This in-person three-day course led by Jolaine Frizzell (Ivy Advisory Founder and Artistic Development Program mentor) and Nasser Abdulla introduces strategies on how to find and apply for the right opportunities for your career, and best practices when it comes to application writing.

The course includes contributions by industry professionals who will share insights into how application committees make decisions when deliberating on a grant or open-call panel. The course will be available in English and Arabic.

The sessions will also touch on common application requirements, misconceptions, and effective approaches to a successful application.

Course timings: 

• Friday, November 8 : 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Saturday, November 9: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
• Sunday, November 10: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

This course is free to attend; however, application is required.

Open to ages 18 and above.

The application deadline is November 1! 

Apply here

About the instructors:

Jolaine Frizzell is a Dubai‐based arts professional. She has a BA in Art History and BFA degree in Photography, and post graduated with an MA in Art History from the University of Western Ontario. She worked at various arts organizations, and was appointed as a Director at galleries in Zurich, and London. Over the past 12 years, she has been managing a gallery, working with international artists, curating exhibitions, and participating in events around the world. In 2015, Frizzell relocated to Dubai and has worked at Leila Heller Gallery and The Third Line. She is currently Director of The Institute for Emerging Art.

For more information about The Institute for Emerging Art, follow @theinstituteforemergingart on social media channels. 

Nasser Abdullah is an Emirati curator Based in UAE. He has curated several exhibitions including an “Intima’a” an Exhibition by UAE Unlimited, 2020 in NYU Abu Dhabi, “From Barcelona to Abu Dhabi” an exhibition by ADMAF, and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, 2018 in Manarat Al Saadiyat, The 25th and the 35th Emirates Fine Art Society’s annual exhibition, 2006 and 2018 in Sharjah Art Museum.

Nasser is a former Chairman of the Board of the Emirates Fine Art Society, a position he was elected from 2014 to 2018. The Society aims to raise awareness and continue to develop Fine Art in the UAE.

He has also contributed, significantly, to several publications focusing on the pioneers of the Emirati Arts movement, besides being the Chief Editor of AlTashkeel Magazine.

Mays Albaik is the Programs and Community Initiatives Manager at 421 Arts Campus. She leads on conceptualizing and structuring the space’s programs for its various audiences. Her focus at 421 is on the broader vision as she develops the strategy, drawing plans for exhibitions, general public offerings, and capacity-building programs that target the local and regional creative community. Mays has presented talks and participated in panels at institutions including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, NYU Abu Dhabi, and the College Art Association Annual Conference. She was recently featured in the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennale x Dirwaza Curatorial Lab Talks (2025). Her writing has appeared in Future Perfect (Kaph Books), Mizna, The Outpost Magazine, A Dance Mag, and Postscript Magazine. She holds an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from the American University of Sharjah.