For my Leadership in Action project this summer, I will be working as a Cultural Mediator at the Musée d'Art et de Culture Soufis (MACS MTO) in the Greater Paris area. Located on the banks of the Seine in a town called Chatou, the museum newly opened in September 2024 as the first museum in the world dedicated to the art, history, and culture of Sufism. The museum houses a permanent collection of material cultures and objects, which are put into dialogue with contemporary artists who respond to the themes and teachings of the discipline (self-reflection, love, compassion) to create original works for their 2-3 thematic exhibitions a year.

Currently, I have joined the team as a sort of jack of all trades volunteer. While on some days I am on shift in the gallery itself, answering questions from visitors and ensuring the safety of the objects on display (many of which are not behind a glass case), others I work in the office with the heads of various teams. In my first week and a half, I have worked with both the Pôle Public (Programming and Audience Engagement) and the Communications team to write proposals for family-oriented programming in the garden and keep the Instagram and newsletters up to date. The new exhibition, featuring a whopping 14 artists, opens in just two weeks and the whole place is abuzz with final tasks and preparations. I am excited by the welcoming and flexible atmosphere and the future opportunities that have already been proposed to me, such as liaising with the artists from the new exhibition and developing new marketing strategies to increase the visibility of the museum.