The Gulf’s museum boom is building a new cultural landscape, but the dominant position of Western consultants is prompting criticism.
From Abu Dhabi’s Louvre and Guggenheim partnerships to the dozens of museums planned in Saudi Arabia, international consulting firms are deeply embedded in strategy, staffing, and delivery, Artnet reported.
Abu Dhabi has spent billions importing expertise and branding from French institutions, while Saudi Arabia, which has long been heavily reliant on global consultants like McKinsey across a range of sectors, faces growing criticism over the extent of outsourcing. Saudi artists like Ahmed Mater have warned that imported KPIs and blockbuster mindsets risk flattening local culture.
For now, consultants remain central to delivering the transformation Gulf states are pursuing, but Qatar — which arguably started the regional cultural push with the opening of the Museum of Islamic Art in an iconic building in 2008 (designed by the Chinese American architect IM Pei) — shows that, over time, it is possible to shift to local leadership.