Call to Action for Dubai Based Artists

Call to action: calling local artists and art enthusiasts to submit their concepts for permanent, site-specific pieces of art and sculpture.

·         Supported by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the Al Ghurair Centre’s initiative is a call to regional artists and those residents in the UAE who have a creative flare and passion for art.

·         Concepts for public, site-specific sculptures and installations in the urban hub of the city.

·         Acting as a platform for emerging talent in the region

·         The judges will shortlist entries in October 2014 according to their interpretation of the “some things change, some things stay the same” theme, creative nature and innovative design.

·         Finalists will be announced in November and their installations will be publically unveiled in March 2015.

·         Industry experts involved in the project include;

o   Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum (Emirait) – Artist, photographer and progressive business woman. She is determined to promote artistic development in the UAE

o   Patricia Millns (British) –Her work can be seen in prestigious public and private collections worldwide, including The British Museum, the Royal Commonwealth Society, Sharjah National Museum, the Kuwait National Collection, the Royal Collection of Jordan and the Cultural Foundation of Abu Dhabi and UNIFEM New York.



o   Ebtisam Abdul-Aziz (Emirati) – She has exhibited widely both across the UAE and internationally. A member of the Emirates Fine Art Society she lives and works in Sharjah.

o   Colin Reaney (Kiwi) – Associate Professor in Sculpture at AUD, Colin is involved in many collaborative art projects internationally.

·         Submission are being taken until 10th October 2014

·         To submit a concept visit - http://alghuraircentre.com/publicartinitiative/

Where can I sell my paintings in Dubai?

This is a question that I get asked quite a lot from people already living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi or those wishing or planning to come and live over in the United Arab Emirates. There are a lot of artists in Dubai and the surrounding areas both professional and amateur who are looking to make some money from selling their paintings.

If you are a professional artist with a good reputation then you may be able to sell your paintings in one of the many galleries in Dubai but for most people this is unlikely to be an option.

The first place I would suggest you go if you want to sell your paintings in Dubai is to one of the Arte (Artisans of the Emirates) markets. They hold markets in various locations a few times a month and many amateur and professional artists try and sell their work here. You can find more info on their website here.

My advice would be to go to one of the markets first as a visitor and speak to one of the people who runs it (Miriam or Paul) and also some of the artists who are already selling there. Then you will get a good idea of what kind of art is sold and how to display it. Making contacts with other artists means that you might also find out about other markets and fairs.