The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

This May, the Grand Egyptian Museum will once again trade silence for stories, transforming its sacred corridors into a space that champions vision, voice, and raw expression. From the 16th to the 20th of May, the Empower Her Art Forum returns for its third edition, turning the world’s largest archaeological museum into a modern arena for female-led artistry from around the globe.

Organised by the Art Today Foundation, the forum isn’t just a gathering of artists—it’s a cultural moment in its own right. With over 200 female artists from 35+ countries, the event is a rich, international display of visual storytelling and artistic introspection. It’s not your typical gallery walk; it’s a curated blend of exhibits, discussions, live sessions, and cross-cultural conversations all centred around one idea: that art has the power to uplift, empower, and connect.

When Art Speaks Louder Than Words

At the helm of this movement is artist Sherine Badr, founder and CEO of Art Today Foundation, who sees the forum as far more than an annual event. “We’re not just showcasing creativity,” she says, “we’re giving visibility to journeys, struggles, and triumphs that too often go unnoticed.”

The experience is multi-sensory and multi-layered: visual art exhibitions, professional-led workshops, panel discussions, and even live painting sessions that allow audiences to witness the artistic process in real-time. Topics on the agenda span from the evolution of contemporary art to the intersection of disability and artistic expression—ensuring the forum remains inclusive, accessible, and profoundly human.

A Global Affair with Local Depth

What makes the 2024 edition particularly remarkable is its diplomatic weight. Attended by ambassadors, public figures, and cultural leaders from Egypt and beyond, the event is also under the patronage of five key Egyptian ministries: Culture, Environment, Social Solidarity, Youth & Sports, and Tourism & Antiquities. This alliance cements the forum not only as an art-focused initiative but as a cultural bridge—a soft power project that positions Egypt as a serious player in global creative discourse.

It’s not just the halls of the GEM that’ll feel the ripple. As part of a newly signed protocol between the Art Today Foundation and the Women’s Museum in Bonn, five Egyptian female visual artists will receive travel grants to further their practice abroad. It’s a meaningful step that places Egyptian art in dialogue with the world, reinforcing the idea that Cairo is not just a stage—but a springboard.

Art as a Living Conversation

One of the forum’s quieter, more touching achievements is its insistence on inclusion. This year places particular emphasis on artists and audiences with disabilities—welcoming them not as afterthoughts but as contributors to the shared creative experience. It’s a statement that echoes through every curated brushstroke: art is for everyone.

There’s also something profoundly special about holding this gathering inside the Grand Egyptian Museum. The juxtaposition of millennia-old antiquities and cutting-edge contemporary work tells a very Egyptian story—one of continuity, of presence, and of evolution.

Art, Legacy, and the Women Who Shape Them

For those who live for art, this is a non-negotiable calendar fixture. For those less familiar, it’s an open invitation into a different kind of Cairo—a city where culture breathes beyond galleries and finds new meaning in collaboration, vulnerability, and ambition. The Empower Her Art Forum isn’t just about who’s on the walls—it’s about who’s finally being heard.