THE ART CIRCLE
دائرة الفن
Manal Ataya is a museum professional with 20 years of senior level experience & expertise in museum development, cultural heritage management and cultural diplomacy. She became the founding Deputy Director of Sharjah Museums Authority (established by the HH Ruler of Sharjah in 2006) for 2 years before being promoted to the Director General in 2008, overseeing a team of over 700 staff working in Sharjah’s network of 16 museums. The museums include dedicated collections of modern and contemporary Arab art, Islamic Art, Gulf heritage, Science, Marine life and UAE archaeology. In her new role as Adviser for Museums to HH Ruler of Sharjah, Ataya will support and advise on strategic planning, cultural policies and lead on new museum projects.
Ataya is a leading figure in the UAE cultural sector, dedicating her time to advocacy initiatives for accessible arts education, programs that promote cross-cultural dialogue and social inclusion, as well as mentoring young women in leadership. She is responsible for implementing His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi’s directives for future museum and cultural heritage related projects. Ataya is a graduate of both Hamilton College (2001) and Harvard University (2004).
She serves on numerous advisory boards including Global Cultural Districts Network; the University of Sharjah’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Hamilton College, Make-A-Wish Foundation and ICCROM-Sharjah, the Arab region’s field office of the UN’s body for cultural heritage preservation.
Ataya is a recipient of both the Order of Arts & Letters from the Republic of France and the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of her significant contributions to culture.
Dr. Nina Heydemann is currently the director of the Maraya Art Centre and the 1971 - Design Space in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Established in 2010, the Maraya Art Centre is a non-profit art space with a focus on emerging and established artists. The 1971 - Design Space, launched in Sharjah in 2015, is a non-profit platform for local as well as international designers.
Before her appointment, Dr. Nina Heydemann worked as the Senior Manager – Visual Arts heading the Department of Visual Arts at the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) in Abu Dhabi from 2014-2018. She received her PhD degree in Art History from the University of Leipzig, Germany, and the University College London (UCL), United Kingdom. Her dissertation “The Art of Quotation. Forms and Themes of the Art Quote, 1990-2010”, examines inter-pictorial referentiality of contemporary artworks. Previously, she worked as an exhibition manager for the Deutsche Bank Art Collection in Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
Dr. Nina Heydemann studied Art History and Cultural Sciences at the University of Leipzig, the Università Ca’ Foscarì Venice and Venice International University, Italy. She was awarded scholarships from the University of Leipzig, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes).
Dr. Alain Baron
Doctor in Numismatics from the university of Vienna
Founder of Numismatica Genevensis.
Organizer of the coin exhibition at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque , in collaboration with the office of HH Sheikha Fatima, Mother of the Nation.
Faisal Al Hassan Director of 421, a leading arts organization in the region that nurtures emerging creative practitioners and facilitates artistic exchange through exhibitions, learning, research, and commissions. Since its establishment in 2015, Faisal has led 421’s strategy, programming, and community-driven initiatives, and has developed key institutional partnerships in the UAE and internationally. Prior to his role at 421, Al Hasan was the Programs Manager at the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, and part of cultural projects such as Manarat Al Saadiyat, Qasr Al Hosn Festival, and Abu Dhabi Art. Dedicating over 17 years of his career to cultural production and international relations, Al Hassan worked in the Royal Court of Jordan and on several major global events, including the World Economic Forum, Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates, the Royal Film Commission, and the Jordan Media Institute. Faisal received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a specialization in International Relations from the American University in Cairo, and later received a diploma from the Institute of Diplomacy in Jordan.
Founded and directed by Barbara Farahnick-Mathonet in 2018, the Art Circle is a network of international art collectors and art passionate women based in the UAE. It is structured as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) and aims to promote arts, artists and cultural institutions from, or in connection with the MENASA region.
By membership only, it aspires to develop and grow a circle of likeminded women, passionate and involved in arts, and build hand-in-hand an art lover community. Through a variety of activities such as private visits to exhibitions, artists’ studios, art collections as well as art trips, talks and webinars, it seeks to promote the appreciation of art, nurture artistic growth and encourage conversation.