In addition to the educational programs available through universities, colleges, and cultural institutions to train cultural professionals, there are many opportunities for the general public in the UAE to engage in arts courses and workshops and develop their skills and interests. Some of those programs are the following:
* Cultural and Creative Industries Training Program: The Ministry of Culture and Youth and the Abu Dhabi School of Government launched a one month program in October 2020 dedicated to the Culture and Creative industries in the areas of art and design, journalism and media, self-development, entrepreneurship, music, videogames, and computer science. Through the program, employees working in cultural and creative fields, university students and interested youth from different fabrics of society can register for training courses offered online by international universities such as Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, Yale University, University of Melbourne, Michigan State University, University of Chicago, University of Washington, and University of Pennsylvania, among others.
* Department of Education and Knowledge Programs: The Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK is responsible for developing the education system in Abu Dhabi, and promote a culture of creativity, sustainability and excellence, with a focus on developing human, social and economic capabilities. Below are examples of some of its after-school education programs aimed at nurturing artistic and creative skills:
o Mawhibaty: A talent development program for visual and performing arts launched in 2017 for students in Grades 1 - 12. It aims to identify talented students in visual and performing arts, and to improve and develop students' capabilities and artistic skills to enable them to represent the United Arab Emirate in local and international events. The program's objectives are to explore emerging talents in visual and performing arts; sponsor and support talented and gifted students in visual arts and performing arts; qualify specialized staff in the field of identifying art gifted students and support them; educate and spread awareness in the educational field and society.
o RIZE Enrichment Programs: RIZE is an after-school program designed to expose students to new 21st-century-relevant subjects such as AI, strengthen core existing ones such as Math and teach culturally significant subjects such as Arabic Language, as well as help with university preparation and applications, making students ready for the future. "RIZE Arts and Culture" includes 9 courses in languages and visual arts for students in grades 1-12.
o "Program your Idea": is an opportunity for students to apply their innovative thinking skills and to create a variety of applications including, but not limited to, educational games, science, cultural apps, mobile and web-based tools: all for learning purposes.
o INNOVATOR: is an annual event which showcases unique innovations from the UAE's community of ardent DIY innovators. It aims to develop human capital in Science, Technology and Innovation. The event provides a platform for local DIYers and Innovators of all qualifications aged 13+ (makers, designers, inventors, tinkerers, engineers, technology enthusiasts and artists) to network with other like- minded individuals.
o The Community Schools programme: Aims to transform schools across the Emirate into scientific, artistic, athletic, cultural and heritage hubs for students, parents and the wider community. The program is led by highly qualified teachers and supported by neighborhood volunteers. Students, including Students of Determination, parents, and members of the community can explore their interests and develop their potential in any of the activities including, cultural activities.
* Education programs at Louvre Abu Dhabi: Education is one of the key missions of Louvre Abu Dhabi and an important element in the museum's quest to create a cultural ecosystem. 2019 saw the launch of Louvre Abu Dhabi's 'Young Guides: Museum Voices' program, allowing children from different schools across the United Arab Emirates to learn how to present to and educate a museum-going audience about the artworks on display. In addition to the museum's work with schools, Louvre Abu Dhabi offers programs dedicated to university students, as well as special programs for children with its organization of monthly family weekends. Educational outreach and community engagement are part of Louvre Abu Dhabi's key missions.
* Makerspace: The space is brought by Salama bint Hamdan Foundation and is an open-access and do-it-yourself workshop/fabrication studio where creative entrepreneurs, artists, makers, teachers, and students come together to learn and work. The space provides access to a set of high-quality machines and tools - plus, all the training required to use the equipment and build new skills.
* Programs in tangible and intangible heritage and visual and performing arts: The Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi delivers programs in tangible and intangible heritage and visual and performing arts in cultural sites, and community and educational space. They are all supported by interpretation and educational materials that strive to create awareness among varied segments of society, notably youth and students. Educational activities and resources provide educators, families and parents with tools that raise an awareness of art and heritage and inspire creative individuals to be proud of their heritage and identity and celebrate cultural diversity.
* Children's Art Center: The Center is part of the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi and opened in 2019. It welcomes children ages 5 - 14 years and offers classes and courses in arts, crafts and music.
