Explore Start

START is a non-profit organisation established by Art Dubai and the Al Madad Foundation which applies the universal language of art to heal, educate and enrich the skills and opportunities of children in the poorest areas of the Middle East.

The educational programme seeks to empower the younger generation by giving them a voice through the expression of art, engaging them with their communities and their peers, and by teaching them a sense of self-worth.

START run full-time workshops in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and India offering art education for refugee and orphaned children. In the UAE, START run workshops for children with special needs including Autism and Down Syndrome.

START uniquely encourages international artists to become volunteers in the field of humanitarian aid and education by participating in their workshops.

The START scholarship programme enables and supports motivated and talented disadvantaged children to obtain a higher education in the arts and become tangible role models whom other children can aspire to.

The START Tool-Kit is a comprehensive educational syllabus for the workshops which is adaptable for each age-group, ability or region. The programme has been developed with the expertise of artists, teachers, disabilities specialists and the START team.

We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our sponsors, partners and of the many people who tirelessly contribute their time and effort enabling START to provide art education for over one thousand refugee and orphaned children every week. 

‘Our vision is for children and young adults to create a future as rich and free as their imagination’.