Dubai Culture’s Director-General, Ms. Hala Badri has stated that the creative economy (also known as the “orange economy”) is a major priority for the region.
She made this statement based on the country’s first-of-its-kind statistical study that showcases the reality of a creative economy in Dubai conducted by the Dubai Culture in cooperation with Dubai Statistics Centre.
Dubai Culture has a clear goal to support the creative economy and establish an integrated system with incentives and funding programs through its private and public sector partners.
“The emirate has made the creative economy a priority – not only during the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic but also in the decades to come – as it seeks to become a global center for creative industry investment”, study shows.
Hala Badri Director General Dubai Culture
“In light of the increasing importance of the cultural and creative industries, supporting the creative economy was one of the main sectoral priorities of the authority’s strategic roadmap. In line with our commitment to our active role in achieving the objectives of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, last April, we developed programs and initiatives of strategic importance. These form the essential pillars for the growth of the cultural and creative industries in the emirate and enhance its position to be a regional and international center for the creative economy within an integrated system that contributes to achieving Dubai’s comprehensive economic development. These efforts also come as part of our agenda to support the global efforts towards the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021 declared by the United Nations to promote sustainable and inclusive growth as well as highlight the role of creativity in the economy.”
The contribution of the cultural and creative industries to the emirate’s GDP rose from 2.6 percent in 2018 to 2.7 percent in 2019, indicating a strong and healthy sector performance. These initiatives are also totally compatible with the economy’s diversification efforts and sources of income to create new and promising economic sectors.
According to the study, “Dubai’s strategy has succeeded in attracting creative capital, skills, and entrepreneurs, whereby the number of profitable institutions operating in the creative and cultural industries increased from 8,352 institutions in 2018 to 9,772 companies in 2019, which in turn contributed to providing additional job opportunities in this sector, increasing from 69,341 employees in 2018 to 75,998 employees in 2019, representing a growth of 9.6 percent. In turn, the number of very small-, small-, and medium-sized institutions operating in the creative industries reached 9,749 in 2019, representing 99 percent of the total number of companies operating in this sector.”
The Dubai Creative Economy Strategy, as well as the development of Al Quoz Creative Zone as a pilot strategic project and the roll-out of other integrated creative zones across the emirate in the coming years, will have a great impact on the sector’s health and attract more creative companies, entrepreneurs, and capital in the field.
