Abu Dhabi [UAE], October 9: The UAE is moving to establish culture and creativity as fully integrated economic sectors, connected to production, financing, intellectual property rights, distribution, and markets, and bringing together talent, projects, products, and audiences.
The initiatives and achievements witnessed across the country in 2026 reflect the growing scope of the cultural and creative industries ecosystem, spanning publishing, film, gaming, design, content production, financing programmes, and talent development. Together, these efforts are supporting the growth of new products, markets, and business opportunities within the creative economy.
In this context, Dubai retained its position as the world's leading destination for attracting new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in the cultural and creative industries for the fourth consecutive year in 2025. The emirate attracted 754 projects, generating total capital investment flows of $3.756 billion and creating more than 19,300 new jobs.
The projects covered advertising and public relations, programming and digital services, film and media production, electronic gaming, creative technology, education, design, and architecture.
The publishing sector provides a clear example of this expansion. The 35th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair brought together 1,200 exhibitors from 95 countries, including seven countries participating for the first time, alongside around 1,500 events. Its professional programme explored the future of books, intellectual property, publishing and translation rights, as well as changes in reader behaviour and market trends.
On the first day of the fair, the value of book sales increased by 97%, the number of books sold rose by 108%, visitor numbers grew by 11%, and total sales increased by 93%, compared with the same period in 2025.
The publishing sector is also expanding beyond book fairs into distribution, rights, and markets.
Menassah Distribution made 1,004 titles from 75 UAE-based publishing houses available, representing a total of 8,500 books during the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Meanwhile, the National Media Authority announced that more than 100,000 permits were issued for the circulation of books and publications in the UAE during 2025, alongside the processing of nearly 1.2 million titles entering the country through its various points of entry.
At the same time, studies conducted by Sharjah Publishing City (SPC) indicate that the UAE's publishing industry market is projected to grow from $260 million to $650 million by 2030.
The UAE's cinema sector, meanwhile, generated box-office revenues exceeding AED 734 million in 2025, with more than 14.8 million tickets sold for approximately 1,270 films, according to the National Media Authority.
In digital gaming, revenues reached AED 2.7 billion, while the number of games reviewed and classified rose to 552, compared with 375 in 2024. This reflects the expanding range of creative activities associated with digital content.
The growth of the creative economy has also extended to the design sector, with Dubai adopting the "Dubai Design Sector Strategy 2033" to develop the industry and strengthen its competitiveness.
The strategy aims to increase enrolment in higher education and continuing professional training in design by 20%, provide opportunities for more than 25,000 students, support around 500 existing projects, incubate more than 100 new projects, showcase more than 500 local projects at international exhibitions and events, organise more than 100 events, and attract four million local and international visitors by 2033. It covers fashion, product design, architecture, and graphic design, while also facilitating business formation and access to financing.
Investment in creativity also extends to content production. Dubai Culture launched the "Stories of Wulfa"" competition to produce an animated series inspired by Emirati culture, values, and traditions. The initiative provides AED 2 million in funding for development, production, and distribution, and is open to artists, writers, illustrators, directors, designers, filmmakers, animation studios, and production companies.
The growth of the creative economy is not limited to developing markets and products; it is also expanding to support production and talent through government funding and grant programmes.
The Ministry of Culture announced the launch of the fifth cycle of the National Grant Programme for Culture and Creativity, which aims to support Emirati creatives and enable them to develop cultural and creative projects, thereby strengthening cultural production and the growth of the country's creative industries.
The programme provides support to creatives across four main categories: creativity and production; distribution and local participation; skills development; and international travel and mobility. These categories cover fields including writing and publishing, music, film and television, performing arts and theatre, visual arts and design, video games, and cultural heritage.
In March, the Ministry of Culture also announced a new cycle of the 2026 Cultural Public Benefit Associations Subsidies and Grants Programme. The initiative aims to strengthen the role of cultural associations and artistic groups and enable them to implement high-quality projects that contribute to national identity, create new platforms for talent, and broaden cultural participation across the UAE's emirates.
The programme provides grants for innovative projects aligned with associations' plans in areas including cultural festivals, cultural education, creative production, and international participation, as well as literature and the Arabic language, music, film and cinema, cultural heritage and national identity, design and architecture, visual and digital arts, animation and electronic gaming, and culinary arts.
Source: Emirates News Agency
