Giving art education a boost in the UAE

Great art does not just happen; it is the result of talent, hard work, and a push in the right direction at the right time. In an effort to provide this push, the Cultural Office of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has signed an MOU with the British multinational auction house and art centre, Sotheby’s Art Services Limited, known more popularly as Sotheby’s Dubai.

The latter is, of course, part of the world-renowned auctioneers Sotheby’s Group, which dates back to 1744 in London. The agreement is for the Cultural Office and Sotheby’s to provide support for art education in the UAE; this support can vary depending on the project or initiative, and it will include lectures, art forums, and educational workshops.

Mona Bin Kalli, Director of the Cultural Office, explained, “This initiative is a continuation of the many initiatives and projects in art education that the Cultural Office has undertaken.”

“It is in keeping with our objective to provide support to aspiring artists of various age groups as per the commitment of Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, President of the Dubai Women Establishment and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.”

Among the first initiatives to have taken place are two art workshops held at Sotheby’s headquarters in Dubai as part of the extended Sheikha Manal Little Artists Programme, which was launched during Art Dubai in 2013. The workshops were aimed at children between the ages of 5 and 10 and led by the Emirati artist Alia Lootah. The involvement of artists in the programme gives children a better experience, which in turn helps advance their chosen artistic careers.

“Since its inception in 2013, The Cultural Office of Her Highness has aimed to develop and activate substantial art movements that fortify the UAE’s standing as a global hub for culture and creativity,” Bin Kalli continued. “We believe that the cultivation and training of emerging talent is essential to ensuring sustained excellence in arts, and hence we select our programmes and initiatives very carefully.”

LOOKING AHEAD

The collaboration with Sotheby’s Dubai serves a dual purpose: first, it feeds the creation of a national artistic cultural movement, and second, it allows for the exchange of knowledge, an important element when it comes to education.

Katia Nounou, Director at Sotheby’s Dubai, commented, “We have been quite keen and excited to hold a variety of events in our gallery space.”

“This collaboration will not only allow us to continue to expand our footprint in Dubai’s vibrant evolving art scene, it also gives us the opportunity to extend the scope of what we offer, with special educational initiatives ranging from children’s art workshops to jewellery masterclasses.”

Sotheby’s Dubai has the advantage of having access to a panel of specialists who will travel to the emirate and lead events on various topics. They recently held a session titled “Understanding the Art of Jewellery”, by Sotheby’s International Jewellery division’s David Bennett (Worldwide Chairman) and Daniela Mascetti (Senior International Specialist). The session was part of the Ramadan Majlis organised by The Cultural Office.

“Our Ramadan Cultural Majlis [aimed] to bring together prominent figures and thought leaders to initiate a dialogue on various forms and aspects of art,” said Bin Kalli. “This educational event was just the first in a series of sessions which will be followed in the future by short courses focusing on similar themes.”

With this year’s announcement by the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre that it is “heavily focused on promoting art and design”, there are exciting times ahead for art aficionados in the UAE.

Read more:https://www.mysalaam.com/en/story/giving-art-education-a-boost-in-the-uae/SALAAM20092017050029