Art Dubai, in partnership with the Delfina Foundation, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and Tashkeel, has launched Artists-in-Residence (AiR) Dubai 2012, an annual programme for artists and curators based in the historic quarter of Bastakiya, Dubai.

Artists Hadeyah Badri, Fayçal Baghriche, Zeinab Al Hashimi, Magdi Mostafa, Nasir Nasrallah, and Deniz Uster, have been selected for the three-month residency in the lead-up to Art Week, the Gulf-wide programme of fairs, museum shows, exhibitions, performances and projects that coincides with Art Dubai each March.

The 2012 curator-in-residence is Alexandra MacGilp, a statement from the organization, a statement from the organisation said.

As part of their residency, Fayçal Baghriche, Magdi Mostafa, and Deniz Uster are commissioned to make site-specific works for Art Dubai Projects, a programme of new works and performances that explore the fabric and economy of an art fair, embracing the theatrical nature of such an event.

All six artists will exhibit as part of an Open Studios programme included in Sikka Art Fair during Art Week 2012, the statement said.

The artists, three from Asia and the Middle East, and three from the UAE, were selected by representatives of the partner organisations and guest curator November Paynter, associate director of research and programs at Salt, Istanbul and director of the artist pension trust, Dubai.

The curator-in-residence was selected by AiR Dubai selection panel, with critic HG Master of ArtAsiaPacific, following an open call. The curator’s residency is in collaboration with ArtAsiaPacific, it said. – TradeArabia News Service