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Sep 2024
55m 35s

Bill Bragin & Maya Allison | 10 years of...

AFIKRA
About this episode

We’re kicking off the third season of the NYUAD Podcast with Bill Bragin, founding executive artistic director of The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi, and Maya Allison, founding executive director of The Art Galleries and senior research scholar and chief curator at New York University #AbuDhabi. They tell us all about what this year holds at NYUAD’s Arts Center with reflections on the legacy they’ve built so far and the local cultural eco-system that they’ve painstakingly nurtured. Maya and Bill invite us into their curatorial decision making, how they see their “local” context in Abu Dhabi, and what it took to speak to an audience that didn’t yet exist. From their biggest learning curves through to curating for an audience with wildly different reference points and cultural backgrounds, this conversation gives us a fascinating look at how the NYUAD Arts Center came to be the fixture of Abu Dhabi’s cultural scene that it is today. You'll also get a sneak peak of what to expect from this new season of performances and exhibitions at The Arts Center.

Bill Bragin is a leading figure in music and arts programming and is the first executive artistic director of The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi. Called “one of the most influential figures in the New York live-music business” by The New York Times, Bill brings extensive experience, creativity, and his own unique multidisciplinary vision to the role.

Connect with Bill 👉https://www.instagram.com/activecultures/

Maya Allison is the Chief Curator at NYU Abu Dhabi and founding Executive Director of the NYUAD Art Gallery and Project Space. Her background is in academic museums: she curated her first major exhibitions at The RISD Museum (Rhode Island School of Design), then served as curator of the Bell Gallery (Brown University). She was also director of the city-wide, international new media showcase Pixilerations, and of the 5 Traverse Gallery, all in the US. She holds an MFA from Columbia University, a BA in art history from Reed College, and continued her research on curatorial practice via a fellowship at Brown University’s Center for Public Humanities.

Connect with Maya 👉https://www.instagram.com/mayaallison2.0/?hl=en

afikra and The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi join forces to bring you captivating one-hour interviews with an array of talented performers and artists showcasing the rich tapestry of music, theater, drama and poetry. Step into the minds of these visionary creators as they delve into their craft, revealing the inspirations and stories behind their extraordinary performances.

The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi offers NYUAD compelling programming that connects to the curriculum and illuminates the scholarly pursuits of students and faculty. Its range of public programs aim to animate and enrich the cultural life of both the city of Abu Dhabi and the university through interaction. As a vibrant laboratory for performance that both presents and develops work, The Arts Center fosters a dynamic relationship between the arts, scholarship and community.

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl63W_KIMC2HWDoyqRi-2fzN&feature=shared

FOLLOW & RATE THE NYUAD Arts Center Podcast:

» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-arts-center-at-nyu-abu-dhabi-podcast-powered-by-afikra/id1707014540

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0bnc6jhwbSGKZyEI6LBuAu?si=4359dabaa57b4e83

» Anghami: https://open.anghami.com/uApM34ABKMb

 

ABOUT AFIKRA

afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

 

Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu

FOLLOW & RATE THE NYUAD ARTS CENTER PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-arts-center-at-nyu-abu-dhabi-podcast-powered-by-afikra/id1707014540
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0bnc6jhwbSGKZyEI6LBuAu?si=4359dabaa57b4e83
» Anghami: https://open.anghami.com/uApM34ABKMb

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl63W_KIMC2HWDoyqRi-2fzN&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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