatively, but also personally. And l enjoyed every part of the program.

[I’d] like to thank the U.S. Embassy, Art Reach Bahrain, our amazing instructors and everyone who made this program possible. Your support made a big difference.

Sayed Ali

Access Alumni