Lebanon has long been a hub of creativity, from its vibrant art scene to its innovative music, fashion, and film industries. In 2025, many Lebanese talent will emerge, push boundaries, and redefine their respective fields. Here are 10 Lebanese creatives to keep an eye on in the coming year:
Layla Dagher
Layla Dagher, born in Beirut, Lebanon, is a distinguished visual artist and educator. She earned her Master’s degree in Visual Arts with honors from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) and currently teaches Fine Arts at Notre Dame University (NDU).
Dagher has showcased her work in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Beirut and internationally in Tokyo, South Korea, Paris, Egypt, and Dubai. Her paintings are featured in both private and public collections, including the Lebanese Ministry of Culture.
A member of the Syndicate of Lebanese Artists, Dagher continues to live and create in Beirut, contributing to the vibrant art scene of her home city.
TINA YAMOUT
Lebanese singer-songwriter and music producer Tina Yamout is renowned for her soulful pop infused with R&B and Middle Eastern influences. Her debut singles Mamnou3 and Kan Asdi amassed over 3 million streams, cementing her as a pioneer of crossover music.
Rising to fame through Star Academy Arabia, Tina’s bold songwriting and powerful stage presence have led her to perform at Dubai Opera and alongside legends like Chris De Burgh and Ziad Rahbani. Her music, exploring themes of resilience and self-discovery, continues to inspire and resonate with audiences worldwide.
Nadine Labaki
Nadine Labaki, awarded the Jury Prize at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival for her Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated film Capernaum, has long been intertwined with the Festival’s legacy. After gaining acclaim for her commercials and music videos, she joined the Festival’s Résidence de la Cinéfondation in 2004 to develop her debut feature Caramel, a celebrated ode to female solidarity and a milestone for Lebanese cinema.
Her 2011 film Where Do We Go Now?, showcased in Cannes' Un Certain Regard, explored themes of tolerance, while her 2014 contribution to Rio, I Love You demonstrated her versatility. Labaki is currently working on her next project.
Maroun Hakim
For over fifty years, Maroun El Hakim has pursued painting and sculpting with unwavering passion and ease. Equally a painter and a sculptor, his art is deeply rooted in his connection to nature, his homeland of Lebanon, and his village of Mazraat Yachouh.
Constantly evolving, Maroun experiments with diverse textures and mediums, from acrylics and oils to watercolor, pastel, and gouache, infusing each with his vibrant vision. As a sculptor, he skillfully works with stone, marble, wood, and steel, blending lines and forms with mastery.
Now fully devoted to his craft, Maroun creates tirelessly in his atelier in Mazraat Yachouh, where his artistry continues to flourish.
Ali Chaaban
Born and raised in Kuwait, Lebanese artist Ali draws inspiration from culture and traditions, weaving them into his art. With a background in anthropology, he is often recognized as a pop-culture analyst, delving into themes of nostalgia and socio-political issues, including Arabian identity and a sense of dystopia. His work explores the struggles of identity and the notion that “Arabs are strangers everywhere,” offering a visual language for untold stories.
Ali has exhibited with renowned galleries such as Ayyam (Jeddah), Mark Hachem (Beirut), and Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt (Paris) and is currently represented by Hafez Gallery (Jeddah). Through his art, he creates spaces for dialogue, fostering discussions that bridge diverse disciplines and perspectives.
Zef
Zef is a Lebanese singer-songwriter, producer, and actor who began his journey as a busker on the streets of his hometown, Byblos. Since debuting his original music in 2019, he has released eight singles and a studio album. His hit song “El Bekle,” featuring Stephanie Atala, topped the Lebanese charts for weeks and remained on Middle Eastern charts for months. Known for his creativity, charisma, and emotional depth, Zef brings a fresh perspective to songwriting.
An avid surfer and free-diver, Zef draws inspiration from his deep connection to the Mediterranean Sea and his resilient love for life, even amid Lebanon's daily challenges.
Lara Zankoul
Lara Zankoul is a Lebanese photographer renowned for her surreal fine art photography. Based in Beirut, she blends creativity, storytelling, and conceptual art to create thought-provoking images.
Initially pursuing a background in economics, Zankoul shifted her focus to photography as a form of self-expression and artistic exploration. Her work is known for vibrant colors, intricate details, and dreamlike compositions that challenge viewers to engage with deeper narratives.
Since 2014, Zankoul has showcased her work in numerous local and international exhibitions. Her diverse portfolio spans whimsical scenes, cultural themes, and fashion photography, with her captivating images featured in prominent publications like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.
Nourie
Nourie Flayhan’s vibrant illustrations transport viewers into a magical world, blending memories of the past with hopes for the future. Known for bold colors, intricate patterns, and a focus on female characters, her work is more than visually striking—it carries deep emotion and calls for change.
Born to Lebanese immigrants fleeing war and raised in Kuwait, Flayhan later attended art school in the UK. It was at Chelsea College of Arts in London, where she was the only Arab student in a class of British peers, that she struggled to find her unique voice. A mentor encouraged her to embrace her cultural differences, a push that unlocked her creative potential.
Fouad Tadros
Fouad is a fashion and beauty photographer based in Dubai, with a creative journey that began early through music and film. After studying at the Institute for Scenic, Audiovisual, and Cinematographic Studies (IESAV) in Beirut, he transitioned into fashion photography.
His work is deeply influenced by extremes—contrast and color, theatricality and spontaneity, as well as harmony and dissonance. Fouad specializes in both editorial and commercial photography, often taking on creative direction in the projects he works on, bringing a distinctive artistic vision to each collaboration.
Yasmina Hilal
Yasmina Hilal is an emerging artist and full-time photographer, with a BA in Visual Media Arts and a minor in Photography from Emerson College. During her studies, she explored alternative techniques in the darkroom, which influenced her unique approach to scanning, printing, and manipulating images.
Her work invites viewers to engage more deeply, moving through visual and emotional landscapes that shift yet remain grounded. Hilal has exhibited her work in group shows such as A Complex Embodiment (Los Angeles, 2021) and The Chemistry of Feeling (Dubai, 2021), and her photography has been featured in prominent publications like Harper's Bazaar Arabia, Dazed Magazine, Vice Arabia, and High Snobiety. She has also shot for brands such as Maison Pyramid, Roni Helou, and Fashion Trust Arabia.
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