NYU Abu Dhabi Creates Mariet Westermann Fellowship for Art Students

NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has established the Mariet Westermann Distinguished Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Fellowship. This award honors Westermann’s exceptional contributions to the arts and culture space during her tenure as the University’s Vice Chancellor.

The fellowship will be awarded annually to an outstanding student, providing financial support and resources to undertake the MFA in Art and Media at NYUAD. Recipients will be selected by a committee based on their artistic excellence and potential to innovate in the arts.

The MFA in Art and Media at NYUAD is a terminal degree program that immerses students in contemporary research and art practices, training them to become deep thinkers and artistic innovators. Courses emphasize artistic experimentation within a context of theoretical, cultural, and historical study, encouraging interdisciplinary exploration.

NYUAD Vice Chancellor Fabio Piano said, “This fellowship acknowledges Mariet’s exceptional leadership in higher education and the arts, her invaluable contributions to the growth and development of our University, and honors her unwavering passion for the NYUAD mission.”

Mariet Westermann, now Director and CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, led NYUAD as Vice Chancellor, Chief Executive, and Professor of Arts and Humanities from 2019 to 2024. She played a pivotal role in shaping NYUAD into the successful entity it is today and was the institution’s Provost at its founding from 2007 to 2010.