The spring programme, marking the first half of the UK/UAE 2017 Year of Creative Collaboration (UK/UAE 2017), is nearly at an end, having engaged with over 88 thousand members of the public across the UAE.
UK/UAE 2017, the cultural exchange programme between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, celebrates the long-standing relationship between the two countries and looks to strengthen existing cultural and economic ties.
UK/UAE 2017, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, is organised by the British Council and supported by the Ministry of Culture & Knowledge Development, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and the British Embassy in the UAE as strategic partners. Taking place throughout 2017, it includes collaboration with numerous British and Emirati organisations who are delivering a wide range of cultural collaboration including exhibitions, musical and theatrical performances, film screenings, conferences, showcases, masterclasses and educational workshops.
Gavin Anderson, Director UAE, British Council said, “The engagement we have seen so far with the spring programme has been incredible. Looking at the numbers, from January to June, 26 projects, including 140 events in 6 Emirates and 90 film screenings, have taken place in the UAE as part of UK/UAE 2017. We have seen over three thousand people participate in talks, workshops or events; and a further 85,000 people have attended exhibitions, performances, film screenings or festivals as part of UK/UAE. The diversity of the programme that ranged from art to science, helped us to engage with a diverse audience across the UAE. Working alongside our British and Emirati partners, we look forward to build upon the momentum we have achieved so far, bringing together another rich public programme in the autumn, which looks to inspire the youth and continue the cultural dialogue between our two nations.”
Hannah Henderson, Head of UK/UAE commented, “UAE residents and visitors can look forward to many more opportunities to attend and participate in the autumn programme of UK/UAE 2017 Year of Creative Collaboration. Expect to see more exhibitions, workshops, performances and screenings spanning the arts, literature, education, society, sport, science and trade. We look forward to announcing the autumn programme after the summer.”
The UK/UAE 2017 explores the themes of community, inclusion and the next generation, in line with UAE Vision 2021. Throughout the year, the British Council is working with a wide range of British and Emirati partners, strengthening existing relationships and creating new collaborations. Top UK institutions and creative practitioners are partnered with their UAE counterparts, showcasing British and Emirati talent to engage and inspire audiences across the UAE.
The programme is supported by the UK Government’s GREAT Britain campaign.
The UK/UAE 2017 autumn programme will be announced at a later date.
For more information about UK/UAE 2017 and its upcoming programming, please visit: www.britishcouncil.ae/en/uk-uae-2017. To join the conversation follow the UK/UAE 2017 on the British Council’s Facebook (@BritishCouncilUAE), twitter (@uaeBritish) and Instagram (@britishcounciluae) pages and use the dedicated hashtag #UKUAE2017.
Spring Programme Highlights
Literature
Science Strand at Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, featured a host of science sessions with leading British writers. Highlights included a brilliant session by author Lucy Hawking, a session by molecular biology and genetics expert Emily Grossman, and an all-ages introduction to the wonders of science by author Jo Marchant and author and comedian Ben Miller.
The Shakespeare Globe Storytelling Workshops
Organised by Art for All, performative storytelling sessions by Globe Education were offered to young pupils in Ras al Khaimah, Fujairah and Dubai. Through interactive versions of The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry V and Macbeth, students experienced the thrill of live performance and explored Shakespeare’s narratives not just as listeners, but as storytellers too.
The International Storytelling Festival in Sharjah
Sharjah’s Al Noor Island played host the 2017 International Storytelling Festival, bringing together the best storytellers from across the world under the theme 'Tales on the Island'. Making their debut in the UAE, leading UK-based performers Michael Harvey and David Ambrose led workshops and performances focusing on folktales from British and Middle East traditions, leading participants through basic and advanced techniques of oral storytelling.
Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox writing competition for children
Together with Art For All the Roald Dahl Literary Estate and ADMAF, a writing competition was held for children aged 6 to 12 years old. Budding authors celebrated Roald Dahl’s centenary by writing a story inspired by the theme: Fantastic Mr Fox in the UAE. The competition was judged by the Roald Dahl Estate, with prizes including airline tickets to London.
Science
Sugar Science exhibition and workshops at Think Science
Think Science students and visitors worked with the artists-in-residence, architectural sculptors Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels, at the British Council’s Think Science Stand. Through fun and playful workshops, participants were encouraged to create their own building designs in sugar whilst learning about diabetes through a 'learning through doing' approach. Over the three-day run of the fair, more than 1,000 people participated in the workshops and contributed to the sugar metropolis.
University of Oxford at Think Science
In their first ever admissions trip to the UAE, the University of Oxford joined the region’s largest scientific fair, Think Science, where two academics from the Biochemistry Department gave hands on demonstrations of biochemistry principles, as well as course and admissions processes to Oxford for students and teachers alike.
Science Collaboration Symposium: Smart Cities
This symposium on the timely topic of ‘smart cities’, held at the Masdar Institute of Technology and organised in collaboration with the UK Science & Innovation Network (SIN) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), was attended by scientists and innovators from top research institutions and start-up companies from the Gulf countries and the UK.
Visual Arts
Tate Curator of Access and Special Projects visited the UAE
In collaboration with Sharjah Museums Department, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and Dubai Culture, the British Council partnered with the Tate, inviting Marcus Dickey Horley, Curator of Access and Special Projects at Tate Modern and Tate Britain, to deliver three workshops on inclusivity and accessibility for museum staff in Sharjah, Al Ain and Dubai.
