The Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai has been forced to implement rigorous emergency protocols, including 'shelter in place' procedures, following a series of missile and drone strikes across the UAE. Director Antonia Carver, managing operations remotely from the UK due to travel disruptions, describes a new reality where staff must balance the physical safety of visitors with the institution's role as a sanctuary for the community. Despite a recent conditional ceasefire, the center remains on high alert while supporting a workforce deeply affected by regional instability.
This situation highlights the precarious nature of cultural institutions operating within geopolitical conflict zones and the evolving role of the arts during humanitarian crises. As the UAE faces unprecedented security challenges, the Jameel Arts Centre's experience serves as a case study in institutional resilience and the psychological weight carried by art workers who often have family ties to other embattled nations in the Middle East.