Dubai unveils programme to help creative talents set up businesses quickly

Creatives Journey initiative will provide the legislative, investment and technical environment necessary for the sector to grow

Four types of licences are being offered as part of the Creatives Journey initiative. Photo: D3

Dubai unveiled a new programme on Monday that will help creative talents establish businesses within minutes and ensure the development and prosperity of emirate's creative sector.

The Creatives Journey initiative, launched by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and the Department of Economy and Tourism, aims to provide the legislative, investment and technical environment necessary for the growth of the sector, as well as to raise the emirate’s global profile to attract talent, investors and entrepreneurs in the creative field.

The initiative is part of Invest in Dubai, the digital platform that helps investors establish businesses in the emirate.

"We seek to enhance the cultural and creative business environment in Dubai, as well as to support talents, whether citizens or residents, and continuously work to attract more creatives in various fields of arts and culture from around the world," Hala Badri, director general of Dubai Culture, said in a statement.

"This step will provide talents with a unified electronic platform that will facilitate the steps to establish and launch their projects from Dubai."

Creatives Journey will also contribute to supporting Al Quoz Creative Zone, which was launched in April, she added.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, last week announced that tenants who are rebuilding or renovating properties in zone will be exempt from paying rent for up to two years.

Dubai is significantly promoting the creative and cultural sectors in a bid to make them a vital part of the overall economy. Last week, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, launched the UAE’s National Strategy for the Cultural and Creative Industries, aimed at promoting these industries' growth and increasing their contribution to the country's gross domestic product growth to 5 per cent.

The Ministry of Culture and Youth unveiled a blueprint on Sunday for the strategy, with Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, describing it as a "turning point" in the economy.

These developments are all in the lead-up to the World Conference on Creative Economy, which will run from December 7 to December 9 at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Projects within the Creative Journeys programme span six main sectors – cultural and natural heritage, books and press, performing arts and celebration, audiovisual and interactive media, visual arts and crafts, and design and creative services.

Other fields branching out from these are also covered, including the publishing industry and books, cinema, film and video, music, various art domains, cultural heritage museums, historical sites, archives, major cultural events, libraries and other related sub-sectors.

Four types of licences are being offered, including trader licence – available to different nationalities – that allows freelancers to work from home; the Intelaq licence, for independent UAE and GCC citizens; an instant licence, available to owners of start-ups of all nationalities; and an SME start-up licence, which is available to Emirati start-up owners and GCC citizens, who will be exempt from fees for five years.

"We will strive to direct our work teams to facilitate everything that would contribute to the optimal achievement of the project's objectives, especially the promotion of creative and innovative economic excellence in Dubai, and strengthen the emirate’s position as the capital of creativity, talent and investments and, thus, the future capital of the new economy, and the best place in the world to live, work and visit," said Helal Almarri, director general of the Department of Economy and Tourism.

Dubai issued 69 per cent more new business licences – 55,194 from the year-ago period's 32,626 – in the first 10 months of 2021, reflecting the high-growth opportunities in various sectors and the growing confidence in the overall economy.