Education & Creative Programmes Lead

**Line Manager:** Tashkeel General Manager

Position Overview

• Tashkeel is seeking a highly resourceful, culturally aware, strategically driven, and intellectually curious professional for the role of Education & Creative Programmes Lead.
• This individual will lead the development, structure, and execution of Tashkeel’s annual art and design educational programming across workshops, talks, learning programmes, public engagement initiatives, teaching residencies, and professional development platforms.
• The role requires a strong understanding that art and design education require different methodologies, modes of thinking, technical approaches, and professional pathways.
• The successful candidate must be capable of developing distinct educational structures for artists and a separate focused workshops and programmes focusing on designers, while also fostering meaningful interdisciplinary dialogue where relevant.
• This role goes beyond workshop coordination.
• The Education & Creative Programmes Lead will shape the educational identity of Tashkeel and position the organization as a benchmark destination for advanced creative learning, experimentation, and professional development in the UAE and wider region.
• The candidate must understand current gaps within regional creative education systems and develop specialist programmes that address areas underserved by universities and existing creative institutions, particularly within product design, furniture design, material innovation, fabrication, and production-focused learning.
• The role will work closely with:
• The Studio & Engagement team,
• Membership Coordinator,
• Gallery Manager,
• Exhibiting Artists
• Business Development
• Tasmeem Tashkeel design team,
• Tanween by Tashkeel designers,
• Artist in Residency participants,
• Designer in Residency,

• Critical Practice Programme Artists,

• Visiting local and international practitioners.

Annual Programme Strategy & Development

• Develop and oversee Tashkeel’s annual workshop and public learning programme across contemporary art, contemporary design, fabrication, craft, material research, and multidisciplinary creative practices.
• Build structured annual educational pathways for both art and design disciplines, understanding that artists and designers require different methodologies, approaches, and professional development structures.
• Develop separate yet complementary workshop categories for:

• Professional Development & Creative Entrepreneurship

• Build a balanced annual calendar including beginner, intermediate, advanced, and masterclass-level workshops.
• Research regional and international trends in art, design, fabrication, and creative education to ensure Tashkeel remains innovative, future-focused, and distinctive.
• Identify oversaturated workshop trends within the UAE market and strategically position Tashkeel toward specialist, technically enriching, and professionally relevant learning experiences.
• Develop educational programming that fills gaps currently lacking within regional university and creative education systems, particularly within:
• product design,
• furniture design,
• material innovation,
• prototyping,
• fabrication,
• manufacturing systems,
• and design production methodologies.
• Create workshop pathways that encourage long-term skill development, experimentation, and professional growth.
• Develop theoretical programmes including reading groups, lectures, panel discussions, critique sessions, and research-led learning experiences in both Arabic and English.
• Teach workshops, lectures, or moderate discussions directly where relevant to the candidate’s expertise.

Art Programming

• Curate workshops rooted in contemporary artistic practice, material exploration, conceptual development, and critical thinking.
• Develop workshops connected to:
• Exhibitions and gallery programming.
• Artist Residencies,
• Designer in Residence.

• The Critical Practice Programme,

• Create educational programmes inspired by the materials, concepts, techniques, and research explored by exhibiting artists.
• Collaborate closely with artists, curators, and residency participants to create talks, demonstrations, critiques, and public engagement opportunities.
• Develop annual schedules for Critical Practice Programme artists, ensuring each participant contributes educational workshops, talks, critiques, or lectures during their sponsored programme period.

Design Programming

• Develop specialist design-focused workshops that reflect how designers think, prototype, fabricate, manufacture, and solve problems differently from artists.
• Build advanced educational programming within:
• product design,
• furniture design,
• spatial thinking,
• fabrication,
• material systems,
• sustainable design,
• prototyping,
• and production methodologies.
• Develop workshops that support and supplement Tanween by Tashkeel, creating additional technical, conceptual, and professional learning opportunities for participating designers.
• Develop schedules and educational contributions for Tanween designers, ensuring participating designers contribute workshops, lectures, and technical sessions throughout the programme year.
• Introduce workshops that bridge conceptual design thinking with manufacturing realities and production processes within the UAE.
• Position Tashkeel as a regional benchmark for advanced design learning and hands-on design development.
• Create a schedule of weekly talks at the lecture spaces that are curated according to residencies, gallery exhibitions, programmes and relevant up coming fairs.

Residency & Teaching Residency Programmes

• Work closely with Tashkeel residency programmes to integrate public learning opportunities into residency structures before the residencies start.
• Develop teaching residency models that invite local and international artists, designers, and specialists to lead workshops, masterclasses, lectures, and critique sessions during their time at Tashkeel.
• Collaborate with Designers-in-Residence, artists-in-residence, and visiting practitioners to create educational experiences that contribute to the wider creative community in Dubai and the UAE.
• Position Tashkeel’s residency programmes as active educational and public engagement platforms rather than isolated studio-based experiences.

