Art Jameel — LLMpedia

Art Jameel
Name	Art Jameel
Type	Non-profit arts organisation
Founded	2003
Founder	Abdul Latif Jameel
Location	Jeddah, Dubai, London, Beirut
Key people	Fady Jameel, Abdullah Jameel
Area served	Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Europe
Focus	Arts, cultural heritage, contemporary art

Contents

Art Jameel Art Jameel is a regional arts organisation supporting contemporary art, heritage conservation, creative industries, and public art across the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Europe. Founded by the Abdul Latif Jameel family, it operates programs in Jeddah, Dubai, London, and Beirut and collaborates with institutions such as the V&A, Tate Modern, British Museum, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Museum of Islamic Art (Doha), and Centre Pompidou. The organisation engages artists, curators, conservators, and communities through exhibitions, residencies, awards, and restoration projects linked to landmark sites including AlUla, Jeddah Historical Area, and Al-Balad.

History

Art Jameel began as a philanthropic initiative by the Abdul Latif Jameel family in 2003, expanding across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon while forging connections with European institutions like the V&A, British Museum, Tate Modern, and Serpentine Galleries. Early projects involved collaborations with the Prince Claus Fund, Getty Conservation Institute, King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), and UNESCO on conservation and cultural development in sites such as Jeddah Historical Area and AlUla. Over successive phases the organisation launched artist residencies, the Art Jameel Fellowship, the Art Jameel Prize in partnership with the V&A, and partnerships with universities including King's College London, American University of Beirut, Oxford University, and Harvard University to support research, scholarship, and cultural policy.

Art Jameel runs multiple programs: artist residencies in Jeddah and AlUla, the Art Jameel Prize with the V&A, conservation projects with the Getty Conservation Institute and UNESCO, and community-focused initiatives alongside Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage partners. It supports creative hubs such as Jameel Arts Centre and digital platforms collaborating with Google Arts & Culture, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to amplify artists including Tarek Al-Ghoussein, Ebtisam AbdulAziz, Hassan Hajjaj, Alia Farid, and Samiah Khatib. Educational initiatives connect to institutions like Royal College of Art, Chelsea College of Arts, American University in Cairo, and Dubai Culture through workshops, commissions, and mentorship schemes.

Partnerships include long-term collaborations with the V&A, British Museum, Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi stakeholders, and regional bodies such as Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Prince Claus Fund, and Saudi Vision 2030 cultural projects. Joint programs have been delivered with the Getty Research Institute, Wellcome Collection, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, and academic partners including King's College London, SOAS University of London, University of Oxford, and Columbia University. Collaborations have also involved corporate partners like Abdul Latif Jameel entities and technology allies including Google, Microsoft, and Adobe to support digital archiving, commissions, and public programming.

Art Jameel curates exhibitions and commissions with museums and galleries such as the V&A, Tate Modern, British Museum, Centre Pompidou, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Sotheby's, and Christie's in regional venues like Jameel Arts Centre (Dubai), Dar Al Funun (Amman), and pop-up sites in Riyadh and Beirut. Exhibitions have showcased works by artists including Shirin Neshat, Mona Hatoum, Youssef Nabil, Emily Jacir, Zineb Sedira, Rashid Johnson, Takashi Murakami, and Ali Kazma while engaging curators from institutions such as ICA London, Serpentine Galleries, MACBA, Hammer Museum, and Maxxi Museum. Conservation projects have involved artefacts linked to Hejaz Railway, Ottoman architecture, Hijaz archaeological sites, and vernacular buildings in Al-Balad.

Education programs partner with universities and cultural centres including American University of Beirut, American University in Cairo, King's College London, Royal College of Art, Sharjah Art Foundation, and Dubai Culture to deliver workshops, fellowships, and public talks. Community engagement has operated in historic districts like Al-Balad (Jeddah), AlUla, and Old Jeddah, working with stakeholders such as Saudi Heritage Commission, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Prince's Foundation, and local NGOs to support skills training, oral history projects, and school programs. Initiatives involve collaborations with artists and educators including Yto Barrada, Bouchra Khalili, Wael Shawky, Lamya Gargash, and Azza Fahmy.

Governance is overseen by leadership from the founding Abdul Latif Jameel family and boards including figures connected to Fady Jameel, Abdullah Jameel, and advisors from partner institutions such as the V&A, Tate, British Museum, and universities like Harvard University and King's College London. Funding sources include philanthropic support from Abdul Latif Jameel, corporate sponsorships, grants from cultural bodies like the Prince Claus Fund, Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, and project funding from international cultural organisations including UNESCO and the Getty Foundation. Financial partnerships have enabled long-term projects tied to national strategies such as Saudi Vision 2030 and institutional collaborations with Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim affiliates.