Dubai has Emerged As a New Destination For Creatives Across The Globe

In order for creatives to achieve market success, they need to find the right ecosystem that can support their artistic pursuits and help them transform their ideas into profitable businesses. This is why many artists, designers, and performers are now looking for new destinations that can provide them with a supportive environment and endless opportunities.

Dubai is fast becoming a hub for creatives from all over the world who are looking to explore new opportunities and turn their dreams into reality. The city has made it a priority to create an environment that is conducive to innovation and growth, with minimal red tape and a host of resources that can help creatives succeed.

Dubai’s government has created a welcoming environment for creatives by offering tax incentives, subsidies, and other benefits that make it easier for them to start and grow their businesses. Additionally, the city’s strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and dynamic cultural scene provide a fertile ground for creative inspiration and collaboration.

To aid the growth of creatives in Dubai, the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy has been established to provide a range of support services, incentives, and business and legislative enablers. The strategy aims to assist creatives at every stage of the creative value chain, from ideation to production, and from marketing to distribution.

One of the primary components of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy is the Al Quoz Creative Zone. This integrated creative community has been developed by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority in collaboration with various government entities. The Al Quoz Creative Zone seeks to transform the existing creative cluster in the Al Quoz area into a comprehensive industry ecosystem.

These initiatives have been launched to achieve the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy’s goal of doubling the number of Dubai-based creative companies from 8,300 in 2020 to 15,000 by 2026. The strategy also aims to create more creative jobs in the emirate, with the goal of increasing employment from 70,000 to 140,000 by 2026. Ultimately, the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy seeks to raise the contribution of creative industries to Dubai’s GDP from 2.6% in 2020 to 5% by 2026, positioning Dubai as the capital of the global creative economy.

Accelerated business set-up

One of the main initiatives that facilitate the establishment and operation of creative ventures in Dubai is the ‘Creatives’ Journey’ program. This program is designed to simplify and expedite the process of setting up a creative business in the emirate. It has been developed jointly by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and the Department of Economy and Tourism as part of the ‘Invest in Dubai’ platform.

Through the ‘Creatives’ Journey’, creative individuals can launch their businesses in just a matter of minutes. The platform allows creatives to choose their activity, define the legal form, pay for their license, and obtain the establishment certificate issued by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, all through a hassle-free online process. The program has been successful, with an 82% increase in creative licenses issued in Al Quoz and a 76% increase across Dubai as a full as of 2022.

By providing this user-friendly platform, the ‘Creatives’ Journey’ is removing barriers that can often discourage or delay creatives from launching their businesses. The platform’s ease of use and accessibility have made Dubai an attractive destination for creatives looking to establish their enterprises in a supportive ecosystem.

The ‘Creatives’ Journey’ platform accommodates six primary sectors that are integral to the creative economy, including cultural and natural heritage, books and press, performing arts and celebration, audiovisual and interactive media, visual arts and crafts, and design and creative services. Additionally, the platform covers other fields that branch out from these sectors, such as publishing, cinema, film and video, music, art, cultural heritage museums, historical sites, archives, cultural events, libraries, and related sub-sectors.

The platform provides four types of licenses to promote the installation of innovative companies. The trader license permits freelancers of all nationalities to function from home. The Intelaq license is for independent professionals who are UAE or GCC citizens. The instant license is available to owners of start-ups of all nationalities, and the SME start-up license is for Emirati and GCC citizens, providing them with a fee exemption for five years.

Cost-effective Solutions

Dubai Culture has introduced several other initiatives to support and foster creative entrepreneurship in addition to the ‘Creatives’ Journey’ platform. One such initiative includes facilitating the modification of land utilization from industrial to innovative and expediting the process of getting permissions and licenses.

Moreover, Dubai Culture has also partnered with various public and private sector entities to offer a range of services. For instance, through a partnership with the Commercial Bank of Dubai, the platform provides smart banking solutions that cater to the financing needs of creative entrepreneurs. Another partnership with Letswork offers affordable and practical workplace solutions for creative professionals.

In addition, the Al Quoz Creative Zone has been added to the Dubai Land Department’s Rental Index. This allows companies and experts to compute rent boosts and average rent in the real estate market by joining the data of the area.

Long-term Cultural Visas

Dubai Culture has taken further steps to facilitate the long-term establishment of creative entrepreneurs and professionals in the emirate by offering a range of immigration services. In a world-first initiative, Dubai Culture is offering multi-year cultural visas to place the city as a creative incubator and a junction for talent.

The introduction of a 10-year visa is part of the broader objective of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy to increase the participation of creators, writers, and artists in the emirate’s knowledge-based industries, and elevate the role of Dubai’s cultural and creative sectors in its development. The cultural visa scheme is in line with the UAE’s plan to attract exceptional Arab and international talent to the nation to make the vital mass required for exponential industry blossoming.

Use new synergy

Dubai Culture is fostering collaboration between innovative businessmen and service providers in complementary industries that are essential to the development of the creative economy. The Al Quoz Creative Zone’s infrastructure allows creative businesses to easily adapt or expand their facilities to meet the changing needs of their ventures, providing a level of flexibility that is uncommon in other commercial zones. In addition, the Zone offers convenient access to the necessary raw materials and skilled labor required to operate an efficient creative production line.

To encourage entrepreneurship in the cultural and creative sectors, the Authority is partnering with free zones in Dubai to provide business-support services. Dubai Culture has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dubai CommerCity to offer a range of services for businesses in various creative fields, comprising music, fine arts, photography, film and video production, video game action, fashion design, graphic design, product design, interior and landscape design, architectural services, advertising services, and IT and software services.

Dubai Art Season

The Dubai Art Season is a two-month schedule of artistic and inventive events that bring together stakeholders from the creative economy sector in the region and beyond. The event takes place in February and March and features a diverse range of activities, such as the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Sikka Art and Design Festival, Art Dubai, Dubai Opera performances, and ‘DIFC Art Nights’.

Dubai’s reputation as an entrepreneurial center for enterprising innovative startups and profitable business ventures is set to rise, as indicated by recent rankings. Dubai Culture will continue to introduce fresh initiatives to pave the way for a new generation of innovative business people, innovators, and talented individuals to flourish and prosper in the emirate.

Also Read: Dubai Presents Exciting Experiences and Events as a Part of ‘Ramadan in Dubai’ Campaign