The writer will be based at the Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai 

How many of us has blamed a lack of time for our failure to produce that defining piece of research or writing?

With this in mind, Art Jameel, an organisation that supports the arts across the Middle East, is offering a three-month residency to an arts writer – a critic, historian or curator, perhaps. They will be given the time and space, as well as access to Art Jameel’s archives and extensive network of arts organisations across the UAE, to develop their research and produce a significant body of work.

How to apply

Applicants for this residency, called Art Jameel Commissions: Arts Writing and Research, must submit a proposal by November 30. The winner, who will be announced in March next year, will take up their place at the Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai in 2019, with an expectation that the work should be completed by the end of 2020. The work will then be available to the public at the Jameel Library.

Proposals on all subjects are welcomed, but preference will be given to those which tackle the themes of Jameel Art Centre’s current programme: confluence; museology; and the GCC.

The panel of judges which will decide the winner includes curator Omar Berrada and the writers Negar Azimi and Nida Ghouse.

Creating an impactful public resource

Antonia Carver, director of Art Jameel, said: “Innovations in research and written material are crucial for evolving dialogue around art production and the broader development of cultural infrastructure.

“This exciting commission continues Art Jameel’s longstanding interest in supporting practitioners to make new works, often for the public realm. By challenging candidates to undertake a long-term engagement with Jameel Library, this commission creates an impactful public resource for the Jameel Arts Centre’s diverse audiences.”