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FAQs

Where is the Ministry of Culture located?

The main building of the Ministry of Culture is located in Abu Dhabi, with offices in Dubai, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Masafi and Dhafra Region.

What is the mission of the Ministry of Culture?

To preserve the UAE's identity, enhance and strengthen the position of the cultural sector globally, and maximize their contribution as productive and effective sectors within the national economy by: - Preserving the national cultural heritage. - Promoting the cultural and creative industries.

What is the vision of the Ministry of Culture?

Culture that inspires the world.

What electronic services does the Ministry of Culture provide?

The Ministry of Culture seeks to provide the best services that enhance its role in improving the UAE's cultural and creative industries, and developing the creative economy in order to consolidate the country’s leadership position in the cultural sector, the most prominent of which are: Creative Center services include:

Rental service for theaters, halls, and ministry spaces.
Library membership grant service.
Office material borrowing service.
Office material borrowing extension service.

Antiquities services include:

Service for the registration of artifacts and archaeological sites.
The service of recording borrowed cultural objects.

What is the Ministry of Culture?

In line with its vision of “Culture that Inspires the World,” the Ministry of Culture strives to enrich the cultural sector in the United Arab Emirates by supporting Emirati cultural, artistic, and heritage institutions. It provides a platform to nurture creative and talented individuals across various fields and promotes dialogue between different cultures. The Ministry collaborates with its strategic partners in the cultural sector to deliver impactful outputs and experiences that showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural landscape of the UAE on local, regional, and global levels. It actively encourages the growth of the creative industries and embeds their significance in society as a cornerstone of the knowledge economy. These industries span various domains, including intangible and tangible cultural heritage, literature, visual and performing arts, audiovisual media, design, and digital creativity. Additionally, the Ministry partners with federal government agencies, local governments, the private sector, civil society organizations, and media institutions to safeguard cultural heritage and address cultural issues.

Who is the Minister of Culture ?

His Excellency Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi was appointed the Minister of Culture in February 2023. In his current role, His Excellency is responsible for the strategic and policy direction of the UAE's culture sector. He leads the Ministry's initiatives to enable a robust cultural and creative ecosystem in the country and ensure its sustainability and active contribution to the local economy. Helming multilateral engagements with the UAE's global and regional partners on international platforms, His Excellency represents the country on high-level global fora related to culture and creativity and heritage preservation.

His Excellency was the Permanent Delegate of the UAE to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "UNESCO" where he contributed to highlighting the country's efforts and success endeavors, in addition to strengthening relations with other permanent delegates and overseeing the implementation of many joint projects that aims to enhance human and cultural cooperation.

He has previously served as the Assistant Undersecretary for Arts and Heritage at the Ministry of Culture, where he led the implementation of high-level projects on national identity, Arabic language, Islamic arts, theatre, literature, archaeology, film and architecture to name few.

What are the services provided by the Ministry of Culture?

Rental service for theaters, halls and ministry spaces.
Library membership grant service.
Office material borrowing service.
Office material borrowing extension service.

Antiquities services include:

Service for the registration of artifacts and archaeological sites.
The service of recording borrowed cultural objects.

Licenses for media activities include:

Granting media licenses to a magazine or newspaper.
Book the name of a magazine or newspaper.
Ground/aerial photography permit.
Permission to enter imaging equipment and machines.
Granting a radio and television broadcast license.

Media material trading permissions include:

Regulating the entry of media outlets through state outlets.
Leave to trade newspapers and magazines.
To print and authorize the circulation of publications and texts.
License to trade works of art.

Accreditation of foreign correspondents.

What is the strategy of the Ministry of Culture ?

The strategy of the Ministry of Culture is based around four core pillars, centred around the promotion and preservation of the UAE national identity as well as creating a culture that inspires the world. The four pillars are:

Preserving cultural national identity: enhancing the pride of UAE citizens by preserving cultural heritage components and interacting with the community
Enabling the UAE cultural sector: Discovering and creating a pool of national talents, developing a cultural infrastructure to create a world-class cultural landscape
Enhancing the cultural and creative industry to develop a knowledge- based economy; through coordinating with active bodies/ encouraging research in the cultural and creative industry
Strengthening the UAE’s position on the global cultural map by promoting cultural initiatives both regionally and internationally.

Which cultural industries fall under the Ministry’s mandate?

The Ministry focuses on six cultural industries which include Intangible Cultural Heritage, Tangible Cultural Heritage, Literature, Performing Arts, Design and Visual Arts.

Which creative industries fall under the Ministry’s mandate?

The Ministry focuses on eight creative industries which include Digital Creativity, Audio-visual Media, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Tangible Cultural Heritage, Literature, Performing Arts, Design and Visual Arts.

How does the Ministry encourage national talent?

The Ministry of Culture believes that young national talents are the cornerstone for building a comprehensive development base across various sectors in the country. The Ministry has initiated the preparation of a comprehensive work system to nurture and develop talented individuals, designing programs and initiatives that ensure their support and growth, harnessing their potential, and unleashing their creativity by providing care tailored to various age levels.

Which local cultural departments and authorities that regulate and operate in the cultural sector fall under the mandate of the Ministry of Culture?

The Ministry works with all seven Emirates to enhance the cultural heritage and offerings across the nation. The departments the Ministry works with are:

Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
Department of Culture – Sharjah
Sharjah Book Fair Authority
Sharjah Art Foundations
Sharjah Museum Authority
Department of Tourism Development – Ajman
Department of Tourism and Antiquities - Umm Al Quwain
Department of Antiquities and Museums - Ras Al Khaimah
Fujairah Authority for Culture and Information
Ajman culture center

Where can I find information about archaeological sites?

Please visit the National Registry of Archaeological sites to find out more.

How can I participate in events related to the Ministry?

Please contact us on this number 800552255 and we will assist you on how to participate in our events.