SAFIR is the first initiative launched by MASSYR in 2015 primarily supports Syrian artists.. MASSYR is a non-profit association established in Lebanon whose overall objective is to make tangible progress towards ensuring that Middle Eastern Art and Artists are well represented internationally.
SAFIR works to achieve this through a number of programs. The SAFIR Artist Program creates a collaborative network made up of contemporary artists, curators and mentors. Mentors are paired with artists to support in their capacity development specifically in the skills that they lack, thereby making them more competitive in the international art scene. Artists that apply for the SAFIR program receive expert support and mentorship from experienced individuals in the art world. The aim is help build the capacities of artists in three main areas, namely Thought Process, Expression and Outreach.
SAFIR also works to develop these key capacities by hosting or participating in regional art-related workshops. As participants in these workshops SAFIR Artists are given unique opportunities to attend lectures by key curators and art experts from the Middle East, and also to expand their artistic networks.
SAFIR is always open to accepting applications from both Middle Eastern Artists & Curators. To find out more about how you can join SAFIR as an artist visit our SAFIR Artist Program page. Alternately, if you are interested in finding out how you can join the SAFIR Community as a Mentor, please visit our SAFIR MENTORS page for a full list of our current mentors and information on how you can join them.
The newest initiative by SAFIR, ARD or Art Research Digitization works to create an online archive of Syrian Contemporary Art and to make this information more accessible to the general public, art enthusiasts and educational institutions alike. SAFIR is in the process of collecting all forms of visual and written documentation such as videos, photos of artists and their artworks, writings and articles related to Syrian Contemporary Art to make them available on its ARD Page.