The Jameel family recognized for their pioneering global support for the arts, as Fady Jameel is awarded the insignia of Chevalier in the French Order of Arts and Letters
1xFrom the Art Jameel press office
- Fady Mohammed Jameel is awarded the insignia of Chevalier in the French Order of Arts and Letters, in a ceremony hosted in Paris by Her Excellency Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture of France
- This recognition of support for the arts – including establishing Art Jameel, Hayy Jameel and the Jameel Arts Centre – marks 80 years of the Jameel family’s pioneering commitment to philanthropy
- Art Jameel arts, film and learning programmes impact close to two million people yearly, at the centres in Jeddah and Dubai and around the world
The Jameel family is recognized for their pioneering, global support for the arts, as Fady Jameel (Chair of Art Jameel and Vice Chairman, International, Abdul Latif Jameel) has been awarded the distinction of Chevalier, in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) by the French Ministry of Culture – France’s prestigious honors system which acknowledges those enabling and making considerable global cultural impact.
The ceremony took place in Paris last week, led by Her Excellency Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture of France, and in the presence of cultural leaders from across the worlds of arts and cinema.
The title of Chevalier is to acknowledge those whose work has contributed significantly to the enrichment of culture and the arts in France and around the world. The recognition marks 80 years of the Jameel family’s pioneering commitment to philanthropy, and more than 20 years of focused support for the arts led by Fady Jameel, including major initiatives in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and beyond, and the deepening of ties between the Middle East and France.
Fady Jameel said:
“It is a tremendous source of pride to be recognized in the French Order of Arts and Letters: this recognition would not be possible without the invaluable support of my family; and celebrates our decades-long dedication to building on the history of philanthropy established by my grandfather in Jeddah 80 years ago.
“I would like to thank the Ministry of Culture of France and our colleagues at the French Embassy and Consulate in Saudi Arabia, and wish to express my appreciation to colleagues and partners, in both the private and government sectors, for their continued support and encouragement of the cultural sector.
“From Islamic art, craft and artisanship through to the most contemporary and innovative of practices, at Art Jameel we really believe in the role of the arts in transforming lives – a value we place at the heart of what we do daily. Looking ahead, Art Jameel remains committed to strengthening a robust art ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and beyond, through piloting new initiatives that support students, creatives and wider public engagement with the arts, alongside nurturing international exchange.”
Mohammed Nehad, Consul General of France in Jeddah, said:
“The awards are a recognition of the Jameel family’s tireless work and the fruitful collaboration they have undertaken over the years. A country of arts and culture, France has always praised and recognized the work of passionate individuals committed to cultural and artistic promotion. Art Jameel and France collaborate on numerous cultural projects – from commissioning artists and lending works to screening French films and implementing a film education programme down to supporting film production. We will continue to work closely with the Jameel family and are very excited about the recent prospects for expanding our joint activities.”
Art Jameel – established in 2003 by the Jameel family and chaired by Fady Jameel – has become one of the most impactful arts organizations in the Middle East. Founded on the premise that the arts are fundamental to life and should be accessible for all, the organization is primarily privately funded (by the Jameel family) yet fulfills a wholly civic purpose, working alongside and in liaison with government, to unlock for all the opportunities for learning, exchange and development embedded in the arts.
Art Jameel supports the two major, independent, free-entrance public institutions of the Gulf: Hayy Jameel, Jeddah’s home for cinema and the arts, and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai’s hub for contemporary art and ideas, recently awarded a medal of excellence in the Art Basel Awards for its vanguard vision and impact. Alongside these two creative complexes, Art Jameel fosters a global network of collaborative projects designed to support and impact the broader Middle East region and beyond; the organization’s long-term strategic partners include the V&A, home to the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art and the Jameel Prize, and the Met, where the Jameel Programme positions artists from the Middle East within one of the world’s most-visited encyclopedic museums.
Nurturing exchange between France and the Arab world is a strong thread within Art Jameel’s extensive programming. Alliance Française has taken up residence at Hayy Jameel, widely known as Jeddah’s home for the broadest range of creative disciplines in one destination, while Hayy Cinema, Saudi’s first independent picture house, regularly showcases French cineastes, with musicians invited to collaborate with Saudi creatives and present concerts within the creative complex. One example of such collaborative exchange includes the ongoing joint project between the Cinémathèque of Toulouse and Art Jameel to restore and screen a tranche of rare Palestinian films from the 1960s-80s.
The range of exhibitions and commissions at the Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai’s contemporary arts museum, regularly feature French artists and those from Arab diasporas, an essential part of French society and culture – including Taysir Batniji, Bady Dalloul, Ali Cherri, Sophie Calle, Yto Barrada, Kader Attia, Théo Mercier and Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige. Collaborative projects and exchanges with French institutions include, for example, co-commissioning Sara Sadik with the Biennale de Lyon, and loaning major installations from the Art Jameel Collection to museums such as the Palais de Tokyo and Institut du monde arabe.
More than 90 individuals work full-time at Art Jameel across its centres, while its in-person exhibitions and learning programmes impact directly close to two million each year.
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