Timely relief for established and emerging Emirati artists has come in the shape of a preexisting government initiative under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which has seen the purchase of over USD 400,000 worth of art by local talent.
The collection, which includes works by LamyaGargash and Farah Al Qasimi, will eventually be bound for a group exhibition, to be confirmed at a later date, before being placed in several UAE embassies around the world. According to Minister of State Zaki Nusseibeh in a statement made to the Emirates News Agency, the bleak outlook in the culture sector makes the coming months a critical time to invest in the arts.
More widely, the initiative aims to spearhead cultural diplomacy by showcasing the UAE’s rich and multi-faceted
