Amena Sharmin
DIRECTOR
Amena Sharmin is a Bengali art historian and writer, born and raised in Bangladesh and now residing on the unceded territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking people (Victoria, BC). She is the Operations Manager at Open Space Arts Society and sits on the Board of the Media Arts Alliance of the Pacific (MAAP). With over a decade of experience in non-profit arts organizations in Bangladesh and Canada, Amena is dedicated to advocacy, social justice, and inclusive programming.
She holds master’s degree in Art History from the University of Victoria and the University of Dhaka, specializing in political activism through art and the cultural impact of visual storytelling. Amena has contributed to global dialogues on decolonization and community engagement through her participation in symposia and workshops in Canada, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh.
As a disabled person of color and an advocate for QTBIPOC communities, Amena is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into every aspect of her work, creating art spaces that are more welcoming and accessible. Her research—spanning graffiti, film, social media, and popular culture—explores how these mediums drive community engagement and resistance. Amena is passionate about building a diverse and socially engaged arts community, where QTBIPOC voices are recognized as essential to the cultural fabric.