Abu Dhabi: Alserkal is proud to announce that its founder, Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, has received the Abu Dhabi Award, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.

Now in its 12th edition, the Abu Dhabi Awards celebrate individuals whose selfless acts of giving have created lasting positive impact in the UAE and beyond. This year’s theme, “Hand in Hand,” coincides with the UAE’s Year of Community, marking 20 years of honouring those who embody the nation’s values of generosity, compassion, and civic responsibility.

A business leader and pioneering patron of the arts, Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal has played a defining role in shaping Dubai’s contemporary cultural landscape. In 2007, he founded Alserkal Avenue, transforming a former industrial zone in Al Quoz into one of the region’s most vibrant cultural districts, home to more than 100 creative businesses and welcoming over two million visitors annually.

From its beginnings as a grassroots initiative, Alserkal has evolved into a cultural enterprise shaping contemporary culture and advancing the creative economy across the MENASA region and beyond. Its three pillars, the Arts Foundation, the Advisory strategic consultancy and the Cultural Districts, bring together place-making, artistic experimentation, and cultural strategy to empower artists, entrepreneurs and institutions to imagine and build shared futures.

Under Abdelmonem’s leadership, Alserkal has delivered more than 5,000 public programmes welcoming more than 2 million visitors annually, collaborated with over 500 institutions worldwide, and expanded Dubai’s cultural landscape through sustained investment in creative spaces, cultural initiatives, and public art. Since 2017, it has hosted more than 50 residents through the Arts Foundation and its earlier residency programmes, supporting artists, researchers, and curators through grants and commissions. The Foundation has also led major public art initiatives, including contributions to Dubai Public Art, curating site-specific and community-based commissions across the city. Established in 2021, the Advisory extends this impact through cultural planning and strategy projects for regional and international partners, shaping creative economies and cultural ecosystems.
Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal says, “It is a lifetime honour to receive the Abu Dhabi Award by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Awards reflects the spirit of generosity, collaboration and civic responsibility that drives our nation forward. Alserkal was founded on the belief that culture can transform how we live, turning spaces into communities and ideas into shared purpose. As Alserkal has grown and developed, I remain deeply thankful to the artists, curators, creative entrepreneurs, partners and members of the public who have joined us on this journey and continue to give meaning to our work.”

Vilma Jurkute, Executive Director of Alserkal, says, “Abdelmonem’s vision has created spaces where artists and cultural practitioners can take risks, experiment and push the boundaries of creative practice. His belief in the power of culture to foster dialogue and understanding has inspired ideas that resonate far beyond Dubai, shaping conversations across the region and internationally. This recognition reflects not only his leadership but the integrity, openness and conviction with which he continues to empower others to create and collaborate.”

This honour adds to Alserkal’s longstanding contribution to the UAE’s cultural development and international engagement. Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal has previously been awarded the Patron of the Arts Award (2012 and 2013) by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2023) by the French Republic, and the Medal for Culture and Creativity (2024) by the UAE Ministry of Culture.