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ART DUBAI COLLECTOR TALKS 2025

Art Dubai Collector Talks offers a platform for collectors within the Art Dubai network to discuss their passions, idiosyncrasies, unique perspectives, and provide intimate glimpses into their personal lives and inner worlds. This series fosters connections among like-minded individuals while offering inspiration to those who aspire to a deeper engagement with collecting.

This year’s discussions will explore questions that are particularly relevant to our times, including whether collectors are the same anywhere in the world; whether the practice of collecting, along with its motivations, has shifted over recent history. The sessions will also explore whether collectors today think beyond personal gratification, including whether the notion of ‘impact collecting’ shapes their decisions when acquiring works and fostering relationships with artists?

Art Dubai Collector Talks are presented in partnership with Dubai Collection, the first institutional art collection for the city of Dubai.

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

17 April

HUNA LOUNGE, ART DUBAI

3:00-3:30pm

COLLECTOR TALKS: ELIE KHOURI
Moderated by Rawaa Talass, Freelance Arts and Culture Journalist, Dubai

Elie Khouri is a seasoned marketing expert, businessman and investor with over thirty years of experience across diverse industries. In 2017, he founded Vivium, a single-family office, to manage a curated portfolio of investments in real estate, design, ventures, and collectibles. He also serves as Chairman of Omnicom Media Group MENA and is a judge on Shark Tank Dubai, where he mentors and supports aspiring entrepreneurs. Beyond his business endeavors, Elie is a prominent art patron and collector assembling a diverse collection of over 200 emerging and established artists from around the world. He is a passionate advocate of the regional and global art and design community and serves on various museum committees. Recognized among ARTNEWS’ top 200 collectors, Elie has made significant contributions to the arts.

3:30-4:00pm

COLLECTOR TALKS: SANGITA JINDAL
Moderated by Rawaa Talass, Freelance Arts and Culture Journalist, Dubai

Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of JSW Foundation, has significantly impacted India’s social and cultural landscape over the past three decades. Under her leadership and strategic direction, JSW Foundation, the social development arm of the JSW Group has an established track record and a legacy of enabling holistic change across communities around India. A visionary who believes in the transformative power of art, Sangita set up the Jindal Arts Creative Interaction Centre (JACIC) at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in 1994. As one of India’s most prominent philanthropists, patrons and collectors, she has supported art and heritage through numerous projects, both at home and globally. Sangita founded Hampi Art Labs, an art residency and exhibition space aimed at nurturing artists globally. She also publishes Art India Magazine, which has been a chronicler of the Indian art scene since 1996.

18 April

HUNA LOUNGE, ART DUBAI

3:00-3:30pm

COLLECTOR TALKS: MELISA SABANCI TAPAN
Moderated by Rawaa Talass, Freelance Arts and Culture Journalist, Dubai

Melisa Sabancı Tapan is dedicated to purposeful alignment and the creation of collaborative ecosystems that spark innovation. Holding a Master’s in Economic and Political Development from Columbia University, she brings a cross-sectoral approach spanning business, policy, finance, and the arts. As the founder of Gate 27, an international residency program nurturing interdisciplinary dialogue, Melisa champions creativity as a force for social impact. Her work emphasizes transparency, inclusion, and long-term value creation. She is passionate about fostering spaces where diverse ideas flourish and lead to meaningful transformation. Through strategic leadership and a deep commitment to purpose, Melisa continues to shape platforms that empower changemakers and inspire progress across sectors.’

3:30-4:00pm

COLLECTOR TALKS: ABDULRAHMAN ALKHELAIFI
Moderated by Rawaa Talass, Freelance Arts and Culture Journalist, Dubai

AbdulRahman AlKhelaifi is the founder of ARAK – an independent, Qatari-based initiative that aims to promote the work of artists, curators, and writers from Sub-Saharan Africa through exhibitions, publications, research and educational programmes. The collection is a resource for artists, curators and writers. It produces travelling exhibitions; lends artworks to regional and international organisations, institutions and museums; produces print and online publications; and facilitates impactful workshops and public programmes that foster critical dialogue around contemporary art, with a focus on artists from Africa. With over 4000 artworks by more than 300artists from across the continent, ARAK is one of the largest contemporary African art collections in the Middle East.

PAST PROGRAMMES