Momentum

We will be hosting networking events, giving you the opportunity to meet our delegates, at our Delegate Centre across August. Registration hasn't opened yet, but save the dates below and stay tuned:

Meet the Polish Delegation
Thursday 7 August, 14:00-15:30

Meet the Vietnamese Delegation
Friday 8 August, 15:30-17:00

Meet the Korean Delegation
Wednesday 13 August, 14:00-15:30

Meet the Nordic Delegation
Thursday 14 August, 11:00-12:30

Meet the Turkish Delegation
Monday 18 August, 11:00-12:30

Meet the MENA Delegation
Thursday 21 August, 11:00-12:30

Third year working with Momentum.

Delegates will be joining us from Avant Art Festival, Konteksty Festival, and Korczak Festival of Theatre for Children and Youth.

Third year working with Momentum.

Delegates will be joining us from Hanoi Culture & Sports Department, Hoi An Center for Culture, Sports, Radio & Television, Hue Festival and Lang Spot Community Art Space.

Final year working with Momentum.

Delegates will be joining us from EG Musical Company, ICONTACT, Korea Disability Arts & Culture Center / Modu Art Theatre, National Asian Culture Center Foundation, Seognam Arts Center / Seongnam Cultural Foundation.

Hosted in partnership with Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Delegates will be joining us from ARI Literature Foundation (Armenia), globale° Festival for Border-Crossing Literature (Germany), Open Arts (Nigeria), Bergen International Literary Festival (Norway), Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival (Sri Lanka), Translatorium (Ukraine) and PEN World Voices Festival (USA).

Hosted in partnership with Edinburgh Art Festival.

Delegates will be joining us from  Artspace (Australia), Samdani Art Foundation (Bangladesh), Pinacoteca Sau Paulo (Brazil), ARD Art Institution (Egypt), Beirut Art Center (Lebanon), op.cit. Foundation (Mexico) and Palestinian Art Court (Palestine).

David Ayala-Alfonso (he/him)
Independent Curators International / op.cit. Foundation (Mexico)
www.davidayala.info

David Ayala-Alfonso lives and works in Mexico City as a curator and writer. He is a guest curator for Independent Curators International and op. cit., and a Visiting Critic for the At The Transit Bar series. His research addresses visual culture and critical heritage, focusing on the political and ecological implications of extractive practices. He contributes to numerous publications in the US, Mexico, and the UK, and mentors artists in different residency programs in Mexico City. Ayala-Alfonso earned his MA in Visual and Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has participated in curatorial residencies in France, Colombia, the US, the UK, and Germany.

Independent Curators International (ICI) supports curators to help create stronger art communities through experimentation, collaboration, and international engagement. op.cit. Foundation is comprised of different venues and exhibition programs, artist residencies, and publications of invited artists in collaboration with curators and cultural agents.

Ruxmini Choudhury (she/her)
Samdani Art Foundation (Bangladesh)
www.samdani.com.bd

The Samdani Art Foundation is a non-profit based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, supporting contemporary art and architecture from South Asia through exhibitions, collaborations, and public programs. Rooted in long-term relationships and collective learning, the Foundation values process and experimentation over static display. It’s best known for the Dhaka Art Summit, a free, non-commercial platform that brings together artists, curators, and thinkers from across the globe.

Ruxmini Reckvana Q Choudhury is a curator at the Foundation, where she leads research-led projects and shapes exhibitions and public engagements. Her work often centers around ideas of collectivity, cultural memory, and care, particularly in how they unfold across different contexts and communities. She’s also deeply involved in art mediation, working closely with mediators to create more inclusive, conversational experiences for audiences. Through international collaborations and long-term partnerships, Ruxmini’s curatorial practice focuses on building space for voices and stories that are too often overlooked in mainstream art narratives.

Katie Dyer (she/her)
Artspace (Australia)
artspace.org.au

Katie has been Senior Curator at Artspace since 2024. Established in 1983, Artspace is one of the leading institutions for the production and presentation of contemporary art in the Asia Pacific. Katie leads the development and management of Artspace’s artistic program including exhibitions, new work commissions, studio residencies, public engagement initiatives and publishing. Recent international projects include partnerships with Ocean Space, Venice and WIELS, Brussels and FACT, Liverpool. Prior to this she was Senior Curator Contemporary at the Powerhouse Museum where she helped lead the transformation of the museum through the development of artistic programming anchored in research, collections and contemporary critical practice. Her exhibitions there included collaborations with the Wellcome Collection and the V&A, London. She has also held roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, the Museum of Modern Art and The Drawing Center, New York. Her research focuses on interdisciplinary and collaborative cultures and creative practice.

