As Bassam Freiha Art Foundation marks its second anniversary, the non-profit cultural institution is expanding its commitment to arts, education, and the development of creative talent across the UAE through a series of new philanthropic and educational initiatives. Founded by Bassam Said Freiha in Saadiyat Cultural District, the Foundation was created with a vision of making art genuinely accessible while nurturing the next generation of artists, thinkers, and cultural professionals. Two years on, that vision continues to evolve through scholarships, student-led exhibitions, and strategic academic partnerships designed to create meaningful pathways into the creative industries.
At the centre of these new initiatives is a scholarship supporting Emirati artist Noor Al Suwaidi as she begins her MFA studies, enabling her to further develop a practice already shaped by significant international exposure. Over the past decade, Al Suwaidi has completed four artist residencies across the United States, Europe, and North Africa, and this next academic chapter marks a deeper commitment to research, reflection, and artistic development. For the Foundation, investing in an artist’s long-term growth reflects its belief that supporting creative practice at a critical stage can have lasting cultural impact.
Speaking on the announcement, Bassam Said Freiha shared, “My vision was always to create a space where art is genuinely accessible, where language, geography, and cost do not determine who gets to encounter it. These new initiatives are an expression of that same commitment, extended now to the artists and students who will shape what comes next.”
Education remains a central pillar of the Foundation’s growing mission. In collaboration with Zayed University’s College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, the Foundation has developed a year-long programme culminating in Seeing Ourselves, a fully student-led exhibition opening on 11 June 2026. More than an exhibition, the initiative gives students hands-on experience across every stage of exhibition-making, from artistic production and curatorial research to graphic and spatial design. As part of the programme, students worked alongside French photographer Philip Ducap to create original works exploring architecture, portraiture, landscape, and cultural identity through their own perspective of the UAE today.
The Foundation has also strengthened its partnership with Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), launching a monthly educational series introducing high school students to careers within the creative industries. To date, the programme has welcomed more than 170 students from Abu Dhabi Charter Schools, combining lectures with practical workshops led by professionals working across curatorial practice, gallery operations, fine arts, photography, and architecture.
Additional collaborations with Cranleigh Abu Dhabi continue to expand the Foundation’s educational reach, while its wider public programming has already welcomed more than 2,000 participants since opening in 2024. Through free workshops, lectures, artist-led initiatives, and inclusive programmes such as Family Studio in partnership with FIA – Institute for Inclusion, the Foundation continues to create accessible opportunities for communities to engage with art and culture.
As it enters its third year, Bassam Freiha Art Foundation continues to position itself as more than an exhibition space, emerging as a platform for artistic development, education, and cultural exchange, while helping shape a more inclusive and future-focused creative ecosystem in the UAE.
