The UAE's National Pavilion at Venice opens its popular internship programme

Applications for the 2020 edition are now being considered

Wael Alawar and Kenichi Teramoto of ibda design, who have won the open call for the next UAE representation at the Venice Biennale for architecture. Image National Pavilion UAE - La Biennale di VeneziShow more

The UAE National Pavilion at Venice has announced that applications for its popular internship programme are now open. The programme is open for 21 students and early-career professionals in the UAE, and, as in other countries, is widely seen as a stepping stone into the art world. Interns attend lectures, learn to conduct studio visits, and spend one month in Venice during the duration of the biennial. The Venice Biennale is the pre-eminent art and architecture biennial (on alternating years) and the National Pavilion plays an ambassadorial role with its participation.

The 2020 UAE pavilion, for the architecture biennale, will be curated by Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto, the Dubai-based principles of ibda design who are behind the Jameel Arts Centre and other buildings in the Gulf. The Lebanese-Japanese pair have proposed to focus on salt as a environmentally-sensitive material for building construction.

“The National Pavilion UAE is proud to offer a platform for training and opportunities that empower our interns to engage with the content of the exhibition and the dynamic cultural scene of the UAE,” says Laila Binbrek, co-ordinating director of the National Pavilion UAE. “Since 2009, we have worked with almost 200 interns, many of whom are now making invaluable contributions to the nation’s cultural ecosystem as we develop into a global creative centre.”

The National Pavilion UAE is commissioned by the Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation.