Antonia leads the Art Jameel teams in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and oversees programmes across the arts, heritage and education. She joined in 2016 with a mandate to develop the Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, and Hayy: Creative Hub, Jeddah, and institute a new period of radical growth for the organisation. Among other roles, Antonia was previously Director of Art Dubai (2010-2016); Projects Director at Bidoun; and has written extensively on Middle Eastern art and film.
Abhirami’s focus is building up the Jameel Library's collection, cataloging, acquisitions, library systems, as well as supporting researchers. After studying Exhibition Design, where she focussed on spatial narratives and systems, and audience engagement she joined the Art Jameel team. As a practicing artist, she received a Ford Foundation Grant to found White Lines Collective -- a social inquiry into youth mental health narratives through participatory art, design and research and creative practices.
Albert graduated in interior design from the American University of Sharjah and worked in residential interiors before shifting his focus and interest to the art world. Albert works closely with the Jameel Arts Centre’s artists and guest curators, as well as the in-house exhibitions and collections teams.
Alex has a diverse background in both IT and sound engineering and previously led a development team in Kenya on a campaign for building solutions aligned with sustainable development goals. As the Technology Assistant at Art Jameel, Alex supports the implementation and maintenance of Art Jameel’s IT strategy and needs at Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai and contributes to the successful delivery of programmes and exhibitions by providing innovative IT, tech, and audio-visual solutions and expertise.
Azim’s work focusses on Jameel Library’s collection-building, management and programming. He has an MFA in printmaking from VCUArts, where he also taught printmaking and DIY publishing courses. He is interested in and creates comics, zines and other independent publications. His previous roles included education and outreach coordinator at Tashkeel and adjunct professor as part of a residency at VCUQ.
Brent studied Information Technology and Information Systems at Brigham Young University - Hawaii. He has a passion for assisting people (and artists!) with technology, and also delves into photography and graphic design. He comes to Jameel Arts Centre having pioneered an art prize and other programmes for emerging artists in Oman.
As Jameel Art Centre's Facilities Supervisor, Chris ensures the Centre is well maintained, safe and all equipment and devices are operating properly for the Art Jameel team and visitors. He holds a degree in Electronics Communications Engineering, and prior to Art Jameel, he worked as a systems integrator engineer. When he is not troubleshooting, he is watching science and nature documentaries.
Daniel engages audiences at the Jameel by translating exhibition themes and research into community-powered experiences. He sees public programming as a key pillar of curatorial practice, a field close to his heart. He has incubated exhibitions, editorials, and arts initiatives in South America, Scandinavia, and the Gulf as well as designed a creative economy reactivation platform launched by the Inter-American Development Bank. Daniel’s biggest passions are radio and languages.
Dawn is responsible for the Art Jameel Collection and associated exhibitions, both those at the Jameel Arts Centre, and loans with partner museums regionally and internationally. Previously, Dawn has worked in arts institutions and festivals in Australia, Scotland and the UAE, most recently heading up not-for-profit projects at Art Dubai. She has experience in museum collections, exhibitions, programming, audience outreach and community projects.
Dina is Art Jameel's designer and an alumnus of Jameel's Youth Assembly. Her current practice follows a research-intensive process and explores various ways through which different forms of media can be integrated. She finds this constant shift of practice and blend at the heart of her design work. She enjoys coding and programming, which led her to win the Burj Khalifa LED design open call in 2020, where her animation Tesselation Expression was projected.
Passionate about design and retail, Francis liaises with local, regional and international creatives and publishers to bring together a carefully-sourced range of original ideas and fantastic gifts and books. Managing the shop's day-to-day operations, he also works closely with the communications team, to make sure everyone knows about the Art Jameel Shop and its offerings.
Giacomo specialises in planning and developing exhibition projects, including touring and cross-institutional shows. His past work in Venice and Dubai has included platforms such as La Biennale, UAE National Pavilion, Galleria Michela Rizzo, and Art Dubai. Interested in the Mediterranean and Arab worlds, his practice seeks to continuously connect with international audiences through creative and cultural management. If not at the museum, you can find him somewhere enjoying shawarma.
As part of the Learning and Research team, Hadeel Al Heeti works as the Learning Coordinator, developing and delivering interdisciplinary educational programmes for schools, educators and visitors of all ages. Hadeel creates curriculum and activities that challenge and inspire participants to develop more meaningful engagement with the arts through a series of process-based and hands-on experiential methods. Alongside art education, Hadeel is a painter and the founder and designer of HAH ceramics, a hand-built ceramics homeware line.
Irene welcomes visitors to Jameel Arts Centre as part of Art Jameel's Visitor Experience team. She provides guided Arabic tours to groups and children. She holds a BA from the University of Helwan in Fine Arts, specializing in Scenography and Expressive Arts. She was previously a guide at Expo's Moroccan Pavilion.
Jannah Hernandez, started at Art Jameel as an Intern for the Public Programmes and Events department, after which she transitioned to full-time as an Events Assistant. Jannah supports the logistics and administration aspects of events, including exhibition openings, symposiums, and community festivals. Before joining Art Jameel, Jannah gained event production experience at Art Dubai during her internship as Assistant Travel Coordinator.
Jawad is the liaison between Art Jameel and government institutions related to immigration and licensing. Jawad has over 10 years of experience in the UAE, where he has worked in established international companies and contributed to the set-up of new businesses.
As Assistant Finance Manager, Jenny works closely with Art Jameel colleagues across all departments. Previously with Drive Mena under Abdul Latif Jameel Advertising Services Company, Jenny has 18 years experience in finance and has been a part of the creative industries for 8 years and holds an MBA. Although finance is 24/7, she makes time to read.
