From Cairo to world: Egypt's Academy of Arts redefines Middle Eastern arts education with global vision

Daily News Egypt

24-06-2025

In the heart of Egypt's bustling capital, along the timeless banks of the Nile where millennia-old civilisations meet the pulse of contemporary life, the Egyptian Academy of Arts stands tall as a pioneering educational and cultural institution in the Arab world. For over six decades, the Academy has established itself as a driving force in Middle Eastern arts education — a living testament to Egypt's ability to intertwine heritage with modernity, safeguarding its cultural roots while embracing global innovation. Today, amid a rapidly evolving technological and digital arts landscape, the Academy positions itself at the forefront, investing in artificial intelligence, language education, and international partnerships to chart a new course for arts education in the region.
A Unique Institution in the Arab World
Since the enactment of Law No. 78 of 1969, which formally established the Academy's structure and its nine specialised higher institutes, it has remained unrivalled in the Middle East. These institutes include cinema, theatre, music, ballet, folk arts, art criticism, children's arts, applied arts, and, most recently, the Institute of Arts and Multimedia Translation. This unparalleled institutional diversity has enabled the Academy to remain a consistent source of artistic and cultural talent, preserving Arab artistic identity while producing contemporary creators equipped to navigate the challenges of a globalised market.
Visionary Leadership
This storied institution owes its stature to generations of figures who left indelible marks on its trajectory. Among them is the pioneering theatre scholar Madkour Thabet, who laid the foundations for academic theatre education in Egypt, insisting that art must carry a profound social and civilisational message. Thabet's approach — fusing intellectual depth with practical training — transformed the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts into a crucible for actors and directors who continue to enrich Egypt's and the wider Arab world's cultural scenes. Though his role was foundational in the mid-20th century, his influence endures in the Academy's curricula and its ever-evolving theatrical productions.
Equally instrumental was Ashraf Zaki, the renowned Egyptian actor and head of the Actors' Syndicate, who led the Academy during a pivotal period. Under his tenure, the Academy underwent a sweeping infrastructural renaissance — from renovating its institute theatres to inaugurating a modern Roman Theatre and establishing the Open Street Library. Zaki revitalised derelict spaces, converting them into dynamic classrooms and performance venues. His presidency concluded in July 2021 upon reaching the official retirement age, yet his legacy lives on through numerous milestones, including the widely celebrated student-led campaign 'Thank You, Ashraf Zaki.' Today, he remains an active cultural leader, honoured at events such as the Jerash International Festival 2024 and community gatherings as recently as June 2025.
Currently, the Academy is helmed by Ghada Gabarah, an accomplished film editor and cinema professor, who assumed leadership in July 2021. Gabarah has distinguished herself by combining artistic expertise with academic acumen, championing a bold vision that integrates artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology into arts education. Under her stewardship, the Academy has undergone a quiet but substantial digital transformation, including the launch of a comprehensive online platform and the incorporation of smart educational tools. Initiatives such as founding the Institute of Arts and Multimedia Translation and organising the Theatrical Spaces Festival have earned her discreet but consistent acclaim from students and Egypt's arts community — an understated recognition of her ability to enact internationally resonant reforms without media fanfare.
A Comprehensive Digital Vision
During Gabarah's tenure, the Academy has fully embraced AI systems across its academic programmes — from automated scenario analysis and digital visual effects design to AI-driven musical composition. It regularly organises student competitions to produce short films using virtual reality technologies.
In a landmark move, the Academy also merged its efforts in specialised arts translation and multilingual education by establishing the Higher Institute for Literary and Multimedia Arts Translation — a visionary project led by Enas Abdel Khalek. This ambitious initiative blends advanced translation studies with art history and digital production skills. The institute offers intensive programmes in English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German, alongside practical workshops translating film scripts, stage plays, operas, and musical scores. Strongly supported by Gabarah — who recognises the unspoken power of language as a civilisational bridge — this merger has enhanced students' abilities to render Arab artistic productions in multiple world languages while faithfully interpreting international works for Arab audiences. As ever, Gabarah allows the initiatives to speak eloquently for their architect.
Global Partnerships
In recent years, the Academy has embarked on unprecedented international collaborations, cementing its status as a global cultural hub. These partnerships include:
Hosting Global Ensembles : The Academy welcomed the Russian National Ballet, which collaborated with local ballet students on joint performances, exposing them to world-class techniques. It also hosted theatrical troupes from Italy and Spain, enriching Egypt's performing arts scene through diverse cultural exchanges.
: The Academy welcomed the Russian National Ballet, which collaborated with local ballet students on joint performances, exposing them to world-class techniques. It also hosted theatrical troupes from Italy and Spain, enriching Egypt's performing arts scene through diverse cultural exchanges. Collaborating with the British University in Egypt : A formal agreement was signed to develop joint cinema and theatre programmes, facilitating student and faculty exchanges, shared workshops, and collaborative productions. This initiative gives students access to British academic methodologies, including contemporary performance analysis and documentary filmmaking techniques.