* Heritage Development Centers: The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in collaboration with the Dubai Educational Zone have established Heritage Development Centers at government schools across Dubai. These centers aim to develop a cultural and educational platform to promote the UAE's authentic heritage and portray the lives of the older generations in a tangible and relatable way. The Centers host expert-led seminars to train students and qualify them to enter the field of traditional handicrafts in its different environments, empowering them to help safeguard heritage by learning about the use of traditional crafts in a modern setting. Courses are tailored to meet the curriculum objectives, and in this way to seamlessly integrate in the coursework of students. Although the Centers were established for students, they welcome parents and teachers to participate in their courses.
* Connecting minds initiative for children: The program is delivered by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) within the framework of the role of Dubai Public Libraries to enhance cultural and intellectual awareness and develop the acquired skills for future generations, it has offered a range of activities for children, which varied between creative workshops and writings and free expression, cultural competitions, storytelling, electronic workshops for children and other activities aimed at developing children's personal and life skills such as analysis Thinking, listening, solving problems, creative visualization, building self-confidence and public speaking, as well as spreading the culture of reading and providing knowledge, which contributes to developing thought and utilizing time in developing their skills effectively.
* Jameel House Online: A program of online workshops offered by Art Jameel and inspired by the traditional arts. Intended for artists and enthusiasts of all levels, including children. The workshops combine traditional arts with contemporary materials typically found around the home. Jameel House Online is led by artists and craftspeople including alumni from the Jameel Houses of Traditional Arts in Jeddah and Cairo.
* Jaddaf Aloud Online: A virtual program delivered by Art Jameel designed to celebrate UAE homegrown creative talent and provide opportunities for audiences to engage and support through a series of activations. Jaddaf Aloud Online brings homegrown creative do-it-yourself projects, music, shopping, performance and food to audiences locally and globally. The program also features UAE-based artists designing and leading interactive projects for kids, teens and adults, using materials readily available at home. Sessions -- many led by practitioners who collaborate regularly with Jameel Arts Centre -- include crafts, art projects and mindfulness exercises.
* The Youth Assembly at Jameel Arts Center: The Assembly was conceived by Jameel Arts Center as an experimental program to foster creative leaders aged 18 to 24 and invite the collective design of projects responding to areas of interest for their generation. In two iterations, The Assembly has staged two exhibitions, termed Youth Takeovers, that showcase more than 40 young artists. What is most notable about this program is the breadth of collaborative thinking that the members are able to experience together - from defining the theme, writing curatorial statements, producing briefs for commissioning artists and speaking publicly about the program to audiences.
* Alserkal Cultural Foundation Workshops and Programs: A variety of workshops and programs are offered by Al Serkal Cultural Foundation in Dubai and they include heritage art workshops, storytelling workshops, ceramic tile workshops, sketching workshops, Art Management Program for teachers and students, and an Architecture Preservation Program (in collaboration with the local municipality). In addition, the Foundation works with partners, including schools and universities, to host various arts activities, workshops, installations and cultural experiences at different locations and for a diverse group of people including, adults, children, and people of determination (persons with disabilities).
* International Program for Writing: Is a program delivered by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) in Dubai. The program aims to encourage and empower young talented individuals who have demonstrated their potential for writing in various fields of knowledge including science, research, literature, fiction and poetry. The program includes My Story (Qesaty), which is a short story contest launched by the MBRF in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, to promote Arabic language and arts among primary and secondary school students, as well as faculty members and administrators. It aims to draw attention to the building of the folktale, the dissemination of cultural values among members of society, the preservation of oral cultural heritage, and the consolidation of popular heritage in the hearts of the people of the State.
* Educational programs: Delivered by the Cultural Office of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum the programs aim to discover and harness creative skills amongst children through creative workshops led by female Emirati artists, held in both private and public schools. These efforts aim to motivate children to pursue their passion for the arts and encourage their contribution to the local arts and culture scene. Other initiatives target orphans, incorporate art therapy to address emotional wellbeing through art, and include more targeted skill training with experienced and acclaimed artists such as illustrators and cartoonists.
