Lyne Sneige is the Senior Director of the Arts & Culture Center at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, D.C., where she has led the institution’s arts and culture programming since 2014. She oversees the MEI Art Gallery and develops interdisciplinary exhibitions, public programs, and partnerships that explore the intersection of art, society, and policy, with a focus on the Middle East and its diasporas.
An accomplished cultural leader, Sneige brings over 20 years of experience in cultural development, arts management, curation, and strategic planning. At MEI, she has built a dynamic platform that amplifies artists’ voices and fosters dialogue through collaborations with leading museums, galleries, universities, and cultural institutions in Washington, D.C., across Europe, and throughout the Middle East.
Prior to joining MEI, Sneige held senior roles at the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organization for cultural relations. As Deputy Director in Lebanon and Regional Manager for Arts and Culture in the Middle East and North Africa, she played a key role in developing pioneering arts programs, supporting regional creative sectors, and launching early initiatives in cultural leadership and the creative industries across the region.
Sneige brings deep expertise in strategy and planning, program design, audience engagement, and cross-sector collaboration, with a strong commitment to creating accessible and inclusive cultural experiences. She is a Salzburg Global Seminar fellow, a nominator for the Aga Khan Music Awards, and an advisor to the educational and outreach program of the Beirut Museum of Art (BeMA), where she developed the first artist residency program in the Lebanese public school system. She serves on the general assembly of Action for Hope—a regional NGO supporting cultural relief and development initiatives for communities affected by conflict and displacement—which she chaired from 2022 to 2025. She has also served on the selection committee of the Beirut Art Fair.
She holds a B.A. and M.A. in Sociology and Communication from the American University of Beirut and is fluent in English, French, and Arabic.
