Emirati, Italian, award winning author & artist, born in Dubai in 1982 with over two decades of experience within the Arts & Culture.

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She studied Photography with a focus on Social Documentary at Griffith University Australia and later pursued a Master’s in Photo-Image from Durham University UK, with her thesis exploring the archive and memory of the UAE. In 2005, AlShamsi was the youngest photographer featured at

the Biennale di Fotografia in Brescia, Italy, exhibiting alongside renowned icons such as Julia Margaret Cameron and Cindy Sherman.

Her career in photojournalism saw her cover both local and international events, and in 2012, she became an adjunct faculty member at the American University in Sharjah. In 2014, she expanded her creative practice by becoming a published author with a series of illustrated children’s books, followed by poetry.

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AlShamsi is the recipient of the 2024 National Grant from the Ministry of Culture for her upcoming book project. She also served as the Cultural Programming Manager at Louvre Abu Dhabi for seven years, contributing significantly to the cultural landscape of the region and the curator of Interwoven: Art, Identity and the Gulf an exhibition bridging heritage visual language with contemporary art practice from the GCC. She is also the Vice President of the board of Emirates Reprographic Rights Association advocating for copyright and creative IPs.

Her photography has been exhibited internationally in the USA, Germany, and Italy, and she has represented the UAE as an author and illustrator at prestigious international book fairs, including the Hong Kong Book Fair, Salon du Livre Paris, Delhi International Book Fair,Torino Book Fair, Mexico’s Guadalajara Book Fair, and the Seoul International Book Fair.

Her client list includes high-profile names such as Gucci, Rolls Royce, Emaar, and NYUAD Art Center and Meem Voices Podcast host part of the Meem Foundation.

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AlShamsi’s illustrations and poems have been featured in publications such as Vogue Middle East, Marie Claire Arabia, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle Arabia.

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She is a trained Bibliotherapist and holder of a Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Pyschology from Middlesex University Dubai.