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Dubai Culture to create platform for artists

Dubai - Student interactions are the main focus at the Dubai Culture.

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) plans to harbour more creativity and innovation within the UAE culture and creating concrete sectors for working artists, a senior official said as the organisation marked its 10th anniversary on Wednesday.
Saeed Al Nabouda, acting director-general of the authority said: "We no longer just want to see engineers with a creative side, we want to see artists; real artists coming through and representing the UAE. If you are a poet, you will have an industry, if you are a painter you will have a dedicated sector to work in. We want to ensure you have a platform to focus only on that creativity and we will make sure you will be well paid too," he told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of a cultural celebration at the Cultural and Scientific Association in Dubai.
Remarking on the 10 years gone by, Al Nabouda said while it is good to celebrate past successes - such as the launch of the Sikka Art Fair in 2010 and the opening of Etihad Museum in 2016 - it's now time to "take things to the next level".
"And it's the young generations that will drive this. We are going to see a lot more creativity and innovation being embedded within our culture. And our focus is to create a robust creative industry more rooted in our culture and traditions," he said. 
With student interactions the main focus at the Dubai Culture, Al Nabouda said nurturing a talent while a child is still young and in the classroom will help turn the UAE into a country that, in the future, exports its cultural around the globe.
And with the Ministry of Education and the Dubai Education Zone noted as the authority's first partner on a federal level, that relationship will continue to grow, he said.
"We understand that culture starts in school. Currently we have six permanent heritage centres within schools here; one was established in 2018 at Zayed University. We need to be on the ground with students, encouraging them to tap into that creative side."
Dubai Culture - 10 years on
>2008 - After the creation of the Dubai Cultural Council in 2004, the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority was established in 2008
>2009 - Dubai Public Libraries transferred to Dubai Culture
>2010 - Sikka Art Fair is founded
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Dubai Patrons of Arts Awards is launched to honour contributors to Dubai's art scene
>2012 - Launch of Soul of Dubai and A.I.R Dubai
>2013 - Organisations grew to 340+ employees; Heritage sites transferred to Culture and Arts Authority; Launch of Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre
>2014 - The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority becomes first governmental department to adopt and apply the second generation (G2) of 'Tasheel' platform for self-service; Awarded best M-government service in Dubai within Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart Government Award 2014 for 'Dubai Culture' mobile application.
>2015 - The Dubai Culture participates at opening week of Expo Milano 2015; Awarded Princess Haya Outstanding Government Social Responsibility Excellence
>2016 - Etihad Museum opens on December 2, 2016; The Department of Strategy in the Culture and Arts Authority in Dubai launches draft sectoral strategy 
>2017 - At World Government Summit, 'Creatopia Creative Platform' was selected as the most creative case
kelly@khaleejtimes.com