Contemporary Art and Migrant Identity “Construction” in the UAE and Qatar

© 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This paper explores the linkages between contemporary art and the representation of migrant laborers in the Gulf states, with the aim of examining how migrant laborers, mostly from South Asian nations, are represented within the cultural sector in the Gulf. It discusses how migration is implicated within national discourses in the Gulf states, analyzes how these complex migrant identities are involved within museum and heritage development, and considers the way that laborers are represented, and engaged with, in contemporary artistic practice. It is suggested that contemporary art offers a unique window through which to analyze and explore migrant identity in the Gulf states

Arts and the Super-Rich: Emerging Relations in the Gulf and the East

This chapter examines how the growth of wealth in the East has led to an increase of super-rich individuals and monarchies that are influencing the arts and cultural sector. In particular, it explores how the arts and cultural sector is implicated within the development of global cities in the East and the role that the super-rich play within this. It first analyses how super-rich monarchies in the Gulf are using high-profile cultural developments to develop their cities globally. Next, it explores how the private collecting activities of the super-rich have affected the development of freeports and private museums in global cities. Finally, it explores how the super-rich are utilising private museums to enhance their identities, in particular to demonstrate their power and wealth

The Centenary Community Engagement Fund Working Paper: Partnership working, current community challenges and interdisciplinary research opportunities

The University of Leicester’s centenary celebrations provide a timely opportunity for academics, staff and students to endorse our civic mission and engage anew with partners and stakeholders in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR). The University owes its existence to the foresight and commitment of local people, who in the aftermath of the First World War helped to champion and establish University College Leicester in 1921, in the belief that access to higher education would enable a better future for all in the city and counties. The College was awarded university status in 1957, and its history and fortune has been inextricably linked with the city and local communities in LLR. Over the years, we have worked together passionately, to reap new opportunities, face immense challenges and help to improve lives in communities locally across the UK and internationally. Community partnership and collaboration can readily be witnessed through the hundreds of academics, students and staff who are actively involved with mission driven charities and third sector organisations many of whom participated in the Centenary Community Engagement Fund Workshop in November. Our leading researchers also have very strong links with community facing organisations and major institutions such as the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust. The same is true of multi-disciplinary academic research teams collaborating proactively with charities, businesses, social enterprises and organisations in a wide range of sectors from social care to arts and culture. This paper is concerned with the Centenary Community Engagement Fund just one of the new civic initiatives launched during our Centenary year. This Fund will provide £125,000 in philanthropic funding for novel interdisciplinary research with partners and for more sought after internships for our talented students