“By sharing our cultural achievements with the world, we build bridges of understanding and appreciation across cultures”. The Sheikh Zayed Foundation’s words. This foundation is dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Ai Nahyan, the UAE’s founder Father. emphasizes several key messages related to art and culture.
Over the past decade, art and culture have become increasingly significant in the UAE, it reflecting the nation’s border goals of cultural diversification, economic development, and global recognition.
Cultural identity and national pride both in the UAE are deeply inter twined with its history, traditions and modern achievements. Historical Legacy, cultural festivals and celebrations, Traditional Ats and Craft, Architecture, Cultural Institutionas, Language and literature, cuisine, national symbols, and cultural Diplomacy these elements collectively contribute to a strong sense of cultural identity and national pride in the UAE, celebrating both its rich heritage and modern achievements.
The Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has been a significant advocate for cultural development. Under his leadership Dubai has launched numerous cultural projects, including the Dubai Culture &Arts Authority and Dubai Opera.
Growing up in the Middle East- especially during 90’s – art was for those that could afford to travel. Rarely was a Middle Eastern country considered a go – to spot for the arts. It is now safe that there are a few
Middle Eastern countries invested in the arts, like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar, with the UAE at the forefront. The UAE was the first Gulf state to have a permanent pavilion at the International Arts Exhibition La Binnale di Venezia and is gaining global traction for its homegrown arts scene. Projects like the Louvre and the Guggenheim- due to open soon in Abu Dhabi- are a natural progression for an emerging cultural hub like the UAE. Yet few publications investigate these developments thoroughly.
Bait al Banat Women’s Museum is all about shining a spot tight on the power of the female in the region.
Exhibits in the museum, whose Arabic name means ‘’The Girls ‘House,’’ cover the lives of individual women including artists, activists and scholars. These displays give a deep understanding of their subjects’ work, their outlooks and how they lived, via images, interviews personal items, letters and diaries. Offering an insight into the history of Emirati women and their role in the country ‘s development, exhibits in the museum cover the lives of individual women including artists, activists and scholars.
Article by
Preetha VR
About the Writer
Preetha VR is a passionate educator with over 25 years of experience working with children aged 3 to 12 years. An Abacus instructor, subject coordinator, poet, and author, Preetha was born in Kerala and grew up across various regions of North and South India. Despite facing early challenges, including the loss of her parents, she pursued her academic ambitions, earning a Master’s degree in English Language. From her formative years, Preetha displayed a strong work ethic, delving into teaching and writing at a young age. In 2015, she made a significant move to the UAE, working as an English Language Teacher at East Point Indian International School. She has since established herself both personally and professionally in the UAE. Currently, Preetha holds a Transitional Teacher’s license and serves as an Academic Resource Person at the Sri Narayani Teacher Training Center in Hyderabad, India, reflecting her dedication to education and lifelong learning.
Coffee Museum–
The largest coffee museum in the Middle East is right here in Dubai in the Al Fahidi Historical District and it’s free to enter. It showcases a wide selection of antique items from the regional and international coffee history and culture. Experience a number of different regional styles of coffee including the local Arabic style, Ethiopian style, Japanese style, and more.
Efie Gallery
The Efie Gallery hots a diverse range of African artists, exhibitions, as well as dynamic residency program that promotes collaborations with local artists, institutions and community members.
Alserkal Avenue
Alserkal is the well-known cultural hub in the city. The family has its origins in the Al-Ali tribe, the tittle’ ’Alserkal’’ derives from the word ‘’Sarkar’’. It was established in 2008 by Alserkal following the visionary thinking of our founder Abdelmonem Bin Elisa Al serkal, who sought to cultivate a vibrant creative community and support cultural production in Dubai.
The UAE art scene is a vibrant one, and is a manifestation of the need to reconstruct a story and identity for the region. The UAE is one of the first Arab countries to adopt the arts and culture scence so holistically and has gone above and beyond expectations to create an ecosystem that nurtures the arts, and that creates bridges between East and West.
Prepared by Preetha.V.R
