The Art of Teaching: Manarat Al Saadiyat Welcomes Its Seventh Fellowship Cohort

Within the galleries and studios of Manarat Al Saadiyat, a particular kind of alchemy occurs: the transformation of artistic practice into pedagogical purpose. This autumn, five artists have joined the seventh cohort of the Teaching Artist Fellowship, a programme designed to cultivate not merely the technical proficiency of educators, but the philosophical depth that comes when creation and instruction merge.

The fellowship operates on a principle both simple and profound: that an artist’s most vital work often extends beyond the canvas, the clay or the lens. Throughout the programme, the artists receive mentorship and professional development, learning from one another across disciplines and experiences. They exchange insights, challenge assumptions and grow together, each refining their voice as a teacher while deepening their own creative practice.

The seven cohort comprises Bao, Khalid Mezaina, Nour Elbery, Nour Hage and Safeya Sharif. Their fellowship unfolds as a generative space where artistic knowledge becomes transmissible, where individual vision finds expression in educational experience. They build learning encounters rooted in their own practice, constructing pathways for others to discover what they themselves have discovered: that art is not merely something to be made, but something to be understood, felt and shared.

This cohort continues a lineage of artistic mentorship that has characterised Manarat Al Saadiyat’s commitment to Abu Dhabi’s cultural landscape. By nurturing artists who teach, the institution recognises that cultural vitality depends not on the works created today, but on the minds prepared to imagine what comes next.

Further details regarding the forthcoming workshops will follow in due course.