Dubai's arts scene continues to expand, creating a niche for the city

Although Dubai has led the way in the development of the GCC tourism and hospitality industry, it may soon be able to adapt its own offerings, by benefitting from the development of arts and cultural attractions being built in neighbouring Abu Dhabi. The focus of this activity in the capital is on a 25.9-sq-km natural island. Three internationally acclaimed architects are working on Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which are due to open on Saadiyat Island in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Arts & Culture

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA) is responsible for promoting events reflecting a diversity of artistic expression within the emirate, while encouraging a focus on Emirati heritage and traditions. The DCCA says the sector is attracting investment from both the state and private sector. “With Dubai’s events sector now more firmly established, all stakeholders are focused on expanding their investment in arts and culture. This will significantly enhance the city’s array of cultural activities,” said Saeed Al Nabouda, acting director-general at the DCCA.

Global auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s have recognised the potential for growth in fine art in Dubai for some time. Christie’s opened its Middle East operation in Dubai in 2006 and has since gone on to sell $235m worth of art in the city, according to the company. In addition to its salesroom, the group also runs three-day courses introducing the international art market to people in Dubai as well as online auctions tailored to the local market. There are now more than 70 art galleries in Dubai, according to the DCCA, which particularly cites the growth of spaces in the Al Quoz Industrial Area. The arts and culture industry is entering a new stage of maturity in the emirate. Professionals in management, storage, preservation, and other niche areas have not yet developed in the wider region, and the local sector will be looking to foreign expertise for assistance in building capacity in these areas.

Hotelier Russel Sharpe, COO of the hotel division of Landmark Hospitality, believes that these developments could have a positive impact on Dubai by attracting visitors with different interests to the area, and by offering all tourists to the UAE a more varied package of attractions. He says the marketing could be adapted to reflect this enhanced offering. “I think what we should be looking at is the UAE as a whole,” he told OBG.

Alserkal Avenue

A family business has been driving the growth of art in the Al Quoz Industrial Area since 2007. Alserkal Avenue’s founder, Abdelmonem bin Eisa Alserkal, drew inspiration from London’s Shoreditch and New York’s Meatpacking district, and wants to nurture cultural concepts from the region. There are 20 creative arts spaces there, as well as the Salsali Private Museum, which opened in 2011. In 2015, Alserkal Avenue is expanding and plans to double in size.

Dubai Design District

The DCCA believes the development of Dubai’s Design District D3 will help to promote cultural enterprise and the expansion of creative industries in the emirate. TECOM Investments, a member of Dubai Holding, is investing Dh4bn ($1.1bn) in the first phase of D3, with 10 buildings due to open in 2015. The idea is to nurture local designers, who will be offered space alongside existing global brands.

The launch of Dubai’s new Design District will seek to attract more creative and developmental aspects of the supply chain, which will in turn create more opportunities for the arts industry in the form of exhibitions, pop-up show cases and galleries. #MYDUBAI: In January 2014, Dubai’s crown prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced the launch of #MyDubai to create “the world’s first autobiography of a city”. The initiative encouraged visitors and residents to use Instagram and Twitter to share their views of the city via both messages and photographs. Within the first week, about 75,000 photo and video submissions were created, and by July 2014, more than a million images had been uploaded to Instagram using the #MyDubai hashtag. That led to a spin off, #MyDubaiTrip, with 12 of the world’s top Instagrammers then touring the emirate.