Vivat Akademy!
In a country where the traditions of hobby clubs go back centuries, it took time for the Akademy project to win the hearts of locals and foreign guests alike. However, Dubai is a unique place where meaningful leisure activities instantly captivated an audience that seemed accustomed to everything. Kamila Shaimieva and Anastasia Belyak organise brilliant intellectual pop-up events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and interest in Akademy is constantly growing in the Middle East and beyond.
Kamila: Our story began on a warm autumn morning in 2019 in foggy London. My meeting with Nastya sparked the idea of creating an intellectual project with a special philosophy and deep meaning. Nastya's thought about Plato's Academy, as one of the greatest educational institutions spreading the ideals of humanism among the enlightened minds of the European intelligentsia during the Renaissance, enchanted us. We wanted to embody the best features of such an institution in our Akademy, using their principles and the diversity of disciplines studied. Our programme covers not only misty Albion but also scorching Dubai and sunny Miami, while field trips provide an opportunity to experience the history and culture of France and Italy.
When choosing a name for our brainchild, we decided to make it more personal by weaving in the first letters of our names — Anastasia and Kamila. Thus, Akademy was born with an unexpected "k" in the centre instead of the usual "c". We wanted the very word to reflect the essence of our tandem — the desire to learn about the world and ourselves.
Gradually, like a mosaic, the concept of Akademy took shape. We saw it not just as another hobby club, but as a living organism uniting minds and hearts. Our programme was conceived to be extremely diverse, not confined within the framework of one sphere. After all, the world is multifaceted, like a precious stone, and we wanted our residents to have the opportunity to look at it from different angles, discovering new and exciting facets.
Nastya: At the core of our philosophy lies the principle "Never Stop Learning". In everything we touch, there must be an intellectual, educational component. We strive to give knowledge, experience, and impressions that cannot simply be bought for money, to provideinformation and speakers inaccessible to the general public. For example, the lecture with the charming Delphine Bellini was only her second in history after her appearance at Stanford. Or Dame Stella Rimington, the ex-head of MI5, living under five identities. She rarely agrees to speak publicly, but we were lucky to secure her as a speaker.
After which, the private club Annabel's asked us to organise a lecture for their members, and we continue to cooperate with them to this day. It is not enough to organise a pleasant evening in an exquisite setting — we strive for our guests to take away something more than pleasant memories. A spark of inspiration, a thirst for knowledge, an emotional and creative uplift that will linger with participants long after the event.
Kamila: Akademy, as an educational community, rests on three pillars — our programme with the widest range of disciplines, not limited to one thing, but finding luminaries and visionaries in various fields; acquaintance with the success stories of industry leaders whose achievements are not always obvious to the general public; and the attraction of people interested in spiritual enrichment and personal growth. Now, for example, we are negotiating with Shaun Killa, the architect of the Museum of the Future in Dubai. When I asked him to tell the story of the creation of this amazing building, he replied, "Why talk about what has already been done? Let's talk about new projects." That's how truly creative people think. But then he did tell a fascinating story about how, having come up with an unusual shape for the building, he wanted to preserve it, but windows were necessary for natural light. Then the idea of Arabic calligraphy came to him, through the patterns of which light could penetrate inside. Presenting the project to the sheikh, he explained that His Highness's words and speech, placed on the facade, are the wisdom that will light the nation's path to prosperity.
Nastya: The new season promises to be truly grand. We are preparing a series of stunning collaborations that will allow our residents to touch the most significant cultural events in the world. In partnership with the Royal Ballet, we are organising a series of private screenings and meetings with legendary dancers and choreographers of our time. Our club members will have the exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes of the theatre, see the birth of a performance, and chat with its creators in an informal setting.
We ourselves love to be surprised and want to surprise others, preserving a childlike curiosity and the ability to be amazed by seemingly ordinary things. By the way, an interesting fact — our project achieved financial success much faster in Dubai than in the UK. After all, in England, the culture of hobby clubs has a centuries-old history and creating such a distinctive product that would attract both the local public and foreigners would take us much longer. In Dubai, we managed to capture the pulse of the market, feel the audience's request, and follow it. We guessed, felt at our fingertips, that there is a demand here for what we do. People are yearning for meaningful, intellectual leisure, for the opportunity to touch something greater than the usual hedonism. And when we voiced our offer, it fell on fertile ground. Now we are actively expanding our geography, launching events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. And with each passing day, interest in Akademy in the Middle East only grows.
