Library Talks initiative brings together Dubai’s creative scene components

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced a new season of its initiative Library Talks under the umbrella of the School of Life project. This will take place in Dubai’s public library branches, including Al Safa Art & Design Library, Al Tawar, Al Mankhool, and Hatta. It will run from September of this year until March 2024.

Dubai Culture aims to diversify the cultural programmes and initiatives offered by Dubai’s libraries. It provides an opportunity for the public to benefit from literary and artistic activities organized to support creative talent. The initiative also seeks to contribute to strengthening partnerships with various cultural sectors within and outside the country and enhance the role of culture and literature in enriching Dubai’s creative scene. This will be achieved by organizing a series of creative and artistic workshops, literary sessions, and poetry evenings featuring a select group of writers and authors from the UAE and around the world.

Al Safa Arts and Design Library will host the Writing and Reciting Poetry workshop on September 17th, the first event of the initiative. Dr Afra Atiq will guide participants through the techniques of composing and editing poems in English, while also providing young individuals aged 15 and above with the opportunity to explore important poetic works from the pre-modern era. Additionally, they will learn about various forms of poetry, writing tools, and methods for reciting in front of an audience.

The programme will also include a poetry evening featuring Bahraini poet Qassim Haddad and Emirati poet and director Nujoom Al-Ghanem. Additionally, Lebanese writer Najwa Barakat will lead a workshop on How to Write a Novel, providing aspiring scribes who aim to enter the literary field with the best narrative tools for their fictional projects.

Abdul Rahman Younis, Acting Director of the Public Libraries Department at Dubai Culture, affirmed the importance of the Library Talks project and its role in introducing the components of the cultural scene, highlighting its pioneers and their various contributions to the sector. It also aims to deepen knowledge and support the cultural and creative industries in Dubai. He stated, “Dubai Culture, through its innovative cultural projects and initiatives, seeks to shed light on the diversity of Dubai’s cultural and human landscape and nurture young creatives, encouraging them to contribute to the cultural and literary sector with various literary and cultural productions. This helps create a stimulating environment capable of empowering and supporting all.”

Younis noted that through the Library Talks initiative, Dubai Culture aims to develop and refine skills in writing and painting through a series of knowledge seminars, literary evenings, book signing events, and training workshops included in the initiative’s agenda. Additionally, it aims to promote a culture of reading among community members and transform it into a lifestyle.

Registration for the workshops and literary sessions is open to all through the authority’s official website and its social media accounts.