Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) cooperated with the Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital to present a creative environment for sick children as part of the ‘Art in Hospitals’ project, through which the Authority aims to inspire children and integrate art into their medical journey atthe hospital. This initiative comes as part of the sectoral pillars of the Authority’s strategic roadmap that seeks to enhance and consolidate the cultural and creative environment in the emirate, while also integrating art and creativity within its spaces in innovative ways.

To implement the project, Dubai Culture commissioned a group of talented local artists to decorate the walls of the hospital corridors with vibrant murals and drawings that would transform the hospital’s various sections into galleries that reflect beauty and creativity, bringing comfort and reassurance to sick children and instils their hearts with joy to help alleviate their healing process.

Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, visited Al JalilaChildren’s to bear witness to the outputs of this distinctive project. She toured the hospital and viewed the17 distinctive murals, which represented the rich Emirati heritage, inspirations from Dubai’s most prominent landmarks, and paintings that embody various dynamic and interactive games to lift the spirits of the sick children.

Hala Badri referred to the humanitarian message carried by arts of all kinds, which is embodied in this initiative, saying: “Dubai Culture recognises the important role that visual arts play in improving the psychological state of patients, especially children. This is what motivated us to employ art in decorating the walls of Al JalilaChildren’s, given its impact on raising the morale of sick children and contributing to their recovery process. Art has a sublime message, and the artist has a great humanitarian duty, as HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said: “Art is a renewed message, civilisation and creativity.”

Badri added:“Through this step, we employ art and creativity forthe happiness of society and in the service of one of its important segments, our sick children, who are in need of a creative touch that would take them out of their environment into bright worlds that would delight them and help them overcome their challenges. This initiative is also part of our efforts to encourage young local talents and highlight their creativity, which would develop their business and prosperity, in line with our strategy and consistent with our commitment to support the pillars of Dubai Plan 2021 for a home of creative and empowered individuals full of pride and happiness.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Awadhi, COO of Al Jalila Children’s, said “We thank Dubai Culture and Arts Authority for this beautiful initiative, which is in line with our hospital strategy of providing high quality care in a child-friendly environment. These creative paintings are bringing joy and hope for our young patients during their treatment journey in the hospital.”

Rabab Tantawy, Founder of Art for Good, said: “We were honoured to have partnered with Dubai Culture to help realise their vision of bringing the healing power of art to the walls of Al JalilaChildren’s. Our common goal was to transport the children to a place that would support them in overcoming the fear and anxiety of being in a hospital setting; I believe we were successful in doing so.”

Dubai Culture is working through its updated strategy to develop effective frameworks, which would enhance the prosperity witnessed in the emirate’s culture and arts sector, as a policymaker, regulator, and enabler for the sector.