Hana El Beblawy (she/her)
ARD Art Institution (Egypt)
www.instagram.com/ard_art_institution_

Hana El Beblawy is a curator and arts professional with a passion for promoting contemporary art, based in Egypt. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Arts from The American University in Cairo (AUC), El Beblawy has a strong foundation in artistic expression and architectural design.

Driven by her passion for promoting contemporary art, she founded and currently manages the ARD Art Institution. As the Founder and Managing Director, she has been instrumental in shaping the institution's vision and direction; ARD presents a diversified program that includes many artistic activities stemming from the surrounding affairs and is open to the world. The program includes; artistic residencies, exhibitions, workshops, and other art alternatives. El Beblawy’s understanding of the local cultural context has allowed her to curate a diverse range of exhibitions and programs that engage with pressing social, political, and cultural issues. Hana is also a member of the Creative Africa Advisory Group for Afreximbank.

Manar Idrissi (she/her)
Palestinian Art Court / Dar Al Kalima University (Palestine)
alhoash.com/en / www.daralkalima.edu.ps/en

Manar is a cultural and art manager based in Jerusalem, holding a Master’s degree in Art Management from Barcelona, and is currently working on her research proposal for a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies.  With extensive experience in organizing and managing exhibitions, she also serves as the Dean of Student Affairs at Dar Al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, where she teaches specialized courses on art exhibition management, portfolio development, and the rights and responsibilities of artists in society.

Additionally, Manar is responsible for social interaction and exhibitions at the Palestinian Art Court in Jerusalem. She dedicates her efforts to engaging with diverse communities and has consistently collaborated with youth throughout her career. Recently, her focus has shifted towards organizing exhibitions that highlight emerging artists, and she continues her research on issues related to cultural genocide and the destruction of visual artworks. Manar aims to create a positive and meaningful impact in the fields of cultural interaction and artistic expression.

Ibrahim Nehme (he/him)
Beirut Art Center (Lebanon)
www.beirutartcenter.org

Ibrahim Nehme is a Lebanese writer and multidisciplinary creative working at the intersection of storytelling, cultural practice, and social transformation. He currently serves as the Director of Beirut Art Center, a space committed to functioning as a laboratory of imagination—engaging with immediate urgencies while nurturing the collective imaginary as a vital political force. Since its founding in 2009, the Center has become a critical site for contemporary art in Lebanon and the region, positioning art as a form of resistance and a catalyst for community, kinship, and radical expression.

In his role, Ibrahim develops and oversees artistic programming, forges international collaborations, and explores new models of sustainability and self-organization within the cultural sector. His work is grounded in the belief that art can drive structural change, and he actively works to expand the Center’s impact both locally and globally.

Clarissa Ximenes
Pinacoteca Sau Paulo (Brazil)
claximenes.com

I am a curator, researcher, and cultural facilitator, with a degree in Visual Arts and specializations in Cultural Management and Production. In 2021, I founded BANANAL ARTE E CULTURA, a collaborative studio and cultural space located in Barra Funda, São Paulo. Since 2023, I have been the Programming Curator at the Pinacoteca de São Paulo, responsible for the institution’s public programs, special projects, educational initiatives, and cultural agenda.

I regularly participate in project evaluation committees for the State and Municipal Culture Departments of São Paulo. Over the years, I have assisted in the management and implementation of artistic projects, with a focus on project writing for public grants and incentive laws, as well as supporting, coordinating, and facilitating independent projects by artists and collectives.

First year working with Momentum.

Delegates will be joining us from Arctic Arts Festival, Nordic Black Theatre, Producentbyrån, and Reykjavík Dance Festival.

First year working with Momentum.

Delegates will be joining us from Ankara State Opera and Ballet / Modern Dance Company, Istanbul Atatürk Cultural Centre, and Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts / Istanbul Theatre Festival.

Third year working with Momentum.

Delegates will be joining us from Amman Contemporary Dance Festival / National Centre for Culture & Arts, Damascus Theatre Laboratory, Ezzat Ezzat Contemporary Dance Studio, Mraya Theater Project, and Studio 8.

British Council Scotland is committed to maintaining and growing Scotland's international connections and contribution across the arts, education and society sectors. We are part of the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. They enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life.

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