Dubai Is an Incubator for Arts, an Inspiring Haven for Artists

Art is an open dialogue between societies and a window that sheds light on people’s creativity and creations. It is the vessel that carries elements of the homeland and expresses peoples’ cultures, values and principles, communicating their messages to all of humanity and transcending the limits of language. On World Art Day, Dubai becomes an icon that embraces various types of art as well as an inspiring haven for artists and art aficionados from all over the world.

Dubai’s interest in art and its sponsorship of artists is know the world over. It is an open space for creativity and creators, with a rich creative community that brings together cultures from more than 190 countries around the world. This iconic city nurtures art, embraces creative talents, and follows an ambitious vision through which it seeks to promote creativity as a sustainable component of its prosperity. To this end, many pioneering steps are being taken, most prominently the world’s first long-term cultural visa launched in 2019 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to attract artists and creators from all over the world to take part in the development of the emirate. The most recent of these initiatives and steps is the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy launched by His Highness to transform Dubai into a global capital for the creative economy by 2025.

In accordance with this vision, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in its position as the government authority entrusted with the culture, arts and heritage sector in Dubai, is committed to providing support for creative talents in the Emirati community, in line with its vision to promote the cultural scene in the emirate and strengthen its position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent; thus, fulfilling the objectives of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy.

As the sponsor of talent and artists in the emirate, Dubai Culture provides a platform for the local and global creative community to celebrate artistic productions, whether traditional or modern, within its programmes and projects as well as the initiatives and events it supports, including distinctive art festivals, such as Dubai Art Season that comprises several activities, including Sikka Arts Festival, Art Dubai and World Art Dubai. Such events, among other exhibitions and creative activities, open the doors to emerging local and global artistic talents to achieve their dreams, express their passions and innovative artistic visions, and contribute to enriching Dubai’s artistic and aesthetic scene, all while developing their work.

Another example in the same context is Dubai Culture’s interest in international events and exhibitions, such as the World of Banksy exhibition, currently being held in partnership with the Mall of the Emirates, which showcases the works of one of the most prominent global artists. This constitutes an exceptional opportunity to shed light on the creative and cultural sector in the emirate on a global scale, and enhances Dubai’s cultural global footprint as a hub for world arts.

Dubai Culture is also committed to developing mechanisms, strategies, legislative frameworks, regulations and policies that ensure ease of doing business in the creative fields, investing in its partnerships with governmental, semi-governmental and private bodies, experts, consultants and representatives of the creative sector. Within this context, the Authority is working on a project to develop the Al Quoz Creative Zone to be a vital, creative, and dynamic hub that would embrace local, regional and global creative talents, providing them with an integrated system to support their work, from the initial conceptualisation stage, design and production to the promotion of their creative products.

Artists disperse beauty into this world, and art is a vessel that carries a message of creativity, peace and tolerance. In Dubai, there are many windows of opportunities for fine arts to prosper and allow artists to communicate and cultures to coexist. The emirate is a global city in its texture, spirit, vision and arts, and Dubai Culture will continue to build bridges and produce creative systems that would ensure the flourishing of arts and artists in the emirate.