Alia is a leader in the creative and cultural industries, with significant experience in the education sector. She has been Head at the international cultural learning organisation Global Learning London for almost 7 years, and was recently appointed as joint CEO at Shubbak -- Europe's largest festival of contemporary Arab arts. 

 

She has worked closely with national and international organisations including the British Museum, the National Theatre, Clore Leadership and the British Council to create high-profile, critical encounters that question the parameters of cultural representation and inclusion in education and the arts. She curated the launch events of the British Museum's new multi-million pound Albukhary Galler of Islamic Arts. She has produced critically-acclaimed theatre works by playwrights from Arab heritage, a number of which have gone on to tour internationally.

 

She is a British Council/Chevening Scholar, a Clore Fellow and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

 

She is recipient of the Writer’s Guild Olwen Wymark Award for encouragement of new writing in 2019 and was nominated for a BAFTA Scotland in 2008.

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Alia is an accredited RD1st coach (with distinction) and volunteers nationally and internationally to coach and mentor people with reduced access to opportunities in the cultural industries.

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