The Dalloul Artist Collective (DAC) officially launches this summer with a bold vision for the future of artist representation in the Arab world and beyond. Conceived by technologist, lawyer, collector, and patron Dr. Basel Dalloul, DAC reimagines what long-term support for visual artists can look like – offering structure, strategy, and care across every stage of an artist’s career.
More than a gallery and more than a dealer, DAC is a full-spectrum, career-focused platform. It helps artists navigate the complexities of the contemporary art world – from tracking inventory and negotiating sales to writing biographies, managing logistics, and safeguarding artistic legacy. Whether based in Beirut, Dubai, London, or abroad, artists at DAC gain the professional infrastructure they need to focus on what matters most: their work.
“You create the work. We create the conditions.” — DAC
Launching with Legacy
To inaugurate its program, DAC opens on July 3, 2025, with The Escape to Joy, a solo exhibition by celebrated Lebanese painter Fawzi Baalbaki. The show features 55 radiant new works shaped by decades of memory, migration, and transformation, a vivid embodiment of the kind of artist-led, meaningful practice DAC was created to champion. Baalbaki’s journey reflects DAC’s founding philosophy: that artists are not commodities, but the engines of cultural life. In keeping with this ethos, the works on view will also be available for acquisition.
The Space: Where Vision Takes Form
DAC is housed in the iconic Stone Garden building in downtown Beirut, designed by award-winning Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh. With its hand-combed concrete façade and organic vertical form, the building stands as a monument to memory, resilience, and renewal – values that resonate deeply with DAC’s mission. The textured exterior, often read as a poetic response to the scars of war, offers a fitting backdrop for a collective invested in long-term cultural stewardship. Ghotmeh’s architecture transforms DAC headquarters into more than just a functional space. It becomes part of the collective’s identity as a platform grounded in history, community, and care.
The Philosophy Behind the Platform
DAC exists because artists deserve more than admiration. They deserve support, structure, and advocacy. The collective is currently open to mid-career and established artists by invitation, with plans to welcome a select number of emerging voices in the near future. Membership includes tailored professional management and monthly reporting, ensuring transparency and continuity for each artist’s practice.
