Dubai: As part of its efforts to strengthen the role of the arts in education, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in collaboration with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), organised a brainstorming session titled ‘Innovation Lab: Integrating Arts and Design into the Educational System.’

The session explored mechanisms for embedding arts and design into private school curricula, while developing an integrated framework to identify, nurture and empower talented students.

The initiative forms part of Dubai Culture's ongoing efforts to advance creative education, equip future generations with the skills required for innovation, and reinforce Dubai's position as a global centre for the creative economy.

Held at the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, the session brought together senior leaders and employees from Dubai Culture and the KHDA for a series of in-depth discussions on the current state of arts and design education in schools, as well as the key opportunities and challenges associated with advancing creative education.

Participants also explored ways to integrate creative writing, music, theatre, visual arts, design, culinary arts, project-based learning, and extracurricular reading into school curricula to support the early identification and development of young talent.

The session further reviewed existing creative programmes implemented in schools, alongside international best practices and successful models that could be adapted for Dubai, helping strengthen the education system and create a learning environment that fosters creativity and innovation.

The session concluded with several key recommendations, including conducting a comprehensive study to identify policies and programmes that could be implemented across schools, mapping opportunities for collaboration and partnerships with relevant stakeholders, and defining priority initiatives for the short and long term.

Participants also emphasised the importance of developing a shared vision for the future of arts and education in Dubai, in line with the emirate's ambition to build a knowledge- and innovation-driven creative economy.

Ahlam Al Bannai, Director of the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, affirmed that the brainstorming session represents an important step towards developing a shared vision that strengthens the presence of the arts in education and creates opportunities for students to discover their talents and abilities from an early age.

She said, "The arts are a fundamental pillar of an education system capable of preparing future generations with the skills of innovation, critical thinking and creative expression, enabling them to meet the demands of the future. This reflects Dubai Culture's commitment to developing an integrated education ecosystem that positions the arts as an essential part of the learning experience while nurturing creative talent and supporting the continued growth of the creative economy.

"The outcomes of the session will help define priorities for the next phase of work and strengthen collaboration among relevant stakeholders, ensuring the development of high-impact initiatives that deliver sustainable outcomes for the education sector.”