Commemorating its third year, the Driven by Change initiative gives exclusive opportunities to emerging creatives, and will provide the inaugural artist-in-residence, Nujood Al-Otaibi with a fully funded studio space. The residency will be housed in Studio Thirteen in Dubai, the home of artist Rabab Tantawy who designed the McLaren F1 Team car livery at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which kick-started the Driven by Change campaign. This inaugural studio residency will provide a creative hub for Nujood to hone her craft and display her artwork, as well as benefiting from Rabab’s mentorship to further develop her artistic skills. The aim is that more creatives will benefit from similar programmes going forward.

Al-Otaibi’s passion and love for art started at a young age, as her artist father encouraged her to draw. When she began to lose her hearing aged five, art became the medium she used to express her feelings fully. Themes like memory, identity and how sound transfers to a canvas are all present in Nujood’s artwork, with her primary mediums consisting of oil paintings and mixed-media collages. 

Al-Otaibi’s passion and love for art started at a young age, as her artist father encouraged her to draw. When she began to lose her hearing aged five, art became the medium she used to express her feelings fully. Themes like memory, identity and how sound transfers to a canvas are all present in Nujood’s artwork, with her primary mediums consisting of oil paintings and mixed-media collages. 

Through her work, Al-Otaibi hopes to encourage all aspiring artists and especially those with disabilities, to use creativity as a vehicle to express themselves: “I am honoured to be the first artist in residence from Driven by Change at Studio Thirteen,” Al-Otaibi tells Dazed. “Through the residency, I want to not only expand my wings by exploring other styles of painting, but I would also like to inspire others. I’d like to showcase that disabilities do not curb creativity and should, in fact, be seen as a gateway, rather than a barrier, to success.”

Beyond the residency, Studio Thirteen will be hosting a number of masterclasses for the creative community that focus on enrichment and learning new skills. This is something Studio Thirteen’s founder, Rabab Tantawy, is particularly passionate about. “This time, our commitment to change extends its reach, embracing the talented artists within our community. We are excited to welcome Nujood as the first Driven by Change artist in residence at Studio Thirteen, creating an environment that fosters creativity, growth, and collaboration.” 

To keep up to date with Al-Otaibi’s residency and learn more about the Driven by Change programme, visit Vuse on social media and follow Nujood and Rabab on Instagram.