Dubai, UAE -  Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in partnership with Art Jameel, an organisation that supports artists and creative communities, announce the ten recipients of the Research and Practice Platform grants programme. These individuals were selected as a result of an Open Call for applications in October 2023, attracting a diverse pool of multi-disciplinary creatives – filmmakers, writers, curators, painters, designers, performance artists and more – from across the UAE. In its second edition, the Research and Practice Platform aims to support art projects that actively engage with the climate emergency in intent, theme, practice and process, with a focus on providing opportunities for UAE-based artists and practitioners. This year’s edition offers micro-grants ranging from AED 3,600 ($1,000) up to AED 22,000 ($6,000) to individual artists and collectives. The Research and Practice Platform is launched in collaboration with Al Quoz Creative Zone and is in line with the Authority’s support for the Year of Sustainability under the theme ‘Today for Tomorrow’.

The recipients are: Fatema Al Fardan; Zara Mahmood; Pauline Doctolero; Akari Yasuda; Zahra Jewanjee; Abubaker Eltom; Marvarid Qasem; Mayssa Kanaan; Kathryn Legaspi; and Datecrete Studio. The proposed projects range from pottery and filmmaking to botany, painting, research, community programmes and public art installations. Recurring themes include water scarcity, pollution, the history of botany, erosion and deposition, oral history and much more.

Khulood Khoory, Director of Projects & Events at Dubai Culture, affirmed the Authority’s commitment to developing skills and encouraging certain practices to ultimately achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, saying: “Through its diverse projects and initiatives, Dubai Culture seeks to provide creatives and entrepreneurs with all the tools that enable them to present innovative ideas and adopt advanced solutions in cultural and artistic fields, and the Art Jameel Research and Practice Platform grants provide them a means to address the climate crisis.”

Nora Razian, Art Jameel Deputy Director and Head of Exhibitions and Programmes, said: “This is the second edition of the Research and Practice Platform, supported by Dubai Culture, and marks a joint interest in and commitment to activating the role of the arts in raising awareness and engaging the broader public in sustainability. The Open Call launched last year, in line with the UAE Year of Sustainability and the lead-up to COP28 in Dubai. We see the influence of these milestone events reflected in the breadth of innovative ideas we received from young, UAE-based creatives, who are deeply engaged with local ecological concerns. We look forward to seeing these ambitious projects come to life over the next year.”

This programme builds on the success of the 2020 Research and Practice Platform, which was developed and managed by Art Jameel, with support from Dubai Culture, and responded to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the cultural sector. The second edition continues the joint commitment to supporting and nurturing the artistic and cultural landscape of the UAE.

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Press Contacts
Ruba Al-Sweel
ruba@artjameel.org

About Art Jameel

Art Jameel supports artists and creative communities. Founded and supported by the Jameel family philanthropies, the independent organisation is headquartered in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and works globally. Art Jameel’s programmes – across exhibitions, commissions, research, learning and community-building – are grounded in a dynamic understanding of the arts as fundamental to life and accessible to all. 

Art Jameel’s two institutions – Jameel Arts Centre, an innovative institution for contemporary art and ideas in Dubai, UAE, and Hayy Jameel, a dedicated complex for the arts and creativity in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – are complemented by digital initiatives plus collaborations with major institutional partners and a network of practitioners across the world.

About Jameel Arts Centre

One of the first contemporary arts institutions in Dubai, Jameel Arts Centre presents curated solo and group exhibitions, drawn both from the Art Jameel Collection and through regional and international collaborations.

The Centre is a 10,000-square metre, three-storey, multi-disciplinary space designed by UK-based practice Serie Architects. The building is punctuated by seven gardens, designed by landscape architect Anouk Vogel, which reflect local and global desert biomes. Sitting alongside is the Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park, designed by waiwai, and a collaboration between Art Jameel and Dubai Holding.

Located by the creek in Dubai's Jaddaf Waterfront neighbourhood, the Jemeel’s galleries are complemented by the Jameel Library, an open-access research centre dedicated to artists and cultural movements in the Gulf states and beyond. The Jameel also includes project and commissions spaces, a writer's studio, an artisan seasonal dining concept ‘Teible’ and the Art Jameel Shop.

The Centre serves as a hub for educational and research initiatives for diverse audiences. Its wider programming embraces partnerships with local, regional and international artists, curators and organisations.

About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is committed to enriching Dubai’s cultural scene based on the UAE’s heritage, and is building bridges of constructive dialogue between various cultures to enhance Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

Dubai Culture is keen on reviving and preserving the emirate's historical heritage and developing the regulatory frameworks for the cultural and creative sector in line with its strategic roadmap 2020 – 2025.

The Authority also seeks to empower the enablers that support talent and stimulate active participation from society members by investing in the various cultural and heritage assets under its remit, including the management of six heritage sites, five museums, Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children and eight Dubai Public Library branches, all of which help contribute to creating an economic system that stimulates the cultural and creative industries.

For more information, please visit the Authority's website www.dubaiculture.gov.ae

About Al Quoz Creative Zone

Al Quoz Creative Zone, launched in 2021, is a pioneering destination and a unique landmark within the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. It is also a major cultural and creative hub in Dubai that aims to provide an optimal integrated environment for creative talent to live, work, produce and promote their businesses to a wide segment of the public.

The Al Quoz Creative Zone is distinguished by its unique industrial and artistic character, offering creatives within Al Quoz the opportunity to live, work, and produce in a flexible cultural environment. This setting is designed to broaden their horizons and ignite their spirit of innovation. Dubai Culture has worked diligently to enhance the value of the zone and its role in bolstering the strength of the cultural and creative industries (CCI). This has been achieved through a series of strategic partnerships with various institutions and key players across different sectors.

These collaborations develop a diverse range of services, such as facilitating the licensing of creative professionals’ business practices through the digital ‘Invest in Dubai’ platform, laying on specialised workspaces via ‘Letswork,’ and designing tailored financial solutions for creative entrepreneurs through the Commercial Bank of Dubai. The zone also features various community services and a long-term cultural visa, which grants talented and distinguished individuals a 10-year residency.