Lama believes that bringing stories to life - in their truest form - is an essential part of being. Following that ethos, she naturally found herself in the Communications team at Art Jameel, building public and industry awareness of the organization, its programmes, artists, and practitioners. With a strong passion for the arts, Lama moved from the Advertising world, having previously worked at Leo Burnett for three years, to solely focusing on the arts, with experience in institutions like Art Dubai and Cinema Akil. As an artist herself, Lama also tells her own stories as a singer and songwriter, performing across the UAE and KSA.
Lucas is an Exhibitions Curator at Jameel Arts Centre, collaborating closely with artists and researchers to deliver new exhibitions, publications and commissions for Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park. Before joining, Lucas was Curator at Bétonsalon – Center for Art and Research, in Paris, and previously worked at the Sursock Museum in Beirut. He holds a particular interest in research-based practices with a social and historical emphasis, as well as animals (particularly cats).
Mary Ann joined the Art Jameel team in 2018 with over 7 years of experience working with various retail brands in the UAE, including but not limited to booksellers. As the Retail Assistant at the Art Jameel Shop, Mary Ann's focus is on customer service and merchandising.
Mohamed is Art Jameel’s Regional Financial Controller with expertise in financial management, auditing and expense reporting, and budget creation. Mohamed joined Art Jameel in January 2019 and he was previously a senior financial analyst in Abdul Latif Jameel International - Energy and water operations.
In her role as Administrative Assistant at Jameel Arts Centre, Monalisa manages Art Jameel’s database, liaises with Art Jameel's hospitality and travel partners, and supports the wider team with finance and logistical needs. Monalisa is also part of the Visitor Experience team and welcomes Jameel Arts Centre's visitors and support during public events and festivals.
Murad El Zagal studied architecture in the USA and Jordan and practiced design in the UAE prior to joining Art Jameel where he holds a particular interest in cross-disciplinary approaches to diversifying audiences and maximizing impact in the creative cultural scene through strategic partnerships, marketing, advertising and other outreach initiatives while engaging with new technologies and special projects.
At Art Jameel Nadine works with the Exhibitions and Collections teams on researching, developing, producing exhibitions and publications for both Jameel Arts Centre and Hayy Jameel, Jeddah. Nadine has a passion for agriculture and botany and has worked closely with UAE farmers on projects such as Sara Abu Abdullah’s solo show and the biannual artist garden commission.
As Art Jameel's Logistics and Administration Coordinator, Naseef works closely with the Collections and Exhibitions departments, liaising with partners and suppliers to provide creative and efficient solutions for the movement of artwork in and out of Jameel Arts Centre. Naseef has over 12 years of experience in land, sea, and air shipping and logistics for large-scale events and fairs.
As Procurement Coordinator and part of the Operations team at Jameel Arts Centre, Naveen works closely with all departments. His role includes developing purchasing guidelines for Art Jameel in Dubai, establishing relationships with vendors, assessing products and services, and negotiating supplier contracts. Naveen started his career in the UAE in the Hospitality sector and also has experience in Facility Management and Oil & Gas industries.
Nora manages the exhibitions programme at the Jameel Arts Centre, and contributes to curatorial thinking across the board. Previous roles include heading up programmes at the Sursock Museum, Beirut, and curating public programmes at Tate, London. She has an MA in Anthropology and Cultural Politics from Goldsmiths College, London, where she also designed and taught the MA course ‘Critical Pedagogy in Contested Space’ at the Centre for Arts and Learning.
Working behind the scenes, Rhoda's role involves the registration, provenance research and conservation of the Art Jameel Collection. With a degree in Art History and Museology she is particularly interested in the preventive conservation of material culture. Rhoda previously worked with the Art Jameel Learning department, before naturally transitioning to the collections team.
Rita welcomes the Jameel Arts Centre’s many visitors daily as part of her role as Visitor Experience Coordinator. Rita has a background in hospitality and guest services, which she draws on into her undisputed love for all things arts and culture
Ruba develops strategic, integrated and global communications for Art Jameel across Saudi Arabic and the UAE. She studied media and creative industries at Institut d'études politiques de Paris, and went on to work as a journalist, writing extensively on art from and about the region for publications such as VICE, Vogue and Art Asia Pacific.
Sobia works behind-the-scenes on Art Jameel events, from exhibition openings to large-scale festivals, and oversees hosted events at the Jameel Arts Centre. She also nurtures new partnerships, including with the diplomatic community and cultural organisations. Sobia holds an MA in South Asia studies with a focus on contemporary Pakistan from SOAS. Sobia previously worked at Qatar Museums and Art Dubai.
Uns oversees education programmes at Jameel Arts Centre – from school visits and children’s materials through to research initiatives and the Jameel Library. She has a particular interest in visual culture and alternative histories and, over the past ten years, has worked across research, programming and content-development. Previous roles include managing the Global Art Forum at Art Dubai and research and curatorial at the Sharjah Art Foundation.
Vladimir is a multidisciplinary artist and a trained interior architect and was selected to design the Starch Foundation Boutique. As Enterprises Manager, he strategically oversees Art Jameel shop’s global expansion and manages Art Jameel Consultancy projects and partnership networks. Vladimir has previous experience handling retail projects from concept to execution which developed his interest in business structures and strategies. As a musician, Vladimir has performed at the prestigious Baalbeck and Al Bustan International Festivals and produced the soundtrack for Mazen Khaled's film "Martyr," which premiered at the Venice Biennale.
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