Inside Art Smiley’s approach to art accessibility while building sustainable artist careers

A young artist stands before a blank canvas in his modest Dubai studio, heart brimming with ideas yet uncertain where his inspirations will take him. For years, he has created works reflecting his culture, struggles, and hope, only to find few genuine opportunities to share them with a world beyond his neighborhood.

In an industry that often favors established names and international acclaim, many like this young artist have felt the doors of the art world firmly closed. But then, something shifts, a new opportunity opens, one that brings not merely visibility but a true chance for expression and growth.

This is the ground on which Art Smiley operates, offering artists worldwide a platform to rise and be seen. It serves artists and art lovers, providing a vibrant meeting ground to enjoy a taste of global creativity that connects undiscovered creativity with appreciative audiences.

Building a Platform That Levels the Playing Field

At its core, Art Smiley is a UAE-founded art ecosystem created by art lovers themselves, Aruna Allam and Lurdh Allam. Established in 2017, it has become an expansive operation serving more than 3,500 artists across more than 50 countries.

Art Smiley’s journey began with a simple premise: that art should be accessible, and that every artist, regardless of their background, deserves a shot at reaching an appreciative audience. Operating in a region renowned for its cosmopolitan flair and ceaseless ambition, Art Smiley quickly saw the need for a digital platform that offered opportunities beyond local markets.

For founder Lurdh Allam, the Art Smiley Marketplace is much more than an e-commerce website. Through this digital hub, artists can display, sell, and even rent their work, showcasing paintings, prints, digital works, sculptures, or home décor pieces to both individual and corporate buyers.

For artists, the process is streamlined: onboarding is simple, and the necessary digital tools, from pricing to branding, are provided, making it possible for even emerging talents to navigate the minefield of art sales. The platform serves both tech-savvy and traditionalists, with its hybrid setup: virtual exhibitions and the beauty of a gallery wall.

Expanding Horizons: Business Services, Decor, and NFTs

The evolution of Art Smiley from a simple marketplace to a multifaceted art platform reflects an understanding of artists' needs beyond mere sales opportunities. As they fill larger canvases, these founders soon recognized that a single marketplace could not answer every creative need, nor satisfy the wider world’s hunger for art.

This realization pushed Art Smiley to branch out into specialized territories and develop what has become known as its four-division ecosystem. Starting with its Business Services division, the platform targets hospitality, real estate, interior design, corporate, and government sectors. It provides end-to-end art solutions, including canvas and UV printing on diverse materials such as acrylic, metal, glass, and wood.

This expansion into commercial services creates additional income streams for artists through commissioned projects, whether murals, sculpture, or just paintings. However, creativity does not stop with custom projects.

Art Smiley also welcomes its Decor platform, which delivers curated wall art across the UAE, focusing on contemporary tastes and cultural resonance. It makes it easy for anyone to transform a space with just a few clicks, all without sacrificing the expertise of a dedicated team.

Perhaps Art Smiley's boldest leap is to become a multi-chain decentralized phygital NFT marketplace combining the physical and digital. Integrating NFT capabilities through the company’s blockchain division bridges traditional art communities with digital collectors.

This multi-chain decentralized marketplace blends physical and digital art collectibles, creating new revenue possibilities while introducing traditional artists to blockchain communities. The platform's hybrid approach ensures that artists comfortable with conventional media can gradually explore digital opportunities without abandoning established practices.

Aruna Allam mentions, “Whether you're an art buyer, collector, business looking to beautify space, artist seeking exposure, or curator aiming to champion talent, Art Smiley offers integrated, end-to-end art services under one brand.”

Bringing a Win-Win Situation in the Art Community

The story of Art Smiley resonates beyond the logistics of sales platforms and shipping policies. At the heart of its strategy is a commitment to address longstanding inequities in the art sector.

For the artists, it tackles the isolation and economic challenges of building a career in a market crowded with established gatekeepers. With personal dashboards for artists and curators, built-in marketing support, and collaborative exhibition opportunities, Art Smiley gives its community the resources necessary to turn passion into profession.

Lurdh Allam reveals, “It surprises many that more than 80 percent of our registered artists had never previously sold outside their own country. Art Smiley didn’t just give them a store; we gave them a stage. The real story isn’t technology or commerce; it’s empowerment.”

Art Smiley’s impact can be seen in its high-profile commissions and projects that have left their mark on landmarks like St. Regis Dubai and Masdar City. Art Smiley has become a trusted solutions provider for B2B clients, respected not only for quality but also for reliability and innovation. At the same time, conversations flow freely, new art finds new homes, and possibilities stretch far beyond what might have seemed imaginable just a decade ago.

Art Smiley Excellence that Speaks

Art Smiley’s excellence from 2017 to today does not arise accidentally. It is built through a willingness to innovate: hybrid exhibitions blending virtual experiences with physical gallery walls, personalized curation that highlights both emerging and renowned artists, and a customer-first approach that extends from artists to buyers, collectors, hotels, and designers.

With Aruna Allam and Lurdh Allam’s leadership, the result is an ecosystem where creative visionaries, everyday buyers, and corporate clients all find something of value, anchored in the trust Art Smiley has earned as a market leader.

In 2020 and 2021, Art Smiley was recognized in the Gulf Capital SME Awards for “Digital Business of the Year,” along with its status as a finalist in the “Customer Focus of the Year” category, which is a testament to its strong standing in the region.

Building Communities Through Art

Recognizing the beauty of art worldwide, Art Smiley scales its business services into Saudi Arabia and Qatar and positions its marketplace for the USA and Europe. Despite their expansion, it remains grounded in the principle of access. These expansions establish a clear mission: that art, in all forms, should be within reach, not only for those who can afford exclusivity, but for all who appreciate creativity.

Art Smiley's journey represents more than a business success story; it embodies a philosophy that artistic talent deserves accessible pathways to professional fulfillment. The recent opening of its first physical gallery in Al Quoz, Dubai, featuring “Global Art Odyssey—Where Art Meets the World!”, marks a bold step, blending Dubai’s growing stature as a global cultural center with the inclusive ethos that shaped Art Smiley from the outset.

Lurdh Allam observes, “The greatest change we’ve seen is in the artists' confidence. Every time a new piece finds a home, or an emerging creator makes a sale, we’re reminded that art’s true value lies in connection, and that’s what Art Smiley wants to keep building, every day.”


Please visit Art Smiley’s website to learn more about its services.