Hoor Al Qasimi is the President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF), which she established in 2009 to foster artistic innovation in Sharjah, UAE, and internationally. Under her leadership, SAF has become a prominent advocate for the arts, offering major exhibitions, artist residencies, commissions, production grants, and extensive educational programming.

Al Qasimi also directs the Sharjah Biennial, transforming it into a globally recognized platform for contemporary artists and cultural producers. In 2017, Al Qasimi was elected President of the International Biennial Association (IBA), relocating its headquarters to Sharjah. She is also President of The Africa Institute and Chair of the Board for the Sharjah Architecture Triennial, which launched its first edition in 2019. Al Qasimi curated the second Lahore Biennale in 2020 and has overseen many significant SAF exhibitions, including Tarek Atoui: Cycles in 11, Zarina Bhimji: Black Pocket, Amal Kenawy: Frozen Memory, and Hassan Sharif: I Am The Single Work Artist.

Her board memberships include Kunst-Werke Berlin e. V., Ashkal Alwan in Beirut, and advisory roles with the College of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Sharjah, Khoj International Artists’ Association in New Delhi, and Darat al Funun in Amman. Formerly, she served on the boards of MoMA PS1, the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, and the Prince Claus Award Committee, and on juries for prestigious art prizes, including the Maria Lassnig Prize, Berlin International Film Festival–Berlinale Shorts, and Benesse Prize. Al Qasimi’s curatorial expertise and commitment to cultural growth have cemented her as a key figure in the global arts community.