ETQ Foundation
Hamza Serafi is an avid patron of the arts, culture and creative industries. His journey started in the early 90s through the co-founding of Art Vision gallery, presenting modern art.
In 1990, he established Sama Office as a creative grass-roots hub for the kingdom, which worked with and promoted local artists. Sama Office was the first entity to introduce Saudi based artists to local and private financial centers, which prompted many of them to start their own collections of Saudi Arabian art.
In 2009, Hamza co-founded ATHR Art Gallery, during which he led the Young Saudi Artist Program until 2022, an instrumental platform in promoting artistic experimentation and nurturing emerging talents. In extension to the gallery’s mission, Hamza co-founded the ATHR Foundation, a non-profit organization benefiting artists, and in which he serves as chairman of the board of directors.
Most recently he served as the head of the territorial committee of the Saudi Art Council, co-curating the prestigious Earth and Ever After exhibition. The council has played a vital role in supporting local artists and showcasing their works within an international context, which can be seen in the “21,39” initiative, an annual exhibition that takes place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.In his commitment to cultural preservation, Hamza serves on the Steering Committee of the Red Sea Museum, showcasing the region's rich cultural heritage.
Beyond his professional roles, Hamza has made significant contributions through his affiliations. As a principal advisor for Edge of Arabia, he provided valuable guidance for kickstarting the art scene in Saudi Arabia, as well as being a member of Sleysla, a Saudi Heritage Development organization, and a council member of the Delfina Foundation, both organizations fostering artistic exchange and creative practice.
In the realm of education, Hamza has contributed as an Educational Advisory Board Member for the Visual Art Department of Princess Noura University. He has also held an Honorary Board Member position at Effat University since 2012, actively supporting and advancing academic institutions.Believing that people who dwell on past achievements have stopped dreaming about the future, Hamza continues supporting the arts and culture by sitting as a chairman for three foundations: ATHR Foundation, Midad foundation which set up both The House of Islamic Art and Alshifaa Museum, and his own personal cloud foundation Etq.