Walter Willems

Walter Willems is a Dutch artist, curator, and entrepreneur with over two decades of involvement in the arts and entertainment industry. Throughout his extensive career, Willems has curated numerous exhibitions, including outdoor and site-specific displays, and has managed the implementation of large-scale interactive public art. He co-founded an annual art awards event recognizing excellence in art production, curation, exhibition design, and art criticism.

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As an early pioneer in the digital space for contemporary art, Willems co-founded ArtBarrage, specializing in online contemporary art sales, marketing, consulting, artist career guidance, grant writing, and archiving exhibitions and artworks.

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Before joining the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises at Zayed University in the UAE, Willems co-directed a commercial art gallery in Toronto, representing artists from Europe, North America, and Asia. He served as a mentor and curator for Spectrum: Cohort One, a photographers' residency program, and co-curated the Sikka Art & Design Festival 2023 in Dubai.

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As an exhibiting artist, Willems has showcased his work internationally and collaborated on participatory photo projects, with his pieces featured in collections across Europe, North America, Australia, and the UAE.

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