Environment
Dubai Culture Wraps Up ‘Emirati Creatives in Venice Program’ with Artistic Tour for Local Talent
Dubai Culture has successfully concluded the ‘Emirati Creatives in Venice Program,’ an initiative designed to amplify Emirati artistry on a global scale, fostering engagement with prominent international art practices at the 60th Venice Biennale. This year’s Biennale, under the theme ‘Foreigners Everywhere,’ offered Emirati artists a platform for cultural exchange and artistic exploration.
Supported by the Sikka Platform, the program brought ten Emirati artists — Anood Al Khoori, Duha Al Hallami, Elham Karimi, Fatima Abdulrahman, Fatma Al Mheiri, Hend Al Murid, Maryam AlHemeiri, Mezna Suwaidan, Nawal Ahmad, and Sara Al Khayyal — to Venice. The artists explored the UAE National Pavilion featuring Abdulla Al Saadi’s exhibit, Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia, which reflects the UAE’s heritage through his extensive travels. The program included visits to Venice’s iconic landmarks, workshops in Venetian crafts, and meetings with art and design experts like Fabrizio Plessi, fostering insights into contemporary art’s intersection with heritage and environment.
Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, attended the Biennale to support Emirati artists and explore the UAE Pavilion, highlighting Dubai’s growing art scene. Badri also visited international pavilions, collaborating with Italian cultural institutions to further cultural exchange and showcase Dubai’s vibrant artistic movement.
This initiative reinforces Dubai Culture’s commitment to nurturing local talent, empowering artists to enrich the emirate’s cultural landscape on a global platform.