New entity aims to build professional pathways for regional talent, spur artistic investments, and elevate the emirate’s global creative profile.
DUBAI, Oct. 10, 2026 : Dubai has enacted a new law establishing the Dubai Orchestra Foundation, a statutory cultural initiative designed to build a world-class orchestral ecosystem, preserve indigenous musical heritage, and expand the emirate’s creative economy.
Dubai has enacted legislation creating the Dubai Orchestra Foundation, marking a strategic expansion into classical and symphonic performing arts as part of a broader drive to diversify its creative industries.
The foundation operates under the cultural framework outlined by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which prioritizes arts infrastructure alongside long-term economic planning.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), affirmed that the entity will serve as a bridge between traditional Gulf musical forms and international symphonic traditions.
“Music has the power to bring people together, tell the stories of communities, and build connections across cultures and generations,” Sheikha Latifa said. “The Dubai Orchestra Foundation marks a new chapter in Dubai’s cultural journey, creating opportunities for musicians to develop their talents and produce works that reflect our Emirati identity and the emirate’s cultural diversity.”
The initiative shifts municipal cultural strategy from hosting touring international ensembles toward cultivating home-grown performance talent. By establishing dedicated training pipelines, performance calendars, and commissioning frameworks, the foundation aims to convert artistic practice into viable, long-term careers.
Beyond performance programming, the legal charter charges the foundation with economic deliverables: drawing foreign and regional capital into local music production, securing cross-border institutional partnerships, and driving measurable output within Dubai’s creative industries sector.
“Through the foundation, we aim to share our musical heritage with the world, draw on international experiences, and offer audiences inspiring artistic experiences,” Sheikha Latifa said, emphasizing that the institution will reinforce Dubai’s position as a crossroads for global cultural exchange.
The measure coincides with Dubai’s ongoing creative economy strategy, which seeks to double the contribution of creative industries to the emirate’s gross domestic product and expand licensed cultural enterprises operating in the city.
