The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced an exciting agenda for the upcoming “Days of the Makers” event, set to launch on the 19th of this month at the Concrete district in Alserkal Avenue, located within the creative zone of Al Quoz. This year’s event will feature 13 workshops, discussions, and sessions aimed at enhancing the creative manufacturing ecosystem in Dubai. The initiative also seeks to provide a platform for makers, talent, and entrepreneurs, allowing them to develop their capabilities, enrich their expertise, and expand their professional networks while exploring local production opportunities and sustainable practices within the cultural and creative industries. This aligns seamlessly with the authority’s mission to establish Dubai as a global hub for the creative economy.
Event Overview and Objectives
Spanning two days, the event aims to gather over 150 participants, including artists, designers, creative entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprise owners, as well as artisans and craftsmen. The gathering will also welcome product designers, furniture and fashion creators, jewellery designers, industrial and architectural designers, alongside students, recent graduates, and emerging talents in the cultural and creative sectors.
Engaging Speakers and Industry Leaders
The workshops and sessions will feature numerous speakers from the cultural and creative industries. Notable among them are Mansi Pavishi, programme coordinator for “Make Works – UAE”, entrepreneur Siddharth Peters, co-founder of “Love That Design”, Emirati artist Rashid Al Mula, art curator Ahmed Makari from “The Workshop Dubai”, Emirati artist Fai Al Kaabi, Kamel Al Zuabi, head of ceramics at the Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, and curator Isra Ozkan, among others. Their involvement is set to foster communication between participants and manufacturers, enabling the exchange of expertise and acquisition of skills crucial for developing their products.
Interactive Sessions and Local Production Insights
Throughout the event, participants can look forward to a series of panel discussions, roundtables, and workshops that will delve into the latest trends in creative manufacturing. The event will also explore the capabilities of the local manufacturing sector and identify collaboration opportunities with manufacturers and suppliers within the country.
Showcasing “Made in the UAE” Initiatives
The event will feature a special “Made in the UAE” corner designed to highlight the opportunities provided by the national industries ecosystem. Moreover, the initiative “Connecting Makers” will be launched to bridge the gap between talents, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers through a series of specialised mentoring sessions. There will also be guided tours to various local facilities within the creative zone of Al Quoz, including a furniture factory, a multi-purpose production centre, a printing house, and a design studio. These visits aim to showcase the practices, projects, and innovations driving Dubai’s creative manufacturing sector, emphasising the significance of the region and its quality projects that bolster the cultural and creative industries.
Statements from Dubai Culture’s Leadership
Speaking about the event, Khulood Khouri, Director of the Design Department at Dubai Culture, stated, “The ‘Days of the Makers’ event embodies our commitment to building bridges of collaboration between designers, artists, and manufacturers, opening new horizons for owners of small and medium enterprises to support their product development and enhance their market presence.”
Khouri emphasised that the event provides entrepreneurs and manufacturers with prime opportunities to forge effective partnerships, benefiting from the offerings Dubai has in terms of facilities and an investment-friendly environment that enables them to transform their ideas into successful projects capable of growth and competition. She reiterated Dubai Culture’s unwavering commitment to developing quality initiatives that meet the aspirations of the creative community, fostering a culture of local production, and supporting the cultural and creative industries ecosystem while cementing the emirate’s position as a sanctuary for creativity and an innovation hub.