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UAE: How this unique initiative is making art accessible through theatre events and exhibitions

Rania Ashur, the founder and CEO of Art For All initiative, explains her mission to build Dubai’s portfolio of shows

In Dubai’s vibrant cultural landscape, Rania Kuzbari Ashur has a starring role. The founder and CEO of Art For All, has been a frontrunner in building Dubai’s artistic vibe by bringing to the city an array of theatre events, educational stage shows and art exhibitions. Since its inception in 2002, Art For All has been instrumental in organising over 1,800 shows. Partnering with internationally acclaimed theatre production companies, it has brought productions such as Peter Pan on Ice, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Banksy Exhibition, English National Ballet’s Angelina Ballerina, Shakespeare’s Globe A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet to the UAE.

An ardent arts enthusiast, Kuzbari says, “Theatre is such a focal part of society. It gives audiences a chance to learn about humanity through the actions and stories unfolding live on stage. Each person connects to a show in a unique way, which makes the live theatre experience creative, expressive and entertaining.”

The year’s line-up

These days, she is busy planning a September 2024 exhibition, which will showcase the original works of legendary artist Andy Warhol at the Foundry by Emaar in Downtown Dubai. Art For All runs this theatre in Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. “This year too, our audience can look forward to seeing new artists and acts never before staged in the Emirates,” shares the British expat who is originally from Syria. “From Argentinian Tango to Russian ballet, Colombian dance, Indian folk music to comedy acts, we have curated shows for all kinds of people and introduced to our viewers, new cultures and performance styles,” she adds.

Kuzbari recalls that the seeds for the foundation of Art For All were first planted in the year 2000, when she was watching a children's play in Beirut with her 18-month-old daughter on her lap. The mum-of-three, who had just moved from the UK to live in Dubai, says she was disappointed with the lack of live entertainment for children in the UAE then. She felt compelled to do her bit to bring family entertainment to the Emirates. “I wanted to bring shows based on children's books. I knew Roald Dahl was popular, so I got in touch with the Birmingham Stage Company in London, who were producing George's Marvellous Medicine. We staged it in the auditorium at Knowledge Village, the only theatre venue at that time in Dubai, and that's how Art For All really began its journey in 2002,” she says.

Born in Syria, Kuzbari has lived in Beirut, Paris and the UK. Over the years Kuzbari’s vow to fill the artistic and cultural void for children in the UAE extended to include live cultural entertainment for adults from diverse communities. From 2002 to 2020, her company held shows in various local venues and assisted in regional tours in the GCC.

Meet the crew

In 2020, during the pandemic, Art For All entered into a landmark partnership by taking over the mantle of running the Theatre at the Mall of the Emirates, reviving the venue and turning it into a haven for theatre-goers. A year after celebrating their 20th anniversary, they made yet another strategic move to manage Zabeel Theatre, in 2023. What started as a hobby for Kuzbari with just two freelance employees in 2002, over the years has flourished into a well-known platform for nurturing local and international talent. The company has also since grown to include 20 full-time employees.

Kuzbari admits running an entertainment company comes with its share of adversities and trials. “From finding the right act to pitching for it, then overcoming the logistical glitches, there are so many aspects that make a show a success from the moment the curtains go up,” she shares.

As they say, there's never a dull moment in showbiz, and Kuzbari has a fair share of memorable anecdotes. For the Shakespeare Globe's Romeo and Juliet production in 2015, for instance, the director had requested an old car as a main prop on stage for the fighting and dance sequences. “I had to source the car, get it dismantled and fixed on stage, and even had to fly it to Doha for one of our regional tours,” she reveals. It also got a bit tricky when she had to convince the director to replace some scenes that were inappropriate for school shows. “It was not a funny experience at that time, but now I smile when I remember how we managed to pull off this show on stage.” Creating an ice rink on stage for the Peter Pan on Ice show in 2023 was yet another mammoth task for her company. The joy and wonder on the faces of her young audience members made it worth all the effort in the end, she shares.

As a private company, Kuzbari says, one of her biggest challenges is ticket sales. “It can be very taxing to fill seats when every night of the week there is an event taking place somewhere in the Emirates. The competition is tough. We also struggle with lack of sponsorships and subsidies,” she adds.

Her supportive family, she says, has aided her in keeping her passion for the arts alive. It also helps that they are all inclined towards music and theatre. “I always tell my children the best thing that can happen to a human being is to find what they like doing. For me, it was Art for All. It has given me an objective and a new meaning to life,” she tells.

A platform for local talent

Not just an advocate of quality entertainment Kuzbari is equally focused on promoting local talent, including first time performers or those new to the city. For the upcoming Dhandho Show featuring Indian comedian Munawar Faruqui at Zabeel Theatre on June 22, the opening act will be performed by Dubai-based comedian Emaad Siddiqui. “It is Emaad’s biggest show ever and a huge break for him. He is a fan of Munawar and now he is opening the show for him. This is what we always strive to do at Zabeel Theatre, providing a platform for all kinds of talents,” she says.

In her bid to make theatre accessible to all, Art for All conducts giveaways and competitions on social media. Recently, Kuzbari shares, she received a message on Instagram from a devoted fan, who could not afford a ticket to one of the acts and was presented with a free ticket to her first-ever theatre experience.

At times, families with special children are also given free access to shows. “When I see them laughing, clapping and engaging with the performers on stage, it really warms my heart and reiterates that nothing can beat live theatre,” she says.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com