Dubai, UAE, 24 December 2024: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has launched the open call for the second ‘MENA Creatives Bootcamp – AI & Innovation Edition,’ organised in collaboration with Google. The programme aims to support creative community members, enhance their skills, and empower them to leverage technology and AI solutions to advance their creative projects. It also focuses on boosting digital presence and encouraging experiential learning. This initiative reflects Dubai Culture’s commitment to strengthening the cultural and creative industries, positioning Dubai as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

The Authority has invited all creatives in UAE and MENA region to register for the bootcamp, with applications open until to 10 January, 2025.  Spaces are limited to gain access to the four-day event, which offers participants opportunities to network, collaborate with outstanding talent and gain tailored one-on-one mentorship from Google’s AI experts. Google’s office in Dubai will host the bootcamp activities, while Al Quoz Creative Zone will host the last day with a specialised programme covering innovation, digital art and artificial intelligence.

Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Director of the Marketing & Corporate Communication Department at Dubai Culture, affirmed the significance of the ‘MENA Creatives Bootcamp – AI & Innovation Edition’ and its role in fostering innovation and encouraging the harnessing of digital tools, in line with the UAE National Innovation Strategy, saying: “Through this bootcamp, Dubai Culture seeks to open new horizons for creatives and provide them with access to experts, tools and knowledge to explore technology and advanced AI applications that can be applied to their creative practices and projects. These applications possess unique capabilities in content creation and generating original ideas for their projects, contributing to Dubai’s global leadership as one of the most future-ready cities in the world.”

The first edition of the ‘MENA Creatives Bootcamp – Sustainability Edition’ aligned with the UAE Year of Sustainability as well as the hosting of COP 28 and succeeded in attracting over 88 applications from creatives locally and regionally. Of these, 21 creatives from 10 countries were selected to join the bootcamp, guided by 41 mentors and specialists across various fields. The programme also featured one-on-one mentoring sessions led by 19 Google experts, as well as a wide range of workshops and sessions on achieving sustainability and discovering eco-friendly design practices.