About ADD Art

Founded in 2022 by ALDAU Development, a member of Sami Saad Holding, ADD Art embodies the company’s belief that art adds value to its projects and clients and that it has an important role to play in supporting the art community and helping create a thriving art scene.

ADD Art allows artists to tap into a world of unique opportunities by offering innovative programming approaches that use ALDAU Development’s extensive resources, facilities, properties, and networks as platforms and channels of creative expression. By doing so, ADD Art also explores the intersection between the worlds of art and hospitality and the new experiences that this intersection offers, not just to local artists, but also to our clients who have the opportunity to enjoy an experience transformed through art and innovation, further demonstrating ALDAU Development’s commitment to providing best-in-class hospitality.

ADD Art is run by a team of art professionals with extensive experience in the local art scene and a good grasp of the art community’s dynamics and network. Their aim is to support visual artists and professionals in the field by developing a calendar of recurring initiatives, pilot programs, and standalone projects that nurture and strengthen the art ecosystem in Egypt.

All existing and future ADD Art programs are created with one goal in mind: to provide artists at different career stages with a wide range of unique opportunities that help advance their careers and equip them with the tools they need to innovate and flourish.

ADD Art Programs for Different Career Stages

Below is a list of the opportunities developed by ADD Art over so far as well as some teasers of upcoming programs:

Symposium: Local & international art symposiums hosted at ADD resorts and developments in Hurghada, Egypt. Symposiums are sometimes medium-focused, and other times encourage diversification, allowing artists the space for free expression and providing an oft-needed creative retreat and access to a new network of practitioners paving the way for future collaborative work .
Corporate art collection: The acquisition of artworks for ALDAU Development’s corporate art collection, which is then documented, exhibited, and incorporated in company projects.
Art fairs: The showcasing of selected works from the ALDAU Development’s corporate art collection at local (and soon international) art fairs, with the objective of introducing collectors to our artists’ rich portfolios.
Exhibitions: Curating and hosting art exhibitions that unlock new untapped markets of art enthusiasts for our artists. These range from ALDAU Development’s existing clients to hotel guests, conference attendees, and more.
Documentation: Ensuring that all artists’ work is documented, promoted, credited, and featured in mainstream media as well as lifestyle publications for promotional and awareness purposes through ALDAU Development’s existing marketing and PR departments.
Artist residencies: Artist residencies (program under development).

Commissions: A commissioning fund is allocated for every new residential, commercial and hospitality project launched by ALDAU Development. This fund’s primary focus is to commission works by mid-career to established artists with a presence on the commercial market who are interested in further challenging their practice and breaking free from market constraints. Selected artists are commissioned to create site-specific artworks that fit the need of different projects and contribute to the design and visual identity of these spaces.
Consultancy services: ADD Art also provides consulting services to entities similar to ALDAU Development to help them develop their own initiatives and encourage this culture and mind-set of commissioning artists and offering unconventional platforms for creative expression.

Open calls: Recurring open calls are held to encourage young artists to compete and challenge their usual practice, often coupling them with more established mentors or experienced jury members who offer constructive feedback crucial for the young artists’ growth.
Rotating displays: Hosting rotating displays of artworks at some of ALDAU Development’s hotels to provide young artists with exposure as part of a big project, and hopefully sell their work to local clients or international guests (under development).

Sponsorships: Sponsoring independent initiatives that ADD Art believes have a positive impact on the local art scene and share a common vision.
Collaborations: Encouraging synergistic collaborations with other independent art initiatives and joining forces on specific projects that maximize the different sets of resources and strengthen the impact of the common vision.
Capacity building programs: Other pilot initiatives such as professional retreats, networking opportunities & capacity building programs are being studied and are to be launched in due time.

ADD Art Team

Bassel Saad

Malak Shenouda

Head of ADD Art

Malak Shenouda

Malak Shenouda joined ALDAU Development as Head of Art and Events in 2022 for the establishment of ADD Art. Previously, she held the posts of executive director and cultural programs head at the art consultancy Art D’Égypte for five years. Over the course of her career she has gained extensive experience of establishing partnerships and collaborations, art program management, and cultural programming. She received her BA in visual art and sociology at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and has worked with artists and cultural initiatives in Egypt, London, and Berlin. Shenouda also has her own multi-disciplinary artistic practice and has been part of several group exhibitions in Egypt. She has recently been selected by the US Embassy to take part in their capacity building course “The Cycle: Management of Successful Arts and Culture Organization” by The Devos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland.

Bassel Saad

Mayar Gaber

Art executive

Mayar Gaber

Mayar Gaber Joined ADD Art as an Art Executive in 2023, with more than four years of experience in exhibition curation and coordination. She has also participated in the production of big art festivals such as Cairo Photo Week and Cairo International Art District. Her fine arts studios and efforts in organizing over 30 exhibitions at Access Art Space (formerly “Townhouse Gallery”) in Downtown Cairo have given Gaber access to a wide network of both young and established artists and extensive knowledge of the local art scene.