Association for the Promotion and Exhibition of the Arts in Lebanon

Association for the Promotion and Exhibition of the Arts in Lebanon

The Association for the Promotion and Exhibition of the Arts in Lebanon (APEAL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of Lebanese art and the encouragement of Lebanese artists, by facilitating their access to the global art world.
Since its foundation in 2008, APEAL has been the driving force behind several major international art initiatives. From Washington DC and London to Venice and Dubai, APEAL has been working to raise awareness of Lebanese art. The association encourages Lebanese artists by organizing public art commissions, exhibitions, and international art exchange programs.

It provides direct assistance in the form of scholarships, which permit the awardee to continue their higher education. To date, APEAL awardees have attended programs at prestigious Lebanese and International universities: AUB, ALBA, USEK, USJ, Cal Arts, HEAD Geneva, MIT, Universite de Montreal, La Sorbonne, and Yale.

The association encourages creativity in all its forms and believes in the transformative power of art. A culturally engaged society is one that is constantly re-creating itself and whose voice can be heard around the world. With a mandate to nurture Lebanon’s artistic potential, APEAL seeks to play a role in transforming the country into a vibrant, forward-looking, post-conflict society.

In 2015, APEAL decided to deepen its commitment to promulgating Lebanese art to the Diaspora and the world by embarking upon a project of national and international importance: the establishment of a major Modern and Contemporary art museum in Beirut.

APEAL is a non-profit organization. It relies on fundraising and donations in order to develop its initiatives and programs.
These already include traveling exhibitions, community outreach programs, artist scholarships, and project sponsorship funds. But APEAL seeks to do much more. Future initiatives already under study include organizing international artistic exchange programs and the formation of curators and other art professionals, necessary to help elevate the Lebanese cultural scene to international levels.

There are many ways to support APEAL’s work. Become a member or a volunteer. Attend events, purchase publications, sponsor an event or make a donation.

APEAL's initiatives are only made possible by the generous contributions of donors as well as by its many friends and supporters in Lebanon and abroad. Major donors are acknowledged in all related press and publicity communications but whether large or small, it is your contribution that makes our work possible.

APEAL/Maria Geagea Arida Scholarship
APEAL supports art education by regularly granting scholarships to talented students and budding artists. The APEAL / Maria Geagea Arida Fund is available to subsidize Post-Graduate studies in Lebanon and abroad in fields such as:


Arts/Fine Art, Art History, Museum Studies, Curation

Selection Criteria/Eligibility
Scholarships are open to Lebanese citizens already accepted to an art-related degree. Prospective applicants should possess an excellent academic record and display notable artistic potential, especially if aiming to pursue a degree in Fine Arts.
Priority will be given to applicants most in need of financial support, however, candidates of any background are encouraged to apply.

Grants are awarded by a panel of judges, some of whom are APEAL members, and results are announced at an open meeting in which students, university and art center representatives, artists, members of the press, and friends of APEAL are welcome to attend.

Requirements Applicants are required to submit:

    • A completed application form
    • A Curriculum Vitae
    • An academic transcript covering the last two years of study
    • A portfolio consisting of a USB drive with up to 5 JPEG images of recent work, with descriptions in a separate document. Please ensure that the portfolio is PC and Mac compatible.
    • Two letters of recommendation
    • Proof of Lebanese identity
    • Proof of acceptance to the academic program
      • Applications should be submitted in hard copy to APEAL. Copies of the aforementioned documents should also be stored on the USB containing the images.
      Applicants shortlisted for an interview must also submit a budget and details of their financial status.
      Interviews of shortlisted candidates will take place in May 2018. Successful applicants will be notified within two weeks of the interview.
      Applications are currently being reviewed by a board of jurors.

