The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has entered the evaluation and selection stage of the Dubai Youth Performing Arts Festival, a newly introduced initiative that unites three major cultural events under one umbrella: the Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre, the Dubai Festival for Youth Music, and the Dubai Youth Folk Arts Festival.
Bringing together theatre, music, and folk performance for the first time, the festival provides a creative platform for young artists to showcase their talent, develop their artistic skills, and contribute to Dubai’s flourishing cultural identity. The event also embodies Dubai Culture’s commitment to establishing the emirate as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a hub for artistic talent.
Following an open call earlier this year, the festival received strong engagement, with 18 submissions from community theatre associations and production centres, 64 from individual musicians, and four from folk arts groups. The evaluation process now underway will determine the finalists who will participate in the main festival scheduled for November and December.
Specialised committees have been appointed to assess the submissions. Theatre entries will be evaluated by Dr Basma Younes, Dr Thamer Al Arbid, and director Alex Brond. Music entries will be reviewed by Fatma Alhashmi, Dr Mohammed Hammami, and Shavkat Mamadjonov, while folk arts submissions will be judged by Ubaid Ali and Mohammed Mallah. All entries will be assessed on artistic quality, originality, youth relevance, adherence to cultural values, and their ability to capture Dubai’s creative energy.
Fatma Al Jallaf, Acting Director of Performing Arts at Dubai Culture, highlighted that the Dubai Youth Performing Arts Festival represents a valuable addition to the emirate’s cultural ecosystem, presenting innovative work rooted in heritage and tradition. She said: “Through this event, Dubai Culture aims to nurture a new generation of artists, while also supporting pioneers in these fields, which form a cornerstone of the cultural and creative industries.” She added that the festival emphasises the contributions of theatre associations and music production centres, encouraging creators to engage with audiences, refine their craft, and further their artistic ambitions. Al Jallaf also expressed appreciation to the committee members for their extensive expertise.
The festival, which aligns with Dubai’s Quality of Life Strategy, is open to UAE nationals and residents between the ages of 15 and 35. It welcomes participation from theatre practitioners, musicians, solo singers, vocal groups, and instrumentalists representing both Eastern and Western musical traditions.