How Dubai is building an art collection without buying any art
In recent years, Dubai has established a vibrant and unique local arts scene due to their position between Africa, Asia and Europe.
These global cultural influences have seen a boom in the local artists showcasing their works in private galleries all through the capital of the UAE.
Due to this increase of the art scene, the Dubai government is building its first institutional art collection from scratch with a very unique twist.
Instead of purchasing art for the collections, Dubai will be borrowing pieces to showcase.
The initiative was developed by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and Art Dubai and will boast a unique digital museum that can be enjoyed by all, as well as annual physical exhibitions of carefully curated works.
National art collections and museums were made popular during the 19th century in Europe and are typically built over a long period of time, but Dubai’s initiative aims to fast-track the process.
The idea behind the initiative is to promote a collective culture and create a canon of art history that has not been available in the Middle East.
A spokesperson for Art Dubai said this idea is the first of its kind, and is happy to rely on government funding to boost the arts industry.
“Contributors are invited to lend their works to the Dubai Collection for a period of 10 years, while remaining legal owners of their pieces."
So far, 87 works have been commissioned during the first curation process: most of them by Emirati artists or artists from the wider Arabic world.
Part of the Dubai Collection initiative is a digital museum, which will allow more people to see the art, and will include educational materials.
This easily accessible digital museum will encourage art lovers to engage with a collection of international pieces, with the aim of highlighting emerging artists and their important stories.
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