His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the new vision of Dubai Culture, which outlines a comprehensive roadmap to consolidate Dubai’s stature as a global destination for culture, innovation and talent.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed approved the new vision during a visit to the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Deputy Ruler of Dubai H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. accompanied Sheikh Mohammed during the visit. Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, briefed Sheikh Mohammed on the new vision and programme of activities of Dubai Culture.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said that Dubai must foster the development of a unique and inclusive cultural environment based on its distinctive values and character.

“No global city is complete without a fully developed cultural dimension. A vibrant cultural life and environment is an integral part of any economic hub. Dubai has many cultural assets that enable it to be a global cultural destination and a centre for talent and innovation,” he said.

H.H. further said that with its rich culture and heritage, the UAE can play a significant role in the international cultural sector commensurate with its stature in the global economic landscape. “Over the next few years, I can clearly see the UAE becoming the region’s biggest cultural hub and one of the world’s most preferred destinations,” Sheikh Mohammed further said.

He called on all cultural entities in the UAE to work together to enhance synergies and explore new opportunities for productive cooperation. He expressed his confidence in the ability of the Dubai Culture team to transform the emirate’s cultural landscape.

“Cultural initiatives and projects must involve the participation of the entire community. The cultural vibrancy of a place is a key indicator of its development. We must highlight and showcase our rich culture and heritage to the world,” H.H. added.

In turn, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed said that the new vision of Dubai Culture will usher in a fresh phase of cultural growth that will add a unique dimension to the emirate’s economic development. H.H. explained that Dubai’s new cultural vision is guided and inspired by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to transform Dubai into a beacon of civilisation and progress.

“The interaction between the UAE’s unique culture and the cultures of over 190 nationalities living in Dubai opens new horizons and creates opportunities to develop the cultural scene,” Sheikha Latifa added.

Director General of Dubai Culture Hala Badri also briefed Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid on the objectives of the new vision. She said the vision focuses on creating a cultural movement that will further boost Dubai’s position on the global cultural map, make the emirate a preferred international destination for cultural, creative, artistic and literary talent and support the growth of creative industries and enhance their contribution to the economy.

The new vision includes several unique initiatives covering various cultural and artistic fields.

The World’s First Cultural Residence Visa: In co-operation with the Ministry of Interior, a new immigration policy will be introduced to create the world’s first long-term cultural visa. The aim of the initiative is to attract promising artists and creatives to the city and support the vision of Dubai to become a global incubator for talent.

A Creative Free Zone in Al Quoz: An initiative that aims to transform Al Quoz into a free zone for creative talent in the culture sector, providing comprehensive facilities and services from the conception stage through to design and production. The free zone will create an end-to-end system for creatives to produce, display and sell their works Dubai Global Literary Season: Dedicated to the love of the written word, Dubai Global Literary Season aims to establish the city as the capital of knowledge development with more than 1,000 literary events hosting the top 100 Arab and international authors and publishers School of Life: The initiative, which seeks to transform Dubai’s public libraries into integrated cultural centres under the theme of School of Life, is aimed at boosting the cultural, creative and artistic lives of the Dubai community.

A Destination for Land Art: The initiative aims to create a new global cultural tourism destination that enhances the creative capacity of the land. To be launched on the occasion of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, the initiative also seeks to create new landmarks to document Dubai’s hosting of Expo 2020. Many different nationalities will contribute to its construction.

Dubai Global Grad Show: An international exhibition to be organised as part of Dubai Design Week, Dubai Global Grad Show aims to inspire university graduates to find innovative solutions to community problems.

Al Marmoum CineMania: An open air international film festival in the Al Marmoom area to be organised in co-operation with local cinemas.

Dubai’s Iconic Architecture: A specialised committee to oversee the adoption of architectural designs that has the objective of making Dubai a destination for architectural innovation.

Launch of Dubai’s Architectural Identity: An initiative aimed at conceptualising, designing and implementing a distinctive architectural identity for Dubai that distinguishes it from other major cities of the world Hatta Cultural Carnival: A cultural carnival to be held in the winter season to stimulate economic and tourism growth in the region, featuring poetry evenings, cultural events, art exhibitions and other events.

Zabeel High School: Rehabilitation of Zabeel Secondary School for Girls to preserve the architectural history of the school and transform the building into a multi-functional space that offers a platform for young people to express their artistic talent Art for Good: A philanthropic annual international art week that features the participation of local and international artists and businesspersons. The art week will include charity auctions, art performances and plastic arts exhibitions Dubai Gold Line: The initiative features a competition to design the Dubai Gold Line, a special gold production line that establishes Dubai as a destination for gold.

Discovering Hidden Cultural Gems with Uber: A new initiative created in partnership with Uber to help tourists easily find and visit Dubai’s cultural treasures.

Dubai Art Collection: The first integrated system created to help art enthusiasts buy, display and exchange artwork. The system will be operated through a partnership between the government and private sector. The initiative will help stimulate the creative economy and create opportunities for the public to engage more closely with art.

Dubai Private Collections Season: The Dubai Private Collections Season will enable private art collectors to display their personal collections in public institutions such as Etihad Museum. The season will begin with an exhibition of the personal collection of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum Dubai Festival of National Cultures: The initiative will provide a platform for highlighting the cultures and traditions of various nationalities living in Dubai. The celebrations at the event will showcase the traditions, food and special products of each nationality through an annual calendar of events to be held in collaboration with Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing.