OPEN CALL Art Jameel Commissions: Digital

Photo above: A view of the Centre from across Dubai Creek Jameel Arts Centre Dubai. Courtesy of Art Jameel. Photo by Rory Gardiner

Art Jameel Commissions plays a central role in Jameel Arts Centre’s programming and strives to be a multidisciplinary, exploratory space dedicated to contemporary artists, writers and researchers from across the Middle East and beyond, and to welcome a broad local, regional and international audience. In 2017, Art Jameel launched a commissioning programme anchored at Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai, UAE. The programme was planned to run in a 3-year cycle, focusing on Sculpture (2018); Arts Writing and Research (2019); and Drawing and Painting (2020). With 2020 proving to be a year of an exceptional circumstance, the programme has been adjusted and expanded to include a new iteration—Art Jameel Commissions: Digital. The drawing and painting commission will move to 2021-2022.

Through an Open Call, Art Jameel is inviting artists to respond to the brief for this exciting opportunity – specifically, artists from or based in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and those around the world (regardless of nationality) who have sustained and demonstrable links to, and a meaningful understanding of, the wider ‘Middle East region’. Applicants may originate from the region, reside either in the region or diaspora, and/or have contributed to the various cultural scenes across this diverse and nuanced region.

An eminent jury will discuss the received applications and select a work to be commissioned and produced. Jury members include Nadim Samman, Curator for the Digital Sphere, KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin; Finnish digital and organic media artist Jenna Sutela; and publisher and Chief Technology Officer at the Serpentine Galleries, London Ben Vickers. This commission intends to support practitioners in the production of a digital artwork that will be hosted by (or promoted via) the Jameel Arts Centre website from autumn/winter 2020-2021. The 2020 commission also provides an opportunity for mentoring by technical experts from MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL).

The Open Call runs from April 13, 2020, to June 10, 2020. You may download the full brief and the application form here.