* Poetry and Performance Workshops: The workshops are organized annually by the House of Poetry in Dubai with the participation of a group of specialists, to contribute to the preservation of language and poetry. It includes practical lectures in the science of performances, meta-poetry and the art of poetry recitation.
* Heritage Training Courses: The training courses are offered by Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage in Dubai. The training courses are in the fields of preservation, processing and restoration, and are offered in the UAE and abroad. Furthermore, the center makes available its restoration machines and necessary materials to organizations and institutions requiring them.
* Sharjah Short Plays Festival: The festival is organized by the Department of Culture in Sharjah and is a substantial platform for playwrights, artists, and writers from Arab countries. It is an opportunity to interconnect and exchange ideas, and benefit from the experiences of artists in the creative field. A yearly event, the festival also serves as a learning platform for theatre trainees through its courses and workshops, and under the supervision of a group of theatre professionals in the UAE and abroad, it also seeks to highlight new playwrights from the Arab region.
* Sharjah School Theater Festival: This festival is organized by the Department of Culture in Sharjah and celebrates young actors and writers, in primary and secondary schools in all cities and regions of Sharjah, and its activities include holding training workshops, lectures, and plays.
* Sharjah Scout Theatre Festival: The festival is organized by the Department of Culture in Sharjah and is the leading platform for arts and theatre for the Scouts Associations groups in the UAE. It aims to create an appreciation for drama and literature and identify young talent in theater. Scouts participate in workshops and lectures that combine practice in drama and scouts training.
* Workshops by the Department of Tourism and Archeology in Umm Al Quwain: In 2016 the Department of Tourism and Archeology in Umm Al Quwain began to put in place measures to promote the cultural heritage of the UAE and to create opportunities for bearers of Emirati culture to share and teach their practice. The Department offered many educational workshops. These efforts include partnerships with the UAE's Ministry of Education to support cultural education.
* Ajman Media City Media Laboratory: Ajman Media City, with its partner Ajman Vision Foundation, offer university students media training courses that include research and hands on experience to enhance and elevate the practical skills of media professionals in Ajman.
* UAE Board on Books for Young People: The UAE Board on Books for Young People, in line with its mission to develop children's books in the region, organizes regular workshops and events for writers, illustrators and publishers of children's books in collaboration with relevant institutions and concerned bodies. The UAEBBY also supports those who work to promote reading among children (e.g. librarians) by providing training opportunities, information and guidance. The workshops, run by local and international experts, cover a range of topics including writing and illustrating children's books, creating Manga and comics, tactile books, dyslexia, animation, silent books, among others.
* Al Jalila Cultural Center for Children Programs: The mission of Al Jalila Cultural Center is to create a cultural space dedicated to enriching children's lives through wide-ranging artistic and cultural programs. The Center offers individual and group courses and workshops for children in drawing, coloring, sculpture, pottery making, fashion design, hand printing, theater, music, library and photography. The Center also offers a specialized technical program in visual and performing arts for gifted children as well as a technical program for persons with disabilities. In 2019 the Centre started a membership program to train adults aged 20+ with no prior experience in the arts, providing a creative and professional environment for the development of their skills.
The UAE offers many programs for people to enjoy and experience the learning of culture and arts. The outcome of some programs is detailed below:
* Cultural and Creative Industries Training Program: Approximately 2,000 individuals registered to participate in the online courses offered through the cultural and creative industries training program.
* Makerspace: The space is managed by Salama bint Hamdan Foundation and offers 70+ classes per month. Specialized instructors ensure close guidance and interaction with members in several class types that include Safety and Basic Use (SBU), Software & Theory, Pathway Classes and Project Based Workshops. In addition to the content delivered in the makerspace there is a large community outreach commitment with courses provided externally. Furthermore, the Makerspace participated and organized several events and workshops which also recorded high rates of participation, some of them include the following:
o Abu Dhabi Science Festival: An annual event to Inspire young generations and encourage them to choose educational and professional paths in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) (Total Participants: 10,000).
o YAS Kids festival: A festival aimed at children to engage them in creative workshops (Total Participants: 500).
o Show and Tell events: Show and Tell at Workday is an event to showcase projects and ideas and explain them to visitors and other participants. (Total Participants: 500)
o Ceramic and pottery Workshops (Total Participants: 1,000).
o Basic Electronics Workshops (Total Participants: 1,200).
o 3D printing workshops (Total Participants: 5,000)
o Digital Fabrication Workshops (Total Participants: 2,500)
o Metalworking and Welding Workshops (Total Participants: 1,500)
o Basic Woodworking / Craftsmen's workshop (Total Participants: 5,000)
o STEAM Workshops (Total Participants: 1,000)
o Rapid Prototyping and consultations for start-ups (Total Participants: 500)
* Education programs at Louvre Abu Dhabi: In 2019, the museum welcomed more than 45,000 students, representing more than 130 school for all over the UAE.
