The new strategy seeks to more than double the number of creative companies based in Dubai from 8,300 to 15,000 within the next five years, and more than double the number of creators based in the emirate, from 70,000 to 140,000.
Dubai has launched a new strategic programme to double the number of creative companies specialising in content, design and culture.
The concept of a creative economy covers broad and varied fields including publishing, writing, audio-visual and print, media such as cinema, music and video, as well as artistic and cultural industries, cultural heritage museums, historical sites, archives, major cultural events, libraries, and the software and videogame industry. It also includes design in all of its many variations, whether related to fashion, gaming, software, or architecture – those industries where creative minds can produce new and exciting concepts.
Announcing this on his Twitter page, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said: “Dubai is the capital of the creative economy in the region and the world … a new strategic programme that we launched today to double the number of creative companies specialising in content, design and culture from 8,000 to 15,000 within the next five years as well as the number of creative people from 70,000 in Dubai currently to 150,000.
“We have creative complexes in design, content, culture, arts, etc…We will launch others. We have set a goal to raise the contribution of this sector within our gross domestic product from 2.6% to 5%. The UAE is a global economic capital and creativity is part of our economy, our quality of life and a major driver for the future of our country.”
To achieve its goals, the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy includes upgrading the legal and investment environment needed to spur the growth and prosperity of the creative industries in Dubai.
The strategy will contribute to transforming Dubai into a global capital for the creative economy, a direct translation of the vision of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and an implementation of Dubai Plan 2021 which aspires to elevate Dubai’s leading role as a global hub in a variety of economic, financial, and business sectors.
The Dubai Creative Economy Strategy is being implemented under the patronage of Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), and supervised by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority in cooperation with several strategic partners, notably, the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Dubai Economy, and Wasl Asset Management Group, with the aim of achieving galvanising new levels of productivity from Dubai’s creative economy.
Dubai began the process of the creative economy decades ago with the establishment of expansive and sophisticated creative complexes in various sectors such as Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Studio City and Dubai Design District, which saw the creative economy contribute 2.6% to Dubai’s GDP by the end of 2020.
Globally, the creative economy is witnessing an unprecedented boom. Global revenues have reached a total of US$2.25tn – representing 10% of global GDP in addition to creating 30m jobs. There is the enormous potential of this sector for the years ahead, and it’s at the epicentre of Dubai’s plans for building a resilient, agile and sustainable economy.
