Lyne Sneige is the director of the Arts & Culture Center at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, D.C., where she directs and manages the MEI Art Gallery and its related programming. Sneige joined MEI in 2014 to help develop its works in arts and culture and build a platform to amplify the voices of artists in the Middle East and its diaspora in Washington, D.C. and beyond. With her long experience in programming and her wide network in the Middle East region, Sneige has developed innovative and impactful programming at the intersection of arts and society and arts and policy and helped forge several partnerships to include D.C.-based galleries, museums, educational institutions and European cultural centers and embassies.
Sneige has over 20 years of experience in international and cultural development in the Middle East. Before joining MEI, Sneige had a long career at the British Council, the UK's international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. During her time with the organization, Sneige held the senior position of Deputy Director Lebanon and Regional Manager for Arts and Culture for the Middle East and North Africa region, growing and supporting local and regional work in the arts and establishing key partnerships. Among her most significant contributions with the Council were the development of a strong and pioneering arts program in Lebanon and the rollout of the first creative industries and cultural leadership regional initiatives in the MENA region (2000-2010).
Sneige has extensive experience in strategy and planning as well as project management. She is a strong advocate of the important role that artists play in their societies. Sneige is a Salzburg Global Seminar fellow, a nominator to the Agha Khan Music Awards and an advisor to the educational and outreach program of the Beirut Museum of Art (BeMA) that is set to open in 2026. She is president of the board of Action for Hope a regional NGO that provides cultural relief and cultural development programs to meet the social, cultural, and psychological needs of distressed and displaced communities. She has served on the selection committee of the Beirut Art Fair.
Sneige has a B.A in Sociology and an M.A in Sociology and Communication from the American University of Beirut. She is fluent in English, French, and Arabic.
