The Arts Centre at New York University Abu Dhabi has selected 14 artists living in the UAE for its inaugural artist development initiative. The year-long programme, titled Numoo, is intended to support performing artists in the UAE, enabling the growth of the performing arts sector and the country’s overall arts ecosystem.
The first programme includes poets, musicians, writers and theatre artists who were selected via nominations and open calls. These 14 participants come from wide range of countries, including Venezuela, the US, the UK, Sudan, the Philippines, India, Egypt and the UAE.
The chosen artists will follow a curriculum that will build their professional skills. Through the programme, they will undergo meetings with The Arts Centre staff, instructors and international arts professionals, and will complete working sessions and independent projects based on their own practices. The programme will start in Autumn 2021 and will run till Summer 2022.
The curriculum also covers practical and essential aspects of artistic practice, including shaping and communicating one’s artistic vision; project management and handling budgets; understanding intellectual property and contracts; and working with technical production.
“Numoo allows us to play a vital role in the UAE’s artistic and cultural scenes, and will support our expanded efforts to connect The Arts Centre’s work to educational efforts at NYUAD, and with other UAE universities, primary and secondary schools,” said Bill Bragin, executive artistic director at The Arts Centre.
He also commented on the long-term aims of the programme towards building a robust arts ecosystem in the UAE where creatives can flourish.
“It’s our hope that the artists selected to inaugurate this programme will strengthen their ability to build sustainable careers in the UAE, as well as increasing UAE-based artists’ capacity to bring their work to international stages,” he said.
Numoo is supported by a grant from the US Mission to the UAE.