Beyond dominating the tourism industry and spearheading innovative projects in the realm of space exploration, the UAE is now also fostering and supporting the growth of creative industries and new media across the Emirate.
It has taken active steps in propelling its digital content production sector as well as its advertising, marketing, graphic design, film production, and animation industries. To get a full grasp of the creative industry in the country, let’s take a look at the innovative ways the UAE has been supporting these industries:
$41M Dubai Content Creation Fund & Influencer Headquarters
With content creators and influencers being the voice of today’s generation as well as the go-to sources for many of our daily information and entertainment, Dubai wanted to invest in that talent.
The Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced that he’ll allocate 150 million dirhams ($40 million) to support content creators and create a permanent headquarters for influencers, where they’ll have access to year-round support.
The Ever-Growing Abu Dhabi Film Commission
Back in 2009, the commission came to life to promote the growth of Abu Dhabi’s film and TV industry as well as to establish Abu Dhabi as a regional and international production location.
So far, it has been responsible for having Abu Dhabi as the filming location for box office hits, including Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.
An Influx Of Cultural Hubs
For some time now, cultural hubs have been overtaking Abu Dhabi, including Manarat Al Saadiyat, which is an active community space that plays a major role in promoting the art and film scene in Abu Dhabi.
It has year-round curated exhibitions, film screenings, and performances. Its ongoing programs currently explore film, music, animation, gaming photography, and media. There’s also Dubai’s Jameel Arts Centre, which has become a hub for commercial galleries and art fairs.
The Bustling Media Zones
Media is one of the biggest industries and it’s known to be overtaking the UAE in a big way. The country has put major effort into developing media zones like twofour54, a prominent state-owned media and entertainment production company.
The zone has attracted a large number of international and local media companies to open up at that location, which houses news outlets and digital app creators as well as audio, visual, and print industries. The facility also hosts the first CNN Academy.
The Impressive Work Of Theatre Of Digital Arts
With a prime location in Dubai, the Theatre of Digital Arts provides an accessible platform for musicians and content creators to introduce their impressive talent as well as reach a diverse audience.
Along with that, the platform is launching an open call for digital artists to set up an NFT collection that’ll be showcased at their exhibition and made available in their metaverse gallery.
The main idea behind the massive effort being put into supporting creative industries is to transform the UAE into a creative economy hub by 2025.