New fund launched for UAE’s creative talents – The National

New fund launched for UAE’s creative talents – The National

“We’re looking for the curious,” said Munira Al Sayegh, whose Dirwaza Curatorial Lab has launched a new micro-fund initiative for UAE creative practitioners, across a number of disciplines.

The funding scheme, which began at the start of May, will give Dh1,000 to one successful applicant per month for the next six months. The grantees will also receive mentorship during the time they are executing their proposals, from the Dirwaza Curatorial Lab and the micro-fund project curator Sarah Daher.

Dirwaza was founded in 2020 by the Abu Dhabi curator Al Sayegh to foster research and collaborative opportunities for artists and creative practitioners in the Gulf. The lab is run as a peer-led effort beyond major institutional partners, and its projects remain close to communities on the ground in the UAE and across the Gulf, and aim to think through what is needed from an artist-led standpoint.