The Arts Club Dubai has announced the launch of its inaugural artist residency programme, which will take place from October 2025 until April 2026.
Applications will open 1 September, and submissions will be accepted until 10 October. The residency will be available to UAE residents working with any medium on canvas, with the aim of the programme being to support a new generation of artists in the UAE. Two artists will be selected and given a stipend and commission fee, as well as the opportunity to engage with the wider Arts Club community via its cultural programming.
With the residency culminating in an exhibition at The Arts Club Dubai in 2026, the artists are invited to produce artistic creations that interpret the theme of Singular Focus, highlighting the importance of taking the the time to engage and be deeply present in today’s fast-paced world.
Of the works on display, one will be chosen for The Arts Club Dubai’s permanent collection, with a USD 10,000 prize awarded to the artist for the selected piece. In addition, a silent auction will take place for the artworks made during the residency programme, with all of the proceeds going directly to the artists.
The finalists will be chosen by a committee of art world figures, including Elie Khouri, Laila Binbrek, Amelie Von Wedel, Sara Abou Khalil, Chafa Ghaddar and Rahul Waney. The committee will not only select the artists for the residency, but will also serve as mentors and guides throughout the duration of the programme, offering support to the artists in the form of opportunities outside of the frame of the programme, enhancing the visibility of these merging artists.
“This residency is a natural extension of our cultural ethos,” says Ajaz Sheikh, Group CEO of The Arts Club. “It provides emerging artists with the space, support, and visibility they deserve, while inviting our members to engage in the creative journey as active patrons. At its core, this initiative is about cultivating deeper relationships between artists and audiences, championing work not only to be seen, but to be sustained. We see this as the beginning of something enduring, a foundation we will continue to build on for years to come.”
