Who are we?

Rumi School of the Arts is the brain child of a collective of Australian Muslim creatives. The idea originated on a trip to Andalusia, Spain in 2017 which was the catalyst for starting an Islamic Arts School for the Australian context, bringing in local and international teachers trained in the traditional and Islamic arts. Dr Karim Lahham, an Islamic Scholar, barrister and stone mason, introduced the team to the history of traditional craftsmanship and the guilds. His conversations highlighted the spiritual and historical relevance in prescribing and dedicating oneself to a sacred craft for the benefit of one’s soul and community.

The Rumi School of the Arts works within the FSA building, as an enterprise, to ensure that traditional arts and skills are passed on and enrich our changing world. We offer free membership to the guilds suitable for anyone interested in the Islamic traditional arts. The guilds are based in the creative artistic practice of the traditional arts and our teachers hold onto a transmitted knowledge system (isnad) that is rooted in traditional craftsmanship.

Our in-school programs, designed for primary schools and home educators, gives young people the chance to engage in hands-on activities with artists in their field, which facilitates a more holistic view of the world and gives them the opportunity to engage in a creative community who hold onto strong Islamic values.

Rumi School of the Arts is currently based in the heritage arts building in Fairfield, NSW