Stemming from its keenness to enhance channels of communication with members of Dubai’s creative community, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture)organised an open day at ‘Concrete’ in Alserkal Avenue to provide creatives with an overview of the project’s developments and involve them throughout the process in a way that would support the growth and prosperity of their businesses and contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of the zone for it to become a destination for global talents.

The open day was led by Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, and witnessed the participation of representatives from the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Police, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Municipality, the Government of Dubai Media Office, Digital Dubai Authority,wasl Asset Management Group(wasl), and the Authority’s partners, includin gZoho, LinkedIn, Letswork, Hayi app, and the Commercial Bank of Dubai.The meeting also witnessed the presence of a wide range of Dubai-based creative talents and entrepreneurs who aspire to expand and further develop their businesses.

A platform for dialogue

In her opening speech, Badri affirmed that this meeting is part of a series of meetings through which Dubai Culture and its partners seek to provide a platform for dialogue with members of the creative community to exchange views and ideas with them as well as empower and support their work.

Badri said: “Last year, we met with a group of creative talents and entrepreneurs and learned about the challenges facing creative businesses in Dubai, specifically in Al Quoz. We listened to their ideas on how to advance the region to meet their ambitions and presented them with solutions. Today, we are meeting with them to update them on our progress and listen to their views and needs to turn them into future partners in an upcoming phase, thus helping them achieve greater success and prosperity in their projects and businesses

Based on the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the global capital of the creative economy by 2025, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, launched the project to develop Al Quoz Creative Zone in April 2021 to establish an integrated creative zone that would meet the requirements of global creative talents. His Highness Sheikh Hamdandirected the formation of the higher committee headed by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and member of the Dubai Council, to manage the project and supervise its optimal implementation.

Tasheeland the sustainability

During the open day, Badri, with the collaboration of Dr Fahad Al Hammadifrom Dubai Municipality, presented creatives with an overview of the project’s master plan, which emphasises sustainability as a fundamental pillar. The talents were also informed that Al Quoz Creative Zone was added to Dubai Land Department’s rental index to enable the calculation of the average rent in the area, as well as to monitor and ensure that they do not rise randomly or unjustifiably.

Badri also announced the activation of the ‘Tasheel’ branch in Al Barsha to serve talents with everything related to consultation and licences, including regarding the renewal, amendment, cancellation and issuance of new licences. Additionally, in coordination with the DET, owners of creative businesses in the Al Quoz area, including those who have more than one licence, can combine these licences individually as activities under one creative license at the cost of adding an activity instead of incurring the cost of a new licence, thereby contributing to achieving significant licensing-fee savings.

Badri also briefed attendees on the developments of the infrastructure projects relating to defining transportation routes in the region, as well as future plans in that regard, and highlighted the Creatives’ Journey that was launched to facilitate the establishment of creative businesses in the emirate. She also briefed them on the planned future development, followed by a Q&A segment that allowed attendees to raise their enquiries and express their opinions and suggestions, resulting in great interaction from participants whose questions were answered and challenges taken into account towards working on finding solutions in upcoming phases of the project.

As part of the offerings to support the creative community, Dubai Culture’s partners from Zoho, Linkedin, Letswork, the Commercial Bank of Dubai, and Hayi app presented the benefits that were allocated exclusively to creatives and addressed their concerns.

Incubator and dream land

Many participants expressed their happiness with the Al Quoz Creative Zone Development Project and their optimism for a prosperous future for creative businesses in the emirate. For her part, artist Rabab Tantawi praised the efforts of Dubai Culture and its partners, stressing that it provides great facilities that enable creatives and help them focus on developing their businesses and talents, making Dubai a true incubator for creatives.

Patricia Mills, who has lived in Dubai for40 years, thanked Dubai Culture and its partners for providing talents and creatives with a great place to establish their projects and contribute to making Dubai the capital of the global creative economy.While artist Afshin saw that Dubai is the right place for all talents and creatives from around the world and that the new directions will help artists build their projects and achieve their dreams.

Tangible partnership

Following the announcement of Al Quoz Creative Zone and the formation of the project’s Higher Committee in April 2021, Dubai Culture held the ‘Al Quoz Accelerators’ workshop in the presence of the Authority’s partners, representatives of the committee members, and the creative community to engage members of this community in a tangible way to develop creative ideas to enhance Al Quoz and find ideal solutions to overcome the any challenges they may face. The higher committee of the project also recently held its fourth meeting, in which it reviewed the achievements of the project over the course of a year since its launch and the steps for the next stage.