Another large-scale project that I cannot fail to mention is our educational intensive program on the island of Ischia in Italy. This amazing place, where nature itself disposes you to self-discovery and renewal. In partnership with leading European experts in the field of psychology, art therapy, and mindful practices, we have developed a programme of deep immersion into oneself. Participants of the intensive will be able to rethink their lives, set new priorities, free themselves from the burden of the past, and find inner harmony.
I would also like to mention the collaboration with Marina Abramović, who agreed to personally create her signature retreat in Greece specifically for our members. In addition, we are preparing to cooperate with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai, whose director Shai Bitel is our Ambassador.
And of course, continuing our tradition, in the new season we will present a galaxy of brilliant speakers from various fields. Scientists and public figures, art visionaries and business gurus, whose view of the world challenges conventional notions. Those who, by their example, prove that nothing is impossible for a person who believes in themselves and their dream.
It is very important for us to maintain an atmosphere of intimacy, almost secrecy, at our events. We consciously limit the number of participants so that everyone can feel their involvement, feel the living energy that fills the space. In moments of such meetings, the boundaries between the speaker and the audience are erased, and an amazing sense of unity and co-creation is born. And the magic of these moments means that it is worth keeping our events in the "for the chosen" format.
Kamila: From an organisational point of view, we were incredibly lucky to assemble a team that shares our philosophy. Our employees in London, Dubai, and Miami are not just extra-class professionals, but also enthusiastic people in love with their work. Each event for them is like a premiere in a theatre, where every little thing is important, from the decor to the actors' moods. They intuitively feel desires, anticipate the needs of our guests. We constantly collect feedback to improve processes, make them simpler and easier, without taking too much time. After all, the lion's share of our efforts goes into creating the programme, around which, like puzzle pieces, venues and other details are built.
It seems to me that this sincere care lies at the heart of the wow effect that our events invariably produce. When a person feels that this evening was created specifically for them, with all possible love for detail, they open up, begin to glow from within. And that means our mission is accomplished.
The organisational part is my element. I'll be honest, I love building processes, thinking through the little things, achieving perfect precision in every detail. Perhaps this is a manifestation of my natural tendency towards perfectionism — I don't know. But I firmly believe that in order to create a truly bright, memorable event, all the elements must be impeccable.
Nastya: We put our whole soul, all the passion of our hearts into our project. This is our common brainchild, the fruit of our love and care. When we hear stories that inspire us, receive feedback that we were able to brighten someone's day, that a person enjoyed our event, caught fire with new ideas, makes plans or even found a like-minded person to start a joint business — this is an incomparable feeling of happiness and satisfaction. We realise that we are making this world a little better.
Every success story we helped create, every heartfelt "thank you", every glimmer of joy in the eyes of our guests is priceless to us. For the sake of these moments, we are ready to burn, not sparing ourselves, constantly stepping out of our comfort zone. After all, in reality, this is the only way great things are born — when you are not afraid to dream of the impossible and bring those dreams to life.
We have grand plans and incredible challenges ahead of us. Expanding geography, launching new formats, connecting online and offline experiences — all this is just around the corner. But I know for sure: whatever surprises life has in store for us, we will cope. After all, we have the main thing — love for what we do, faith in each other, and the desire to change the world for the better.
Kamila: Among the stories that inspire us is the story of Delphine Bellini from the Schiaparelli fashion house about how they revived the brand and made the decision to invite a new creative director — American designer Daniel Roseberry. At the interview, he presented more than a thousand sketches demonstrating his vision for the brand's development. The management, not knowing how best to introduce him to the team, entrusted Daniel to organise the introduction himself. He plastered the walls of the atelier room with his sketches from floor to ceiling. Employees silently examined them, even standing on chairs to see the ones higher up. Then the doors opened, Daniel entered, everyone turned to him, sank to the floor, and froze in anticipation of his words. To this day, I get goosebumps from this moment — so strongly did the creative team become imbued with Daniel's talent and trust him. Such stories not only touch the soul but also encourage personal growth, ignite the desire to create something truly important and necessary for society.
