ABOUT US
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ATHR FOUNDATION IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT, ORGANIZATION BASED IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA. FOUNDED IN 2022, ATHR FOUNDATION BUILDS ON ATHR GALLERY’S LEGACY AND AIMS TO ADDRESS AND RESPOND TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF VISUAL ART PRACTITIONERS AND CULTURAL PRACTITIONERS, BOTH EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARTISTS.
THROUGH ITS VARIED AND INCLUSIVE PUBLIC PROGRAMS, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES A UNIQUE PLATFORM THAT SPARKS DEEPER PUBLIC DISCOURSE PERTAINING TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE, ALL WHILST GUIDING AND SUPPORTING VISUAL ARTISTS IN NAVIGATING INDUSTRY COMPLEXITIES AND DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE AND SCALABLE PRACTICES. THE FOUNDATION ALSO SEEKS TO ACT AS A TRUSTED ADVISOR TO LOCAL PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTITIES ON THEIR CULTURAL ENDEAVORS.
WHAT WE DO
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ATHR FOUNDATION DRIVES ITS ESSENCE THROUGH CORE PILLARS UNDER-PINNED BY ITS SERVICE-ORIENTED VISUAL ARTS & CULTURAL NETWORK AND EXPERTISE ENABLER
COMMITMENT
Committed to heritage and Culture
EMPOWERMENT
Artist accelerator implementing sustainable and inclusive programs
ENGAGEMENT
Promoting community engagement in arts and culture
CULTURAL SERVICES
Arts and cultural advisory, consultation & program development
MEET THE BOARD
HAMZA SERAFI
Chairman
Hamza Serafi is a prominent art patron, cultural practitioner, and philanthropist who co-founded Athr in Jeddah in 2009, one of the most progressive art spaces in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. He established the Athr Foundation in 2022 and serves as its Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Serafi is also involved in various cultural initiatives, including the Saudi Art Council, Saleh Serafi Charity Foundation, and the Red Sea Museum Steering Committee, and is the Founder of Netaj Product Design Platform and Samaa Studio for Integrated Architecture and Design.
AHMED ZAIDAN
Board Member
Ahmed Zaidan is a partner of Athr, overseeing the gallery's projects and development in areas where art, culture, technology, and architecture intersect. He is also a Board Member of the Athr Foundation and has served on various committees and boards, representing his family holding interests in international manufacturing companies and publishing houses. Zaidan holds a master's degree from Pratt Institute's School of Architecture in New York and has led teams to design award-winning projects throughout his 25-year career.
MOHAMMED HAFIZ
Deputy Chairman
Mohammed Hafiz is a prominent art patron and advocate of Saudi art who co-founded Athr in Jeddah in 2009, recognized as one of the most progressive art spaces in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. He was a founding member and Vice Chairman of the Saudi Art Council, which staged seminal exhibitions focused on Saudi Modern and Contemporary Art from 2014-2022. Hafiz currently serves on the boards of the Madina Art Center, the Misk Art Institute, and Dar Al Fikr Schools. He co-established the Athr Foundation with Hamza Serafi in 2022 and serves as its Director and Trustee.
AHOOD ALFAHAD
Managing Director
Ahood AlFahad is an impact-oriented creative leader with experience in international organizations, public, and private sectors. Ahood managed the youth program at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a United Nations officer, she spearheaded the collaboration and delivery of the UNDP-MiSK Global Youth Forum. In 2021, she managed the Red Sea Film Foundation’s Communication and PR for the first Film Festival in KSA. Before joining ATHR Foundation, she was a Senior Commercial Manager heading the Business Unit at SELA. Ahood holds an Executive Master’s in Management of International Organizations with an honor pass from Bocconi University in Italy, and a Bachelor of Arts from the American University of Beirut.