APEAL/Maria Geagea Arida Scholarships Recipient List

      2010
      Farah Bahmad (AUB Studio Arts)
      Sarah Ghassan Haddad (ALBA Plastic and Applied Arts)
      Noel Keserwany (USEK Graphic Design and Advertising)
      Martine Jalil Sfeir (USEK Sacred Art)

      2011
      Maya Salim Saadeh (AUB Studio Arts)
      Sarah Ghassan Haddad (ALBA Plastic and Applied Arts)
      Mark Makhlouf (USEK Graphic Design and Advertising)
      Muriel Bou Hatab Al Bejjani (USJ Curating and Art Criticism)
      Christo Mario Saba (Universite de Montreal Cinema and Animation)

      2012
      Chantal Rabay (USJ Curating and Art Criticism)
      Soha Menassa (USJ Curating and Art Criticism)
      Special Scholarship (Training Cost of Lebanese Students at Ashkal Alwan)

      2014
      Scholarships Support Promoting Lebanese Artists (Life: Lebanese International Finance Executives)

      2015
      Jessika Khazrik (MIT Msc. in Art, Culture and Technology)
      Raafat Majzoub (MIT Msc. in Art, Culture and Technology)

      2016
      Hicham Faraj (Yale Masters in Graphic Design)
      Ghalas Charara (HEAD Geneva MA in Critical, Curatorial and Cybermedia Studies)
      Sarah Naim (CalArts Masters of Fine Arts)

      2017
      Natasha Gasparian (AUB MA Art History/Curating)
      Myriam Dalal(Sorbonne PhD. Plastic Art and Science of Art)

      2018
      Nadia Asfour(Harvard University - Art, Design, and the Public Domain)
      Natasha Gasparian(AUB - MA Art History/Curating)
       Philippa Dahrouj(AUB - MA Art History/Curating)

Sponsorship

      Sponsorship - Najla el Zein, “The Wind Portal”, 2013 – Victoria and Albert Museum, London
      Co-sponsorship - Exchange program between Germany and LAU – 10 students
      Sponsorship - Art Exhibition – Exposure 2014 – Beirut Art Center
      Sponsorship – Arts Visuels, Répertoire des Artistes, Agenda Culturel, Lebanon
      Special Scholarship – Training costs of a Lebanese student at Ashkal Alwan
      Special Scholarship – Christo Saba, Montreal, Canada
      Scholarships Support – Life (Lebanese International Finance Executives) Event 2014, promoting Lebanese artists
      Inauguration Event for the Université Pour Tous program at the Université St. Joseph – Beirut – October 2014
      Project support – The Boghossian Foundation Prize for Young Lebanese Artists
      Co-sponsorship - "All the World's Future”, 2015 – Venice Biennale – Khalil Joreige and Joana Hadjithomas’ participation in the collective exhibition under the direction of Okwui Enwezor
      Sponsorship – Space Between our Fingers – Apexart –Organized by Rachel Dedman – 2015
        Sponsored Prix Emile Hermès for Design - 2016


      BeMA Sponsorship – Viva Arte Vita - 2017 Venice Biennale – Curated by Christine Macel and featuring Huguette Caland


Pride Award

        The APEAL Pride Award is presented annually to an individual for outstanding achievement or distinguished service in the promotion of Lebanese art and culture, whether at home or abroad. Selection criteria observe rigorous international standards of excellence and professionalism. Individuals who have supported the Arts, financially or otherwise, and who have encouraged artists to persevere in their fields of creativity, are also eligible.
        Recipients embody the qualities we cherish and endorse as an organization and not only honor a person of outstanding caliber but one who has also made a difference. APEAL believes that recognizing the achievements of citizens is a vital component of civilization and fosters a culture of encouragement in the art world.
        "This is an award about lives that are growing and blossoming. It is an award about stories - stories of thoughts, memories, and dreams emerging from Lebanese soil and intertwining. In their multiplicity, these stories represent us all. This award is symbolic of a lifetime dedicated to art and culture; a lifetime of nurturing those stories, helping them to grow and flourish. A lifetime that has provided hundreds of opportunities for younger generations" - Nadim Karam
        The first APEAL Pride Award was presented in 2011 to the long-serving and distinguished curator of the Sursock Museum, Sylvia Agemian. In 2012, Christine Tohme, founder of Ashkal Alwan, was awarded for her commitment to bringing art into the civic sphere and for experimenting with new models of thinking about art that give artists new space and possibility to create.
        In 2015, Raymond Audi was the third recipient. A veteran banker and financier, he has made a mark as a philanthropist through his support of artistic causes, institutions, and initiatives, as well as his aid to organizations dedicated to the development and exhibition of the arts.
        In 2017, businessman and philanthropist Bernard Cali received the award for the outstanding support he has provided for the Beirut Museum of Art.