Nastya: Another story that struck me to the core is the story of Dame Stella Rimington, the first female head of MI5. Being a diplomat's wife, she went to India with her husband as a simple housewife. And there, she was unexpectedly offered to become a secret agent. Just imagine what courage, strength of spirit, and foresight one must have to dare to take such a step. To completely abandon one's former life, try on five different identities, and completely dedicate oneself to serving your country. Isn't this an example of true bravery and unbending inner strength?
Kamila: I have so many examples of inspiring stories told at Akademy that it would take more than one evening to recount them all. Take, for example, the indestructible optimism and love of life of Marina Abramović, carried through all the traumas of childhood, youth, and a broken heart. Or the head of the Dior archives, Soizic Pfaff, who came for a month's internship and stayed for 50 years. Her reverent attitude towards her work, when she carefully took out the creations of all the couturiers who had ever worked at Dior, blowing the dust off them, evoked genuine admiration. Or Cordelia de Castellane, the artistic director of the Baby Dior and Dior Maison lines. Being a successful businesswoman and a mother of many children, she was not afraid to open her own flower boutique — for the soul. Her ability to juggle a hundred things with virtuosity and combine seemingly incompatible things cannot fail to impress. Our members' personal meeting with her will take place this season.
Nastya: Silhouettist Charles Burns, who had been fascinated by cutting profiles since childhood, which many might have considered an oddity, eventually became a true magician of his craft. Three times he was invited to Buckingham Palace to cut silhouettes of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He worked with Bill Clinton and Louis Armstrong. When he cuts your profile in just a minute and a half, not taking his eyes off the model, and then demonstrates the result — everything inside freezes at how portrait-like and recognisable this miniature work of art turns out to be. A true miracle!
Kamila: Or actress Kim Cattrall, familiar to millions for her role as the extravagant Samantha from "Sex and the City", who won a Golden Globe for this role, but in life turned out to be the absolute opposite of her character. Modest, inconspicuous, loving custard, yoga, and a quiet life in the suburbs. It's striking how vast the gulf is between on-screen images and real personalities, and how filigree some people can reincarnate, completely dissolving into their characters.
In one of the halls of the Victoria and Albert Museum, there is an amazing exhibit — a crystal inside which you can discern an entire Universe. When you look at it from different angles, you see more and more facets, new worlds hidden inside. For me, this is a metaphor for the human soul, bottomless and multifaceted, in which there is always room for discovery.
Akademy is about expanding boundaries, about the flight of thought and the audacity of spirit. About not being content with little, but exploring the unknown in oneself and the world. History told through the prism of art, science presented as an adventure, the fates of great people in whom everyone can recognise themselves — this is the space in which we exist and create.
No matter how the world around us changes, I believe that the thirst for knowledge, the desire for discovery, the desire to touch something greater than oneself — these are the constants of human nature. And as long as they live in us, projects like Akademy have a future. We are only conductors who help people unlock this beginning within themselves, rise to the next stage of evolution. And this is a very beautiful, noble mission.
Nastya: From early childhood, somewhere deep in my soul, there was a thought that I wanted to make this world better. And we do everything in our power to make this dream come true. If we manage to fill people with energy, awaken in them a craving for knowledge and self-development, help them find sources of inspiration — this is happiness. We still have so many unrealised ambitions and grand plans ahead of us. And perhaps the most important thing we've learned from our experience is that nothing is impossible.
Kamila: For me, it is very important to live life in such a way as to leave a mark. A kind mark filled with light and positivity that will resonate in someone's heart with pleasant warmth. A mark that allows us to pass on knowledge, experience, and ignite a spark in others. It is truly priceless — not just to walk your path, but to bring something important into the lives of others that will continue to live on even after you.
