Professor Najada Hamza is a distinguished Professor of Arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Arts, Tirana, and a leading figure in the development of contemporary visual arts, applied arts, and textile and fashion education in Albania. Born in Tirana, Albania, she has built an exceptional academic, artistic, and institutional career marked by leadership, innovation, and sustained international engagement.

She currently serves as Head of the Textile and Fashion Department at the Faculty of Visual Arts, University of Arts, Tirana, Albania.
Over the years, Prof. Hamza has held several key governance and leadership roles, including Head of Department at the Faculty of Visual Arts, Chairwoman of the Board of Administration of the University of Arts, Vice President of the Academic Senate, and Member of the Academic Senate.
Her contribution to national cultural policy and heritage preservation is further reflected in her roles as Member of the Board of Culture at the Ministry of Culture, Member of the Board of the National Art Gallery, and Member of the Board of Art and Cultural Heritage at the Academy of Sciences of Albania. She has also served as a Member of the Board of the Art–Culture Program of the Soros Foundation.

Prof. Hamza’s academic and artistic excellence has been recognized through numerous international scholarships and awards, including multiple Erasmus Program fellowships, scholarships supported by Loyola University (USA) and the American Embassy, a Tempus Fellowship at the London Institute of Art and Technology, and academic residencies at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She is also a recipient of the prestigious “Onufri” Special Prize at the Annual National Exhibition of Visual Arts, as well as the “Kult” Award in Visual Arts.
Her artistic practice spans painting, textile-based art, installation, performance, and wearable art, and has been presented extensively in Albania and internationally. Prof. Hamza has participated in and curated a remarkable number of exhibitions, including major international showcases in Italy, France, Greece, Poland, Austria, the United States, China, Switzerland, Georgia, and Ireland. Notable highlights include participation in the Onufri International Competition, exhibitions at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the National Gallery of Arts in Beijing, Palexpo Geneva, and solo exhibitions such as “Because Hope Gives Me Strength I Will Not Fear” and “Common Threads of Tradition in the Present”. Her work consistently explores the dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity, cultural identity, memory, and social transformation.

In addition to her exhibition activity, Prof. Hamza has made significant scholarly contributions through publications, exhibition catalogues, and academic books, including authoring and co-authoring volumes for the Faculty of Visual Arts and directing and designing institutional publications. She has been invited to lecture and teach internationally as a Visiting Professor and speaker at institutions such as Loyola University (New Orleans), Utica College, Syracuse University, Goldsmiths College London, and universities in Spain, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the United States. Her lectures have addressed topics such as Albanian contemporary art, cultural heritage, recycling in art, and the role of women artists in the Balkans.

A defining aspect of Prof. Hamza’s career is her commitment to applied arts, interdisciplinary collaboration, and socially engaged practice. She is the co-creator and manager of long-term initiatives such as “Urban Sculptures – 19 Years of Wearable Art”, and has led numerous collaborative projects linking academia, cultural institutions, embassies, international organizations, and industry. These include IPA Cross-Border Cooperation projects, collaborations with the Dutch Embassy, the Textile and Fashion Institute, the Institute of Archaeological Research, and initiatives such as “The Future of the Past”, which reframe Albanian heritage through contemporary artistic practice.

Equally important is Prof. Hamza’s dedication to mentoring generations of students, fostering experimental thinking, sustainability, and cultural awareness. Through the Textile and Fashion Atelier and international collaborations, she has created platforms where students engage with real-world projects, public art, fashion shows, and cross-disciplinary research, enabling them to connect tradition with innovation and local identity with global discourse.

Through her academic leadership, artistic excellence, international presence, and sustained contributions to cultural development, Professor Najada Hamza stands as one of the most influential figures in contemporary Albanian art and arts education.

BIG SEE Perspectives Nominations

2026: Xheksil Muça