Dubai: The film, animation and gaming industries are on the top of the agenda of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) for the emirate’s creative sector, its chairperson said on Monday.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is a member of Dubai Council, made the remarks during her latest Majlis that brought together UAE-based filmmakers, animators, and creatives from the gaming industry at The Youth Hub at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The session was attended by Hala Badri, director-general of Dubai Culture; Noaf Tahlak, Executive Director, Chairperson Office, Dubai Culture; and Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash Al Marri, CEO, Arts & Literature, Dubai Culture.
The creatives shared their perspectives on the current creative ecosystem and what is further needed for the industry to grow in Dubai.
Valuable feedback
Sheikha Latifa said: “It is always a pleasure to meet with Dubai’s creatives, and hear them talk passionately about their work, experiences and the challenges they face on their journey. These Majlises help us to keep our finger on the sector’s pulse and have informed many of the strategies that we have implemented in the past few years, and they continue to shape our plans for the future of the sector.”
She added: “I am very happy with the openness and candour I witnessed during our Majlis and many perspectives and ideas that were shared. Dubai Culture is already integrating them into its plans, which confirms to me that the authority is moving in the right direction when it comes to supporting our creatives.”
Top priority
Sheikha Latifa continued: “The film, animation and gaming industries are on the top of our agenda, and we want to work with our creatives to create the best roadmap for its development. This session was intended as the first of many devoted to identifying the top priorities for those operating in these industries. We will have more sessions that delve into further details, which will provide key inputs for developing our multi-year strategic plan and setting clear milestones.”
During the discussion, the participants highlighted that Dubai has state-of-the-art production capabilities for the film, animation and affiliated sectors. They also noted the strength of the Dubai brand, which makes the city one of the world’s most preferred destinations for people to live and work. The meeting also saw participants sharing their views on areas that require further enhancements.
The latest Majlis is part of a series of meetings the chairperson has been conducting over the past couple of years with key players and institutions from the cultural and creative industries across Dubai. The meetings aim to maintain an open dialogue on the sector and inform future strategies to create a strong and sustainable creative ecosystem.
