Artful founders Samar and Angela on why 'play has no age'

Creativity has always been at the core of Artful founders Samar Stradi and Angela Arnaout's work. They met while working in advertising approximately 15 years ago. A shared vision and goal to spend more time with their families eventually led them to create Artful, play experiences for all ages. After two years of helping the UAE community grow through play, the pair reflect on milestone moments, the support of the local community and why we should always remember to have fun, no matter how old we get.

Samar: "I actually moved to Dubai in 2009, and I was in advertising, working in corporate for a very long time, and Angela and I actually met in an agency. She ended up moving back home to Lebanon. Years later, after having two children, she decided to come back to Dubai. At the time, I happened to be pregnant with my first child. I knew in my core that I didn't want to go back to corporate."

"I feel there was no better person to do it with than Angela. We're so aligned in our morals, how we want to live our lives, the kind of work we want to do and our parenting styles, and that's when Artful was born."

Angela: "Our visions aligned, and when we became mothers, we wanted to do something with a lot more purpose. We didn't want to go back to corporate, we wanted to do something that allowed us to be with our children while also building something really special."

Samar: "It took us a while to pin down the name. We went through a variety of options, but Artful felt the closest and truest to the essence of what we were trying to create.

Samar: "It's just been a journey from the very start. We did a soft launch at the end of 2023, and we officially launched in January 2024. It has just been a rollercoaster. We started with really small spaces and such a small idea that had the potential to become something so much bigger."

"Through all of the people we interacted with, the moments that we had, the dreams we had, and the mistakes we made, we navigated through so much and just kept growing and learning."

Angela: "For me, Dubai is a home away from home. It's where my kids are growing up, it's where my friends are, it's a place that feels very safe and very comfortable."

Samar: "Having lived in Dubai since 2009, I've really seen it change and grow, and I've grown with it. To be part of that in a way, makes me feel like Dubai is part of my identity. So, I'm very proud to be somebody who has founded a business here. It really feels like part of who I am."

Angela: "The great thing about Dubai is that it's so diverse. So as Artful, we get to cater to so many different cultures, so many different types of people. It keeps us on our feet. And it keeps us growing and adapting and changing our vision and our offerings to fit those kinds of people."

Samar: "Being a brand in the UAE, there's a sense of pride that comes with it. It's almost like we're joining a collective. We really look up to a lot of homegrown businesses here, and they're all just so supportive. To be part of that almost feels like we're entering this elite club of wonderful people and wonderful brands, and beautiful, purposeful ideas that are coming to life. I am very honoured, and very proud."

Samar: "There have been so many moments in our business that have almost felt unreal. We got invited to be panel speakers at Baby Expo. We have been in touch with huge brands that want to collaborate with us. It's just so humbling to be approached by people who see us and the value we've created, and to be part of that with people of the community that we respect and value is overwhelming. It makes us feel very, very grateful."

Angela: "We really look for brands, and look to collaborate with brands, that have so much intention in their work and so much passion. One brand that really stood out to us, and that we've had the pleasure to work with, is A Little Something, an events company. Sarah Kammoun, the owner, is just so kind, she is just so intentional in her work, she just has so much attention to detail. She has the ability to turn anyone's vision into life, and it has been great working with her."

"Another one is OliOli. We had the pleasure to meet the owners, and they are really children at heart. The place really is a children's museum in all the essence of one."

Samar: "One of my favourite brands in the UAE is Strawberry Fields. The owner is Lea Murtada, and she has been a huge part of Artful as a business, and its growth. She was one of the first people who really saw us in our early days as a business, and gave us the platform and opportunity to grow and almost figure it out. She was just so giving and generous, bringing us into her world, and introducing us to so many people. To this day, I am so grateful for that."

"And besides that connection, as a brand, I absolutely love it. She is thoughtful and intentional with what she does. Her products are gorgeous. She is also extremely active in the community. And while it might not be obvious to anyone from a customer-facing side, we know how much work it takes to bring community together, and we really value that."

Angela: "I feel like it's not one specific moment, it's many moments, and at the centre of that is having our children be part of our work, and watching Artful grow, and watching us build something from the ground up. They get to come to all our craft clubs, and they get to experience everything, at home even, about how we build the brand. It's just been so special. You can't put a price on that."

Samar: "My proudest memory is hard because there are so many things that have happened, and I look back and I feel a sense of pride towards. If I had to choose one, it would be the CSR initiative that Angela and I built called Create for Change.

It's a platform that brings people together to celebrate all forms of creation, from art to music to food to fashion, and it's all for a good cause. These are basically events we throw to help those in need. What's amazing is that we are able to actually make a difference through our platform of creation. It's very humbling to do that, and it means a lot to us."

Samar: "Artful is still a small business, we're only two years in, and there's a lot we want to do, but if there's one thing I want to share, it's that at its core, the idea of play has no age. It's not just for children, it's for adults alike. Our hope is to be able to share that and connect with as many people as we can in the community.