What is it like to work for National Pavilion UAE at Venice Biennale?

With intern applications open for next year, four alumni discuss important lessons and advise how to stand out

The Venice Biennale alternates between focusing on art and architecture each year. EPA

Representing the UAE at the Venice Architecture Biennale can be a richly rewarding experience at the start of one's career – just ask four budding artists who have done it.

From building contacts in the arts industry to getting further under the skin of Emirati history, joining the National Pavilion UAE can be an instrumental platform for emerging creatives. And, with applications now open to join next year's internship programme, four alumni share their experiences about what to expect.

Maha AlNahal

AlNahal is one of the more recent interns of the National Pavilion UAE. She took part in this year's Venice Art Biennale, Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia, which was dedicated to the art of Abdullah Al Saadi. AlNahal travelled to Venice in April, taking part in the pre-opening preparations as well as maintaining the exhibition during the first month of the biennale.

“Before travelling to Venice, the National Pavilion hosted several training sessions,” she says. “It was a greatly crafted curriculum for interns to understand the history behind the UAE’s participation at the Venice Biennale. As a fresh graduate aiming to pursue a creative career, I gained insight and was not only prepared as an intern but also understood the UAE art scene more.”

AlNahal says that as her main creative outlets are photography and journaling, there was a lot to learn from Al Saadi’s creative process. "The experience changed the way I documented my story and how I wanted to tell it," she says. “I saw the importance of observing and preserving your life and how to tell your story through different mediums."

AlNahal has a unique piece of advice to share with future interns, suggesting participants write a letter to their future selves, detailing how they feel and what they expect out of the experience.

“I hope they ground themselves in the moment and take in Venice and its people," she adds. "At the end, when they open the letter I hope they feel like they’ve grown.”

Shamma Khoory

Khoory also took part as an intern in this year’s biennale. An experience that particularly stood out to her was getting the chance to visit Al Saadi’s studio in Khor Fakkan. “The session was very helpful because it allowed us to enter Abdullah Al Saadi’s world and connect with his works even further,” she says. “We caught glimpses of his environment, helping us situate and materialize the information we received during the training session.”

While Khoory was immediately taken by Al Saadi’s work, getting to Venice and interacting with the pavilion’s visitors encouraged her to view the artwork and the artist’s process of documentation in a multitude of ways. “What really stood out to me was the way people across different cultures received Al Saadi’s works,” she says.

Khoory adds that while participating in the exhibition was creatively stimulating in its own right, she also found exploring Venice gratifying, particularly as a photographer. “Venice is full of contradictions,” she says. “One moment you are walking through a sea of tourists and another moment you are in a secluded alleyway."

Khoory says that interns must recognise that by participating at the National Pavilion UAE, they are representing “a much larger narrative. “It’s important to appreciate your role as an intern by creating meaningful interactions and genuine connection with every aspect of the pavilion.”

Mariam Shamma

Shamma, meanwhile, was an intern at the pavilion last year, during the Venice Architecture Biennale. The National Pavilion UAE was presenting Aridly Abundant, an exhibition that highlighted practices that have successfully supported life in water-scarce environments, suggesting how can they be adapted to other contexts to relieve the strain on natural resources.

“I had the unique opportunity to assist the curation team with the exhibition set-up, particularly during the intense period leading up to the opening,” Shamma, who is a visual artist and designer, says. “This hands-on experience deepened my understanding of the curatorial process and gave me valuable insight into the meticulous planning and execution required to bring an exhibition to life.”

Shamma’s responsibilities also included documenting the pavilion’s footfall, assisting visitors with navigating the exhibition and capturing social media content. “These tasks allowed me to gain a comprehensive view of the exhibition process from both a logistical and creative standpoint,” she says.

Shamma adds that the internship programme also gave her a chance to delve into Venetian culture and artistic heritage. “The city’s history, combined with the diversity of creative practices and perspectives I encountered, influenced my own creative process,” she says. “Engaging with other creatives and observing their unique approaches to art and architecture broadened my understanding and appreciation of different creative expressions, which in turn enriched my own work.”

Sultan Al Ramahi

Al Ramahi joined the National Pavilion UAE for the 2015 Venice Art Biennale. “That year, the pavilion had an amazing exhibition looking at art exhibitions from the UAE in the '80s and the ‘90s, featuring over 100 pieces by various artists,” he recalls.

Al Ramahi arrived in Venice two weeks before the official opening of the biennale to assist the design team and the curator of the National Pavilion UAE in setting up the exhibition. “The educational training programme was crucial in preparing us for the internship. As interns we had to be completely knowledgeable of the artists, as well as the overarching themes of their work and exhibitions,” Al Ramahi says.

The designer adds that the local art scene was only just becoming known on a global scale. There was a marked curiosity at the biennale about what the UAE had to offer, and the interns, Al Ramahi says, were acting “mini-ambassadors". “I was able to get exposed to so much of the international art scene, other artists and creatives, as there were countless pavilions all across the city,” he says.

What is the internship and how do I apply?

Since 2009, the programme has helped emerging creatives in the country to experience the workings of an exhibition in one of the world’s seminal biennales. The programme is open to Emiratis and long-term residents of the UAE who have a background in arts, architecture, diplomacy and international relations or are simply interested in representing the UAE at the event, which alternates every year between an art and architecture focus.

The National Pavilion UAE is receiving applications for the internship through its official website until November 1. Selected interns will have the chance to spend one month in Venice, taking part in the daily operations of the National Pavilion UAE. Responsibilities include managing the pavilion, offering guided tours to visitors and documenting feedback. Three interns will fly to Venice each month, with a total of 21 creatives taking part.