I am currently serving as Research Associate of Community Engagement & Programming at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art (2023-2024). My role is intimately connected with the Department’s gallery renovation process (2022-2026), as I am conducting research on how to make the new galleries more relevant and accessible to the local community, with particular emphasis on Middle Eastern diaspora communities in New York City. At present, I am formulating multiple proposals to the Department regarding the future of their public programming, as well as building relationships with various community partners, interviewing relevant stakeholders and artists invested in community engagement work, and drafting an “action plan” of realistic and reliable outreach opportunities for the gallery spaces.
Aya Labanieh 