Cultural authorities across the UAE agreed on the importance of developing an integrated system to support and nurture talent, especially in the cultural sector. In 2018, the UAE government approved the Talent Support Policy for the Cultural Sector, a national policy that aims to use best practices to support, develop and empower talented individuals in the cultural sector. The Policy has 5 Strategic Objectives and 23 Strategic Initiatives, as detailed below:
1. Discovering talent:
* Develop a definition for talent in the cultural sector (that covers all segments of society and all age groups, including children, youth, disabled, and others)
* Develop and implement a plan to discover talented and creative individuals in the culture sector
* Create a national database for talented and creative individuals in the UAE
2. Supporting talent:
* Ensure the provision of appropriate educational curricula for talents throughout all educational levels covering all cultural domains
* Conduct studies into the needs of talents in the cultural sector and develop a plan to provide them (i.e. employment benefits, etc.)
* Launch a digital platform that showcases services, programs and opportunities for talented and creative individuals
* Provide financial and logistical support for the development of talented individuals' projects
* Clarify the career paths available to talent in the cultural sector and provide guidance at all professional levels
* Provide opportunities in the UAE and abroad to showcase the cultural products and projects of talented individuals
* Spread awareness in the community and among institutions about the importance of supporting talent in the cultural sector
3. Training talent:
* Develop a plan to provide wide-ranging, sustainable, and quality training for cultural talents in the UAE and abroad
* Engage talents in cultural projects organized by UAE cultural entities
4. Motivation of talent:
* Present models of success in the cultural sector to motivate talents
* Encourage talents to take part in major international cultural conferences and festivals
* Provide cultural volunteering programs in the UAE and abroad
5. Attracting talent:
* Develop a plan to retain and attract the best global talents and creative individuals
* Provide spaces and labs equipped with modern equipment and technologies to enable innovations, experiments, and cultural projects
* Organize talent festivals and competitions and create talent awards and rewards
* Introduce a digital and non-digital markets for cultural products by talented individuals
* Strengthen the role of the private sector, foundations and non-profit organizations in supporting talent
* Provide scholarships and fellowship programs for talents to pursue their cultural studies and research projects in the UAE
* Provide a wholistic cultural ecosystem to facilitate talents' work
* Suggest mechanisms to provide sabbatical leave for talents
Since 2018, the Cultural Sector in the UAE has implemented the following initiatives (examples, and non-exhaustive):
* A definition of talent in the cultural sector has been developed
* An assessment of the education system and cultural education has begun
* International higher education scholarship programs are available to Emiratis willing to major in cultural programs
* An initial study of the needs of freelancers in the cultural sector has been conducted
* Financial support for small and medium enterprises in the cultural sector has been provided during the COVID-19 pandemic
* UAE based talent have been given opportunities to showcase their cultural products and talent abroad
* The Talent Visa system has come into effect, granting 10 year residency to talent and professionals in the cultural sector
* New interactive art spaces have been established
* The UAE hosted major conferences on culture
* An influx of digital migration has been experienced due to COVID-19, with cultural institutions and individuals offering their art and cultural products online
* Cultural Councils have been established for country-wide collective planning and decision making in the cultural sector, which also includes private sector and the non-profit sector in its membership
* Efforts to develop a country-wide cultural and creative industries strategies have begun with the aim to launch the strategy end of 2020 or early 2021
COVID-19 has changed the international narrative and the cultural sector in the UAE has had to reorder its priorities over the next few years. To ensure sustainability, continuity, and the creation of livelihoods in the cultural sector, support for the creatives will be prioritized in the next few years. A few initiatives are considered an absolute priority now, and they include:
* assessment of the IP system and its impact on the creative sector;
* policy and regulations support for freelancers and workers in the creative sector;
* ensuring a sustainable and diverse funding framework to support the creative sector.