: A formal agreement was signed to develop joint cinema and theatre programmes, facilitating student and faculty exchanges, shared workshops, and collaborative productions. This initiative gives students access to British academic methodologies, including contemporary performance analysis and documentary filmmaking techniques. Partnerships with France : The Academy collaborated with institutions such as the French Institute in Egypt to develop cinema and visual arts programmes, organise workshops in film direction and lighting design, and participate in events like Cairo Photo Week. Academic exchanges with the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris have further enriched Egypt's art education landscape.
: The Academy collaborated with institutions such as the French Institute in Egypt to develop cinema and visual arts programmes, organise workshops in film direction and lighting design, and participate in events like Cairo Photo Week. Academic exchanges with the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris have further enriched Egypt's art education landscape. China Collaborations : In cooperation with China, the Academy signed agreements with leading Chinese arts academies to develop programmes in folk arts, music, and digital production. The exchange programme has included opera performances in Cairo and Egyptian ballet shows in Beijing, reflecting a dynamic East–West artistic dialogue.
: In cooperation with China, the Academy signed agreements with leading Chinese arts academies to develop programmes in folk arts, music, and digital production. The exchange programme has included opera performances in Cairo and Egyptian ballet shows in Beijing, reflecting a dynamic East–West artistic dialogue. Erasmus+ Participation : Through the European Union's Erasmus+ programmes, the Academy enables Egyptian students to study or train at European institutions for periods ranging from two months to a full academic year. These bilateral agreements have significantly expanded students' academic and artistic horizons.
: Through the European Union's Erasmus+ programmes, the Academy enables Egyptian students to study or train at European institutions for periods ranging from two months to a full academic year. These bilateral agreements have significantly expanded students' academic and artistic horizons. International Workshops and Festivals: The Academy regularly hosts international directors, scenographers, and lighting designers for training workshops and has represented Egypt at prestigious international festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, earning critical acclaim.
These initiatives empower students to engage with a variety of artistic cultures while mastering modern technologies. They also bolster research and academic collaboration, enabling the Academy to offer locally rooted yet globally aware arts education — affirming Egypt's place as a regional and international cultural powerhouse.
Global Impact Despite Limited Resources
Despite having comparatively modest resources when measured against leading international arts institutions, the Academy has forged a global reputation for community-centred, culturally conscious education. Under the discerning leadership of Ghada Gabarah — who has expertly balanced a heritage of artistic integrity with contemporary digital and humanitarian priorities — the Academy has pioneered an educational model that merges creative instruction with social outreach and cultural development.
The Academy offers free arts workshops for children and youth in working-class Cairo neighbourhoods, including Imbaba, Haram, and Faisal. Its professional-level community initiatives address complex social issues through performances and projects that rival those offered by major European and American institutions.
In a powerful affirmation of cultural inclusivity, the Academy launched its 'Art Without Limits' initiative, integrating people with disabilities into Egypt's arts scene. The programme offers sensory-based workshops in tactile drawing, rhythmic music for the hearing-impaired, and inclusive theatre performances — positioning the Academy as one of the region's few institutions genuinely including differently-abled individuals in artistic production.
Through environmental initiatives such as Green Arts, recycling workshops, and sustainable community activities, the Academy further demonstrates its commitment to ecological awareness and community welfare.
Amid all this, the Academy — still rooted in the vision of its founding figures, who believed in art as a vocation before all else — continues to renew itself under Gabarah's thoughtful leadership, preserving a living, breathing heritage while writing new chapters of digital transformation, international outreach, and art-driven social impact.
A Legacy Renewed
From Madkour Thabet, the father of Egyptian academic theatre, to Ghada Gabarah's poised and quietly revolutionary integration of AI and global partnerships, Egypt's Academy of Arts remains a singular institution in the Arab world's cultural landscape.
At a time when many institutions falter under economic strain, the Academy has proven that art can still be a force for education, social cohesion, and cross-cultural dialogue. From Cairo to the world, it continues to assert a rejuvenated presence in international festivals, exhibitions, and academic collaborations — affirming that Arab institutions can indeed rival their global counterparts when endowed with vision, leadership, and a capacity for reinvention.
Today, the Egyptian Academy of Arts is more than a training ground for artists. It is a globally attuned Arab cultural institution, shaping a modern artistic identity and offering new generations the hope that art will forever remain among humanity's most vital tools for liberation, creativity, and renewal.