Sam Ingleson: Associate Dean; Enterprise & Engagement. University of Salford

Sam Ingleson has worked in the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology since 2000

and is a Senior Lecturer in the visual arts, working in socially engaged arts practice and

creative education. Sam has previously designed and developed a Masters in Creative

Education, teaching on this course and becoming Programme Leader. Sam has also worked on the BA in Fine Art and is an External Examiner for arts and education programmes in South Wales.

In her current role as Associate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement, she is responsible for the development of external relationships with Industry and the generation of new

commercial income streams into the School of Arts, Media & Creative Technology.  Sam has worked closely with MACFEST over a number of years and leads on the new Arts Award collaboration with MACFEST on behalf of the School.

 Fuad Alakbarov is a photographer, journalist, and political commentator based in Glasgow,

Scotland. His photographs and articles have been featured in prominent productions such as

Daily Sabah, Open Democracy, and The Jamestown Foundation.

On an artistic level, he is drawn towards street photography, the urban landscape and

conceptual photography. In 2018, his photos were exhibited at the Centre for Contemporary

Arts in Glasgow. In 2023, a major retrospective of Alakbarov's work was held at the Kelvingrove

Art Gallery and Museum.

Alakbarov's photography has been influenced by Bruno Barbey, Raymond Depardon, Stanley

Greene, Daido Moriyama, and Masahisa Fukase.

Additionally, Fuad maintains a strong social media presence and conducts workshops across the

globe.

 Brendan Fletcher is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Fine Art at the University of Salford. He has exhibited recently in Enough is Definitely Enough: Contemporary Artists Respond to Las Meninas, OA Gallery, Salford, (2020), Fully Awake, Freelands Foundation, London, Inner Landscapes, Hilbertraum, Berlin and Inter-Section, Huddersfield (all 2019). He was long-listed for the Contemporary British Painting Prize in 2019. He has presented papers at Albert Irvin and Abstract Expressionism, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, 2019 and Teaching Painting, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2018. Previous exhibitions include: Prefab at Leeds Mint/Leeds Metropolitan University Gallery 2011, Nice to Meet You, Mark Moore Gallery, Santa Monica, 2005, Terrain: Contemporary British Abstraction, Museum of Non-Conformist Art, St Petersburg, 2004, Chorus, Gorton Monastery, Manchester, 2004, Departure Lounge, Mart’99, 1999, Rising Stars, London Contemporary Art Fair, 1996. 

Lord Richard MacLeod is a British-Lebanese artist, calligrapher, architect, and entrepreneur renowned for pioneering the first Arabic-British Blackletter script in history. With a background in law, research, business consultancy, and design, he has over two decades of experience in UK business establishment, branding, and policy development.

His work explores the intricate relationship between art, faith, architecture, and identity, seamlessly bridging Eastern and Western aesthetics through calligraphy and design. Through exhibitions, lectures, and community initiatives, he champions Arabic calligraphy and Islamic art while fostering British-Islamic intercultural dialogue.

Richard is the founder of several successful ventures, including the Islamic Sharia Council – Northern Britain, Yasmina Café, and the Lord MacLeod Art Gallery in Newcastle—the first Islamic Art Gallery in the North, providing a platform for cultural exchange and artistic expression. He has authored three books, including two Arabic poetry collections, further showcasing his passion for language, culture, and artistic storytelling.

As a MACFEST Awards Judge, Lord MacLeod is deeply committed to celebrating diversity in art, architecture, and culture.

Trained in Classical Arabic Calligraphy in Damascus University in Syria, Samir has been producing Islamic Art as well as holding exhibitions and workshops since over two decades at prominent Galleries and Universities globally.

As an Artist, Calligrapher & Graphic Designer he has been commissioned by and worked with international organisations and corporations as well with Embassies, galleries and private clients and businesses across the world including Royalty. His art composes part of the UK National Collection.

He is acknowledged as one of the pioneers of the revival and reinvention of Islamic Calligraphy in the west, and his art, designs and photography have been featured on the web, in periodicals and books along with frequent appearances in television.

 Qaisra Shahraz MBE JP FRSA is a critically-acclaimed novelist, educationist, and a prize-winning gender and peace activist. She is the founder and executive director of MACFEST, Muslim Women’s Arts Foundation, MACFEST Heritage Tours and Muslim Arts Awards. She has judged on many writing competitions including for The Writer’s Guild of Great Britain for ‘Best First Novel’ Category. Qaisra is devoted to the celebration of arts, Muslim Heritage, and showcasing the work Muslim artists and creatives. She is a patron of Manchester Lit and Phil Society and Former Director of Gatehouse Books. She has won several prestigious awards for her multiple careers and achievements. These include National Diversity Lifetime Achiever Award (2016), University of Salford's 'Alumni Achievement Award (2018), MBE for ‘Services to Gender Equality and Cultural Learning’ (2020), Manchester People's Culture Award (2023), and in 2024 was recognised as 1 of '100 Northerners' by Embryo. 

 Paul Vivian is Director of Art and Design within the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology at the University of Salford. A UK based artist Paul studied at Norwich School of Art and Design and Chelsea College of Art and Design his most recent research is focuses on Neolithic Stone Circle structures. Visiting sites across the UK and Europe Vivian makes unique field recordings capturing their internal audio resonance of individual stones . He specifically employs a form of Archaeoacoustics that has not previously been widely investigated.

Paul is a recent winner in the Global Shorts 2024 film competition with his work Avebury Sanctuary Complex (2024) and had previously won the Wells Contemporary Art Prize in 2016. Paul has exhibited and presented projects internationally and recently presented papers at symposiums and conferences on his work capturing the Neolithic sonorous at Tate Liverpool in 2023 and Manchester Metropolitan University stone circle research group and University for the Creative Arts in 2024.