Scheduling & Coordination

• Work closely with the Membership Coordinator, Gallery Manager, Business & Events Outreach teams, studio assistants, and Tasmeem Tashkeel design team to coordinate programming across all Tashkeel locations and specialist studios.
• Plan and coordinate workshops, talks, lectures, critique sessions, and public engagement activities accompanying exhibitions and major events.
• Coordinate offsite workshops and educational programmes at partner institutions, art fairs, schools, libraries, and external venues where required.
• Develop annual schedules and content plans that optimize participation, quality, revenue, and educational impact.
• Monitor workshop bookings, attendance, participant feedback, and programme performance.
• Work with Finance to define workshop expenditure, pricing structures, minimum capacity requirements, refunds, and budget approvals.
• Coordinate with Marketing & Sales to ensure workshops, lectures, and educational programmes are promoted strategically with sufficient lead time.

Instructor & Community Development

• Develop and maintain a database in the internal system of Tashkeel of artists, designers, fabricators, educators, theorists, and creative professionals who can contribute to Tashkeel programming.
• Upon approval of list, Source, manage, and build relationships with local and international instructors and visiting practitioners.
• Support instructors in refining workshop structures, educational methodologies, and participant engagement.
• Foster a strong creative learning community within Tashkeel through networking opportunities, critiques, open studios, talks, and collaborative programming.
• Develop educational pathways for children, teenagers, and emerging creatives through annual camps, after-school programmes, and youth-focused workshops.

Administrative & Operational Responsibilities

• Work with the Studio & Engagement team to maintain workshop material inventories, equipment tracking, and studio readiness.
• Keep records of workshop materials, studio usage, instructor reports, participant evaluations, and programme outcomes.
• Ensure all educational programmes comply with health and safety regulations and operational procedures.
• Conduct tours of Tashkeel and exhibitions where required.
• Research opportunities that support the long-term growth and development of Tashkeel’s educational ecosystem.
• Contribute positively to the wider Tashkeel team and organizational culture.
• Undertake additional responsibilities that support the objectives of the role and organization.

Bonus & Incentive Structure

• Tashkeel believes in building a collaborative and performance-driven culture where team members are rewarded for contributing to the growth, sustainability, and success of the organization’s educational and creative programmes.
• The Education & Creative Programmes Lead will work closely with the Studio & Engagement team to support annual programme targets across workshops, talks, educational initiatives, residencies, and public programming.
• Where annual programme targets are successfully achieved and all operational and programme-related costs are covered, a performance-based bonus structure will be implemented.
• A percentage of the net profit generated through the educational and studio programming will be distributed amongst the contributing studio and programme team members based on:
• level of involvement,
• contribution to programme development,
• implementation,
• operational support,
• and overall impact on programme success.
• This structure is designed to encourage:
• long-term thinking,
• collaborative teamwork,
• programme quality,
• financial responsibility,
• audience growth,
• and active contribution toward the success of Tashkeel’s educational ecosystem.
• The bonus system aims to empower the team by creating a direct relationship between the success of the programmes they help build and the rewards received at the end of the financial year.

Candidate Profile

• The ideal candidate should have:
• 5–8+ years of experience in creative programming, art education, design education, cultural programming, residency management, or multidisciplinary workshop development.
• A strong understanding of the distinctions between artistic practice and design practice, including their methodologies, educational needs, and professional pathways.
• Experience within:
• contemporary art institutions,
• design studios,
• creative consultancies,
• museums,
• cultural foundations,
• residency programmes,
• makerspaces,
• or multidisciplinary educational environments.
• Strong understanding of:
• contemporary art,
• product and furniture design,
• fabrication,
• material research,
• and emerging creative technologies.
• Experience developing structured annual programmes rather than isolated workshops or events.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of audience development and programme sustainability.
• A deep understanding of the UAE’s creative and cultural landscape is highly preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in:
• Art Education,
• Design,
• Design Education,
• Curatorial Practice,
• Creative Industries,
• Cultural Management,
• or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of teaching, workshop development, or programme management experience.

Essential Requirements

• Fluent spoken and written Arabic and English.
• Excellent knowledge of the UAE visual arts and design sector.
• Strong professional network within creative industries.
• Experience in project development and programme delivery.
• Strong presentation, communication, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of health and safety standards within workshop and studio environments.
• A self-motivated, strategic, and adaptable mindset with strong problem-solving abilities.

Important Note

About Tashkeel

HR Coordinator – Tashkeel

Tel: +971 4 336 3313

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Pay: AED10,000.00 - AED15,000.00 per month
• Ability to commute/relocate:
• Dubai: Reliably commute or willing to relocate with an employer-provided relocation package (Preferred)

Education

• Master's (Preferred)

Experience

• Design Educator: 5 years (Required)
• Art Educator: 5 years (Preferred)

Language

• English (Required)

Location

• Dubai (Required)
• Willingness to travel:
• 25% (Preferred)