Dubai’s Culture & Heritage project launched on Google Arts & Culture

Google Arts & Culture is an online platform that features high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from around the world. The Platform works with over 2,000 cultural institutions to help make the world’s culture and heritage accessible to anyone, anywhere. Through its partnerships with cultural organisations, the Platform is able to develop powerful and cutting-edge technologies that help to digitise, preserve and showcase their treasures and stories to people around the world.

As part of the Project, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority has started showcasing over 800 iconic, high-resolution images including 120 of artefacts and over 70 stories in both Arabic and English that document the emirate’s history and present through the eyes of its residents. Through this collaboration, Dubai Culture seeks to paint a comprehensive picture of its cultural richness, unique identity and distinctive heritage as well as achieve its vision of strengthening the emirate’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity and a thriving hub for talent.

‘Dubai’s Culture & Heritage’ project was launched by HH Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the presence of Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture, Amit Sood, Director and Founder of Google Arts & Culture, Lino Cattaruzzi, Managing Director of Google in the Middle East & North Africa and other dignitaries.

Sheikh Latifa said: “Today, I am pleased to be launching ‘Dubai’s Culture & Heritage’ on Google Arts & Culture. Technology and creativity often intersect, resulting in fascinating experiences, and Google Arts and Culture is a prime example. Through this innovative platform, people will be able to embark on a journey to explore Dubai’s unique story, its rich history, vibrant culture and ever-evolving creative scene. The emirate has a unique, dynamic identity rooted in the diversity of its fabric; it is a place of rich culture and creativity that embraces people and cultures from all over the world, and where global excellence is not just an ambition but a reality.”

Diversity of Dubai’s offering

The ‘Dubai Culture & Heritage’ project on Google Arts & Culture highlights the diversity of Dubai’s cultural offering, giving people around the world a platform to take a glimpse of Dubai’s hidden gems and unique natural habitats. The Project also sheds light on talented, emerging and pioneering Dubai-based creatives, chronicling their inspiring and artistic journeys.

“Thanks to the vision and guidance of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai now holds a distinguished position on the global creative map. We are proud that the city has truly become a global centre for arts, culture and creativity, a place where we empower and enable our home-grown talents, and welcome creatives from all over the world, offering them a home where they can thrive on a professional and personal level,” Sheikha Latifa said.

Highlighting the importance of technology for the sector, she said: “Today, we live in a world where adaptability and flexibility are key to progress, so it is crucial that the creative and cultural sector continue to think about how technology can shape its future, whether it is in the process of creation, enhancing people’s experience of arts and culture, or providing more access to it.”

She said that technology has helped empower local creative talents, attracted global artists and creative institutions and enabled a spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration.

She expressed Dubai Culture’s pride in launching the project, which came as a result of a distinguished cooperation with Google Arts and Culture, inviting members of the public to take part in the exciting journey that awaits them.

Lino Cattaruzzi, Google’s Managing Director in the Middle East & North Africa, said: “At Google, we’re very excited about the collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority to help share the beauty of Dubai’s culture and heritage with more people around the world. We believe this partnership is an important example of how technology can play a role in the long-term recovery of tourism in the region while amplifying the work of the cultural sector.”

Rich culture

Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture, said: “The launch of ‘Dubai’s Culture & Heritage’ project on the platform, will enable us to showcase the emirate’s rich culture, art and heritage to a wider global audience and celebrate its contemporary creations. We are proud to be the first government entity in the world to provide content in Arabic and English on Google Arts & Culture.”

Badri said that the Project is a result of the collective efforts members of the creative community. “Through our curatorial efforts and continuous collaborations with arts and culture professionals as well as the local creative community, we were able to share incredible stories and resources on the platform, which will contribute to making us largest content contributor in the MENA region,” Badri added.

Badri welcomed visitors to the platform, hoping that the stories of Dubai will inspire them to visit the emirate, discover its venues and experience the cultural aspects of the city.

Amit Sood, Director & Founder of Google Arts & Culture said: “I am excited about our collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority on the ‘Dubai’s Culture & Heritage’ project, which gives people an opportunity to explore Dubai’s culture and heritage in a new and interactive way. I particularly enjoyed learning about Dubai’s vibrant art-scene and traditional Emirati crafts like Al Khous and Talli that have been preserved for generations.”

‘Dubai’s Culture & Heritage’ is the latest project from the Middle East & North Africa region to be introduced on the platform. In the UAE, Google Arts & Culture had previously worked with UAE National Archive and the Barjeel Art Foundation.