Art & Culture
Al Quoz Creative Zone: A home for creativity and success
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has released details that highlight the remarkable accomplishments of the Al Quoz Creative Zone that mirror Dubai’s inspiring spirit, brought to life through diverse initiatives and events organised by the Authority to support talent and provide the necessary resources for them to express their innovative ideas and projects, which ultimately enhances the strength of the emirate’s cultural and creative industries. This aligns with Dubai’s cultural vision aimed at cementing the emirate’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity and a thriving hub for talent.
Al Quoz Creative Zone hosted 15 innovative initiatives and curated 45 events. These comprised 30 workshops, 6 discussions, 4 performances, and cinematic showcases across 25+ venues. Over this span, around 3,000 creatives, entrepreneurs, and artists engaged in its activities. Additionally, 3 retail pop-ups were organised, accompanied by two immersive field tours. These tours provided participants with a comprehensive exploration of the zone, for a more comprehensive understanding.
The Authority collaborated with 40 different stakeholders to support entrepreneurs and bolster talent development. It also organised the Al Quoz incubator programme that hosted 10 workshops engaging around 350 creatives. These workshops covered aspects such as refining business projects, identifying target audiences, and selecting partnership models, all contributing to the enhancement of skills and capabilities. The Makers’ Month, organised by Dubai Culture in cooperation with Alserkal Advisory, Makeworks UAE and Colab, witnessed 10 major activities in which about 250 creatives and entrepreneurs participated.
A diverse array of activities was also organised, including workshops, lectures, and panel discussions, along with field visits to makers’ projects. A team of experts directly engaged with creatives, aiming to provide them with the requisite technical and professional advice. This guidance is instrumental in fostering the development of their businesses and projects.
Dubai Culture is also maintaining its successful momentum with the ‘Mobtakir’ diploma programme, conducted in partnership with Colab and the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), one of the corporations of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism. This initiative revolves around the design and prototyping of innovative projects. Ongoing until October, the programme offers a fully-formed journey from conceptualisation to production, thereby enriching participants’ individual, technical, and knowledge-based skills. This collaborative effort underscores the nation’s potential for industrial advancement, highlighting opportunities for entrepreneurs and skills enhancement.
Dubai Culture shall advance the development of the Al Quoz Creative Zone through diverse events, including the ’Al Quoz Creative Entrepreneurship Forum’ scheduled from November 2 to 3. This forum reinforces Dubai’s cultural and creative industries’ significance, alongside other initiatives. The region’s pivotal role in fulfilling stakeholder ambitions is showcased by its array of creative models and inspirational projects.
The project’s ultimate goal is to establish a true creative hub, catering to creatives and entrepreneurs worldwide, providing them with a conducive environment for success, development, and positive contributions to Dubai’s creative and cultural landscape.