In line with the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to position Dubai as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent, H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), has unveiled a report titled ‘Creative Dubai: Navigating Tomorrow’s Creative Landscape’.
This initiative is part of Dubai Culture’s efforts to advance the objectives of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy. The report, developed in collaboration with DinarStandard, a privately-owned growth strategy research and advisory firm empowering organisations for responsible global impact, highlights Dubai’s achievements in the cultural and creative industries, the key factors contributing to the city’s cultural vision, and significant data tracking the sector’s transformation. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of the creative sector’s performance and its diverse investment opportunities.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed emphasised the strategic significance of the report, highlighting its comprehensive overview of the creative economy in the UAE, the Arab region, and worldwide, as well as its role in shaping the future of the local creative sector. “Dubai continues to advance its creative and cultural industries by embracing innovative solutions, developing advanced digital infrastructure, and fostering an environment that empowers and supports the cultural and creative sector. This involves developing an integrated ecosystem that supports the entire cultural and creative cycle, encompassing creation, production, dissemination, exhibition, reception, transmission, and culminating in consumption or participation. By offering the necessary resources and facilities for creative businesses, we encourage talent to establish their ventures here. This approach has strengthened Dubai’s global profile and leadership, transforming it into a thriving cultural hub, strongly aligned with our creative economy strategy.”
According to the Dubai Framework for Cultural Statistics, and data issued by the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, Dubai’s cultural and creative industries generated AED21.96 billion in added value in 2022, contributing 4.6 per cent to the emirate’s GDP. The report reveals that 47,544 companies operate in Dubai’s creative sectors, providing jobs for 175,727 employees. In addition, Dubai attracted 898 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in the cultural and creative industries in 2023, increasing total capital inflows for FDI projects to AED11.8 billion. Additionally, the report reveals that Dubai is home to more than 40 per cent of start-ups in the sector that have secured over USD 1 million worth of funding in the MENA region, with 306 based in the emirate.
The report also outlines the trends that will shape the sector in Dubai over the coming years. The emirate seeks to enhance its position as a global innovation hub by adopting cutting-edge solutions, supporting artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and blockchain technologies, balancing technological advancement with sustainable innovation while preserving cultural identity, attracting talent and fostering their engagement with the community.
The report provides a comprehensive set of recommendations to foster the growth of Dubai’s creative sector. It highlights key opportunity hotspots for investors, showcasing the most dynamic and rapidly expanding cultural and creative domains. The report also identifies relevant innovations, opportunity areas, and investment themes that leverage the UAE’s membership in BRICS to broaden the scope of creative collaborations and expand market potential.