Anish Kapoor: The Creative Act panel discussion
As part of The Creative Act: Performance, Process, Presence exhibition programme and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Talking Art Series, this panel, organised by the British Council in collaboration with Tourism & Culture Authority Abu Dhabi, featured Adrian Locke, Senior Curator at London’s Royal Academy of Arts. The talk, titled ‘Anish Kapoor: The Creative Act’, discussed the world-renowned British artist’s unique body of work and focused on the Royal Academy’s major Kapoor solo exhibition in 2009, which was the institution’s first retrospective of a living artist’s work.
Fully Booked art book fair debuts in Dubai
Straddling the medium of visual arts and the written word, Fully Booked served as a platform for a host of UK/UAE events, in collaboration with the Crossway Foundation. Highlights from participating UAE and UK artists included The Offscreen Collages (UK), 120 collages from the award-winning book: Offscreen, Four Young artists in the Middle East; The Road Tapes (UK), a video work of road footage from across the Middle East by Al Braithewaite; a Zine-Making Workshop with Tulip Hazbar (UAE); and the workshop 'Everyone Can Draw: Blind Drawing’ with Nasser Alzayani (UAE).
Supporting UK artists and educational programme at the Sharjah Biennale 13
As part of the UK/UAE 2017 Year of Creative Collaboration, the Sharjah Art Foundation presented new commissions by artists from and based in the UK at the Sharjah Biennial 13, Tamawuj (March-June 2017), curated by Christine Tohme. The new commissions included work by Walid Siti, Oscar Murillo, Lawrence Abu Hamdan and The Otolith Group. The programme also saw a collaboration on a range of community outreach events, education programmes and activities focusing on children, adults and people with disabilities that included art discussions, sketching and sculpture workshops.
Public art installations
The first outdoor public exhibition in the UAE by Tony Cragg, one of the world’s most distinguished contemporary sculptors, was organised by Leila Heller Gallery. Located in front of DIFC’s iconic ‘The Gate’ building, the exhibition featured three largescale works in bronze and stainless steel. With their placement in the public garden space, these sculptures will be on view for six months, inspiring viewers to see their surroundings in new ways.
Music
A triumphant celebration of classical music at BBC Proms Dubai
Staged over four days in March 2017 at Dubai Opera, for the first time the magic of the iconic BBC Proms festival was brought to audiences in the UAE. Bringing the best classical music to as wide an audience as possible, the BBC Proms Dubai concerts were recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
A comprehensive learning programme across the four-day BBC Proms festival
Workshops, masterclasses and open rehearsals provided budding musicians and singers with the opportunity to develop their skills and engage with performers from the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers.
WNO Effect workshops
The visit of the Welsh National Opera to Dubai Opera was accompanied by a full and varied schedule of learning activities, including workshops, master classes and open rehearsals providing budding musicians and singers with the opportunity to develop their skills and engage with the performers.
BBC Symphony Orchestra panel discussion
To mark the opening of BBC Proms Dubai, BBC Radio 3 presenter Petroc Trelawny led a discussion about the BBC Proms 'past, present and future', chairing a panel with the Director of the festival, the General Manager of the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Singers, and the Chief Executive of Dubai Opera, alongside the eminent composers whose music was featured in the performances.
Theatre
Welsh National Opera performances at Dubai Opera
As the Welsh National Opera (WNO) celebrate their 70th anniversary, their performances at Dubai Opera were fabulous spectacles for all music and culture lovers from across the GCC, with Dubai Opera hosting their productions of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly and La Bohème.
Fantastic Mr. Fox celebrated a beloved British author’s centenary
Conceived in honour of Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday, the musical adaptation of Fantastic Mr Fox was brought to life by producing partners Nuffield Southampton Theatres and Curve production in association with Lyric Hammersmith. Fans of Dahl’s work were delighted by this rollicking, interactive theatrical production with stunning sets which was brought to the UAE by Art for All.
Shakespeare Under the Stars: Macbeth
Constellation Productions delivered a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth featuring an all-female cast in this modern, immersive retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This highly innovative promenade production enabled audiences in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ajman to experience Shakespeare in a whole new way.
‘CATS’ came to Dubai for the first time
The legendary musical CATS, seen by over 73 million people worldwide and one of the longest running shows in West End and Broadway History, made its debut in Dubai in January, at the new Dubai Opera.
Creative and Cultural Industries
Cultural Excellence Fellowship
The Cultural Excellence Fellowship, a professional entrepreneurship programme devised by Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and the British Council, continues to contribute to the rapidly growing UAE creative and cultural industries, welcoming its second cohort of 10 ‘Pioneers’ (UAE-based professionals) and 16 Emirati ‘Protégés’ in 2017. The five sessions held to date included discussions with Jude Kelly CBE, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre in London, Salim Tannous of the Arab Fund for Arts & Culture and Randa Haidar, Programme Manager, Culture Sector of the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. During the Abu Dhabi Festival, the elite group attended performances and workshops and co-presented concert introductions.
Experience Economy Conference
Leading executives and thinkers came together for the DEAL Live by Blooloop, the educational conference focusing on trends and developments in the attractions business from the region and beyond. In partnership with Ministry of Culture & Knowledge Development and the British Department for International Trade, the British Council organised a dedicated session giving an overview of the Creative and Cultural Economy Sector in the UAE for visiting international practitioners. The session was led by Professor Kenneth Wilson, Adviser to His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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