Sharjah Art Foundation is pleased to announce The Hook, a new initiative supporting the diverse and talented art writers within the region. Developed as part of #SAFOnline, the programme aims to give writers space to develop their voice, strengthen their critical thinking, and engage more closely with contemporary art.

One of the main challenges facing art writers today is the lack of regular opportunities to write, edit and publish. 

The Hook responds to this need by inviting local and regional writers to reflect on a single artwork currently on view at one of the Foundation’s venues. Rather than following conventional formats, contributors are encouraged to approach the work through personal experience, cultural references, the broader context of the exhibition, or other associations prompted by the work.

In order to help foster new voices, texts are commissioned through an open call for pitches, rather than assigned. Interested writers are invited to contact editor@sharjahart.org with a short paragraph outlining which work they would like to respond to and why. Selected writers will receive one or more rounds of editorial feedback designed to strengthen their writing and support the development of their craft. Final texts will be published on #SAFOnline.

Contributors will receive an honorarium for their contribution.

For more information about the initiative, please contact editor@sharjahart.org and mention ‘The Hook’ in the subject line. 

About Sharjah Art Foundation

Sharjah Art Foundation is an advocate, catalyst and producer of contemporary art within the Emirate of Sharjah and the surrounding region, in dialogue with the international arts community. The Foundation advances an experimental and wide-ranging programmatic model that supports the production and presentation of contemporary art, preserves and celebrates the distinct culture of the region and encourages a shared understanding of the transformational role of art. The Foundation’s core initiatives include the long-running Sharjah Biennial, featuring contemporary artists from around the world; the annual March Meeting, a convening of international arts professionals and artists; grants and residencies for artists, curators and cultural producers; ambitious and experimental commissions and a range of travelling exhibitions and scholarly publications.

Established in 2009 to expand programmes beyond the Sharjah Biennial, which launched in 1993, the Foundation is a critical resource for artists and cultural organisations in the Gulf and a conduit for local, regional and international developments in contemporary art. The Foundation’s deep commitment to developing and sustaining the cultural life and heritage of Sharjah is reflected through year-round exhibitions, performances, screenings and educational programmes in the city of Sharjah and across the Emirate, often hosted in historic buildings that have been repurposed as cultural and community centres. A growing collection reflects the Foundation’s support of contemporary artists in the realisation of new work and its recognition of the contributions made by pioneering modern artists from the region and around the world.

Sharjah Art Foundation is a legally independent public body established by Emiri Decree and supported by government funding, grants from national and international nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. Hoor Al Qasimi serves as President and Director. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

About Sharjah

Sharjah is the third largest of the seven United Arab Emirates, and the only one bridging the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Reflecting the deep commitment to the arts, architectural preservation and cultural education embraced by its ruler, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. It was named UNESCO's Arab Capital of Culture for 1998 and the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2019.

Media Contact

Alyazeyah Al Marri    
alyazeyah@sharjahart.org
+971 (0)6 5444113