We’re thrilled to welcome several new team members who have recently joined the LAAF family:
Toufik Douib – Creative Producer (International)
Toufik Douib is an Algerian curator and event director who will be developing LAAF’s international programming. His multidisciplinary practice focuses on the question of Maghreb identities through eclectic contemporary lenses, bridging with Diaspora artists and across the eastern and western creative scene.
After completing a Masters in cultural events management, Toufik curated in 2015 his first exhibition ‘Algerianism’. This followed distinct collaborations in the UK (The P21 Gallery, The RichMix or Shubbak Festival) and beyond (Casa Arabe – Spain, Ateliers Sauvages – Algiers, Out of the Circle – Cairo).
Other cultural ventures include artistic research projects, namely with Portsmouth and Aberdeen Universities. He is currently the coordinator of ‘DIGI-MENA’ online mapping research platform, which was supported by the AFAC (Arab Fund for Arts and Culture) in the category Trainings and Regional Events.
Mo Aziz – Operations Assistant
Mo Aziz (Shabaka) is a Sudanese artist, social activist, and singer-vocalist. Mo graduated from the University of Khartoum where he studied Economics and Social Studies in 2002. He studied Music Production and Film Visual Culture, and MA in Creative Industry at Liverpool Hope University.
Lin Dabbous – British Council ARTIVATOR Fellow in Art Curation
Lin Dabbous is the ARTIVATOR Fellow in Art Curation working on our ‘Port Cities’ visual arts project, in partnership with the British Council. The exhibition will be launching at this year’s festival before touring internationally in the MENA region.
Lin is an architect by training and a current MA candidate in Art History and Curatorial Studies at the American University of Beirut. Her multidisciplinary practice focuses on modern and contemporary Arab art with commitment to challenge and reshape stereotypical narratives surrounding the history of Arab artistic production. In 2023, Lin curated the collective exhibition “Moments of Being,”centered around the memory of Syria, both known and departed, featuring 12 emerging and established Syrian artists.
Her collaborative efforts extend to exhibitions such as “Traces of Utopia” and “The Marine School of Beirut-A Repressed Art History” at AUB Art Galleries. Lin’s contributions are not confined to exhibitions alone; she was also a part of the research team for the exhibition “Partisans of the Nude: An Arab Art Genre in an Era of Contest, 1920-1950” which took place at the Wallach Gallery in Columbia University.
ARTIVATOR is an innovative Art Management Incubator from the British Council focused on enhancing the capabilities of cultural practitioners from the MENA region. This initiative aims to provide comprehensive training, mentoring, and networking opportunities to empower participants with the necessary skills and knowledge for success in the arts industry. ARTIVATOR offers a personalised experience tailored to each participant’s needs, leveraging a network of arts professionals, resources, and support from our esteemed partners.
By supporting emerging arts managers, the incubator strives to foster a vibrant and sustainable arts sector in the MENA region. The goal is to cultivate a new generation of leaders capable of navigating industry challenges while driving growth and innovation.
