The ‘Stories of Wulfa’ competition seeks a 15-episode production exploring local heritage, with applications open to international creators until November 15.
DUBAI, Sept. 8, 2026 : Dubai Culture and Arts Authority has unveiled a Dh2 million production grant to commission a 15-episode animated television series centered on Emirati social traditions, folklore, and family life, setting an open call for international and regional studios alongside domestic talent.
The initiative, titled the “Stories of Wulfa” competition, aims to fund the end-to-end development, production, and public broadcast of an original animated series. Selected creators will see their work premiere during the emirate’s wider “Season of Wulfa”—an overarching cultural campaign anchored around Hag Al Laila, the holy month of Ramadan, and the Eid holidays to celebrate community bonds and social harmony.
Under the framework published by the authority, submissions will remain open through November 15, 2026. Eligibility extends across creative disciplines, welcoming independent screenwriters, visual illustrators, directors, animation studios, and commercial production houses. Teams may apply from within the United Arab Emirates, across the wider Middle East, or globally.
Each prospective project must pitch a cohesive narrative arc spanning 15 episodes, with each installment timed at approximately 20 minutes. Dubai Culture highlighted that storyboards and treatments should pull directly from authentic Emirati customs. Suggested subject matter includes neighbourhood gatherings, traditional hospitality rituals, folk games, historical pioneers, and communal festivities across Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, and Eid Al Adha.
Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of the Arts, Design and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, framed the grant as a strategic investment into intellectual property and local screen capabilities:
“Investing in original content is a fundamental pillar in advancing the cultural and creative industries and a key driver for the growth of the animation sector.”
She noted that the authority seeks to provide domestic creative professionals with institutional backing to adapt historic oral traditions into contemporary screen media capable of traveling across regional and global streaming markets.
An evaluation committee composed of industry specialists will assess bids across five primary benchmarks: storytelling depth, cultural authenticity, visual direction and character design, technical production readiness, and commercial broadcast viability. The winning team will secure the full Dh2 million financial package to fund workflow pipelines from initial animatics through post-production.
The project forms part of Dubai’s long-range creative economy targets, which focus on positioning the emirate as a capital for media production, digital arts, and regional intellectual property licensing. Animation has emerged as a focal medium across Gulf cultural ministries seeking to preserve native linguistic dialects and historical memory among younger digital audiences.
Interested creators, production consortia, and studios can access the competition briefs, submission technicalities, and licensing terms directly via the Dubai Culture official portal before the mid-November cut-off.
