The Culture Counter
THE CULTURE COUNTER - Introducing you to some of the most interesting conversations and debates we have about the arts, from our region and beyond, right here from the heart of The Arts Club Dubai. The first international outpost of the historic London private members’ club, The Arts Club Dubai is located in DIFC’s ICD Brookfield Place. The Arts Club was founded in London in 1863 by men of vision, to be a haven for a community of people all connected by their love for the Arts. It has evolved to become a vibrant hub for creative and entrepreneurial members, providing an environment in which they can entertain, exchange ideas and participate in a rich cultural programme of events. The Arts Club Dubai shares this same vision, giving Dubai a unique concept for an extraordinary new membership. For more information, please visit www.theartsclub.ae
The Culture Counter
Authored: Sara Hamdan, What Will People Think?
Writer and former New York Times journalist Sara Hamdan joins us at The Arts Club Dubai to discuss her debut novel, What Will People Think? — an intergenerational story moving between 2011 New York and 1947 Jaffa, exploring identity, legacy, and the tension between tradition and ambition.
A Palestinian American raised in Greece and based in Dubai for two decades, Hamdan brings a global perspective shaped by a varied career in journalism, finance, and technology, including roles at Merrill Lynch, Google, and her Netflix short story award. In conversation with Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation, she reflects on her creative process and the growing influence of regional voices in today’s literary landscape.