In the renaissance era it was Paris. In the post-Elvis Presley, pre-Michael Jackson age, it was Los Angeles. If it’s country music, it’s Nashville. London has an artistic edge. For fashion, it’s Milan or Tokyo. If it’s postmodern, uber-funky, perhaps Berlin is the canvas, or even Auckland.
In the 21st century, it may well be Dubai; for all of the above, and then some.
Dubai is setting itself up to be a magnet for creative talent, and, not to drop the word lightly, geniuses, who will give the city’s array of experiences a cultural flair like no other destination in the world.
A couple of years ago, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched a visa to position Dubai as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.
This is the world’s first long-term cultural visa.
The visa is granted to creative individuals in the fields of literature and culture; arts; heritage, history, and cognitive studies; and creative industries.
People specialising in art and design, heritage, culture, or performing arts are eligible for the visa.
Dubai’s cultural visa: Who and how
Dubai Culture (Dubai Culture and Arts Authority) in coordination with GDRFA-Dubai (the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) will issue the 10-year cultural visa to accomplished creative talents from the fields of literature, culture, fine arts, performing arts, heritage, history and knowledge-related sectors.
The visa is available to those presently living in the UAE.
The applicant’s profile must include a distinct artistic production in a creative field that is personal in nature and has had a positive impact on the community.
The applicant’s artistic experience should be no less than five years, with public events and showcases, a key element.
For artists, a spot in a gallery or a sale at a top auction can be a qualifying factor. For musicians, repeated billings at major events can help qualify. Then there are exhibitions, ceremonies, and museums, among others that must be on the application.
Academic contributions that have impacted younger generations are among key factors.
Artistic productions or services, including achievements, contributions and participations will help an artist’s visa application.
Documents must include a detailed overview of involvement in community programmes that involve creative and cultural work, with a word on the endeavour enhancing the served organisation’s respective goals and agendas.
A list of community contributions (including voluntary work), number of volunteered hours, and the impact on the community, will round of this section of the visa plea strongly.
Applicants are also to provide sources of income, detailing legitimate income generation and a one-year bank statement.
Currently, proof of a minimum annual income of Dh120,000 (Dh10,000 per month) is required.
In March 2021, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority announced that it will grant cultural visas to 1,000 creators and artists from across the world.
Since the announcement of the Cultural Visa, Dubai Culture has received 261 cultural visa applications from individuals hailing from 46 nations
What’s in it for the creators/artists?
The long-term cultural visa is granted for 10 years to accomplished creative talent in the fields of literature, culture, fine arts, performing arts, and design, as well as those in the heritage, history and knowledge-related sectors, apart from the intellectual and creative industries.
Dubai has 2,300 licensed cultural events held every year. Creative facilities across the emirate have birthed a vibrant creative community, all combining to create a dynamic ecosystem that enables entrepreneurs, artists and professionals to build new connections, share knowledge and ideas, and showcase their work.
Dubai Culture Strategy
This visa seeks to maximise participation of creators, writers and artists in the emirate’s knowledge-based fields, giving Dubai a new depth and dimension in the cultural and creative sectors.
This objective is aligned with the UAE’s strategy to create a harmonious and sustainable society that attracts outstanding Arab and international talent.
Since the announcement, Dubai Culture has received 261 cultural visa applications from expats from 46 countries. A total of 120 applicants met the required criteria. A majority of these applicants have been issued visas while the remaining are under process.
Establishing Dubai as a hub for outstanding Arab and international creative talent is part of Sheikh Mohammed’s endeavour to develop a cultural economy and the creative industries; attract, retain and empower talent; and give them opportunities to prosper and participate in the UAE’s development. It is also aligned with the goals and pillars of the 2020-2025 Dubai Culture Strategy.
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