* Dubai Public Libraries: Managed by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the libraries participated in many national events and activities and provided workshops and programs as follows:
o The eleventh Renaissance Cultural Heritage Festival: Offered 10 events, and had 637 participants. The events included various reading and artistic workshops and competitions and traditional games.
o Hatta Cultural Nights Carnival: Dubai Public Libraries, in cooperation with Music Box, offered 10 events, with 88 participants.
o "My Identity ... My Responsibility" event: 92 students participated.
o The Dubai Read Program had 126 events with 7,069 participants in the first half of 2020.
* Jameel House online: In 2019, Art Jameel produced 6 online resources, delivered successful children camps and workshops. It organized 47 trips welcoming 1,320 students. It provides ongoing customized online tours and talks focusing on the center's collection and artists, three times a week with schools (grade 6-12). Since the launch of the online tours in September 2020 full slots have been booked for schools until the end of the year; each online tour slot is planned to host between 10-30 students.
* The Youth Assembly at Jameel Arts Center: More than 110 nominations to the program by educators and youth leaders, 44 new commissioned artworks and interventions spanning the two years of the program. To date, the Assembly and the programs curated by the cohorts have engaged with more than 1,200 visitors.
* Workshops by the Department of Tourism and Archeology in Umm Al Quwain: 38 workshops were held between 2016 and 2020, for students aged 5 to 12 years old participated in the workshops.
* Educational programs: Between 2016 and 2019, the Culture Office of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has hosted more than 35 workshops, the majority led by female Emirati artists, with over 200 participants.
Moreover, many of the organizations offering cultural workshops and training have collaborated with each other to ensure optimal reach and benefit from their programs. Some of these examples have been highlighted above, and more are highlighted here:
* Al Serkal Cultural Foundation Workshops and Programs: In 2017, Al Serkal Cultural Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) to support youth entrepreneurship opportunities in arts and design. As part of the collaboration, joint events and campaigns have been held to attract entrepreneurial talent from the country's creative fields.
* Support from school administrations: Many schools have actively participated in the programs designed for students and many school authorities have facilitated and supported these programs namely the Ministry of Education, Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi, and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, amongst others.
* Heritage Development Centers: The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Zayed University signed an agreement in 2018 to open a Heritage Development Center in the university. This decision was reached due to the high potential and interest from university level students to learn and grow heritage related skills.
Furthermore, some initiatives and programs have won awards in recognition of their contribution to cultural education and service to the UAE community, and below some of these accomplishments are highlighted:
* Heritage Development Centers: The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) won the Hamdan Award for Excellence in Education in the category of institutions supporting education. The Dubai Heritage Development Centers provided a successful example of community service through the education of cultural and heritage and making it an attractive practice to students of all age groups.
Additionally, some efforts by cultural authorities aim at identifying talent in culture and arts to be able to provide the support necessary to nurture these talents, and some of these notable initiatives are as follows:
* Programs in tangible and intangible heritage and visual and performing arts: In addition to the arts classes offered across cultural sites in Abu Dhabi, over the last four years the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi and the Government of Abu Dhabi has been growing a network of students talented in the fields of performing and/or visual arts. To date, over 500 students have been identified and have been mentored through weekly classes that support their areas of interest. Students come from all areas of Abu Dhabi, including remote areas.
* Program for Gifted Children: In addition to the numerous arts courses and workshops offered for children, the Al Jalila Cultural Center has a gifted program that intensively refines the skills and techniques of talented children. In recognition of its work, the Center won the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Award for Motherhood and Childhood for the best program for the gifted. Further, its Children of Music team won the Best Choir in the Middle East in 2018.