Dubai Culture Charity Auction to support Year of Giving 2017

Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, has announced its partnership with Christie’s Auction House (Christie’s) to organise an ambitious joint initiative – Dubai Culture Charity Auction. The announcement was made during a dedicated press conference, and the main auction is set to take place on in October 2017.

Dubai Culture Charity Auction is inspired by the UAE’s Year of Giving 2017 and will feature a new collection of works by local and regional artists, including Abdul Qadir Al Rais. The initiative is being managed collaboratively by Dubai Culture and Christie’s, and all proceeds raised will be donated to Syrian refugees in alignment with the humanitarian legacy of the UAE and the philanthropic vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General at Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, commented: “Dubai Culture is committed to supporting the UAE Year of Giving 2017 and our joint venture with Christie’s will offer Dubai Culture Charity Auction attendees a real opportunity to give back to an important cause, while also inspiring a young generation of artists to commit their talent to the greater good wherever possible. In the collaborative spirit of the Year of Giving, this initiative is a testament to what can be achieved when government authorities and prestigious international organisations come together to contribute their resources to solving the world’s greatest humanitarian challenges.”

Al Nabouda, concluded: “We are proud to be furthering the Authority’s mandates and the vision of our wise leadership with this new and exciting partnership, which places Dubai on the international artistic and philanthropic map. We are hugely grateful for the support of Christie’s – a name that is synonymous with extraordinary art, centuries of artistic expertise and the world’s most celebrated auctions – and their partnership is a valued endorsement of Dubai’s thriving artistic scene and its position as a key philanthropic leader, not only in the Middle East but also on the global stage.”

The joint initiative also sees Dubai Culture fulfilling its important mandate of nurturing and celebrating local talent. Celebrated painter Abdul Qadir Al Rais will be joined by other esteemed local and regional artists at the Dubai Culture Charity Auction, where a new collection of artworks will serve as an illustration of the UAE’s flourishing home-grown talent and also bring acclaimed artists to the Emirate. The collaboration strengthens Dubai’s international ties, while also furthering Dubai Culture’s ambition of making this city a global creative hub that attracts artistic minds from all over the world.

Dubai Culture is instrumental to enhancing Dubai’s cultural identity and establishing the city as a global destination for the world’s art lovers. The Authority also aims to support the strong role that the cultural scene plays in driving tourism – a core economic sector for the city. To achieve these mandates, Dubai Culture organises and supports a diverse array of artistic events, initiatives and partnerships to enrich Dubai’s calendar with exciting and inspiring programmes. These include the Authority’s umbrella arts and cultural event, Dubai Art Season, which is a city-wide initiative that runs throughout March and April 2017 and highlights the city’s global credentials on the arts scene by bringing together artists from around the world for an unmatched celebration of talent, creativity, innovation and cultural diversity.