Laila Binbrek was the 72nd CreativeMornings in Dubai speaker!
Laila Binbrek is the Coordinating Director of the UAE National Pavilion, which presents the United Arab Emirates’ annual exhibition at the Venice Biennale.Since joining in 2013, Laila has worked to set the pavilion’s ongoing strategy and vision in collaboration with its commissioner, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and manages its operations and team. For each edition of the Venice Biennale, Laila convenes the curatorial selection committee and collaborates with local and international curators, artists and cultural practitioners to develop exhibitions and research publications that tell untold stories about the UAE’s art, architecture and cultural heritage.Laila has significant experience within the region’s cultural industry. Before joining the UAE National Pavilion, she spent 6 years at The Third Line, one of Dubai’s leading contemporary art galleries, where as gallery director she worked to develop a platform for MENASA artists from across the region. Prior to that, Laila managed the Art Centre at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC), with the goal of promoting community engagement within the local community of the UAE.A Canadian of Yemeni descent, Laila is passionate about promoting arts and culture within the Canadian Arab community and has held positions on the boards of the Canadian Arab Federation, Community Arts Ontario, and the Toronto Arts Council. She holds an BFA (Hons.) from the University of Waterloo, Canada, with a special focus on drawing and sculpture. She has participated in solo and group exhibitions across Canada and her work “Mirror, Mirror” is on permanent display at the Canadian History Museum in Ottawa. She has lived in Canada, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and England.
