INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
Trends in the Music and Dramatic Arts
Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, the music and theatre industry will remain shattered until the June of 2021 according to Broadway, New York. Dubai on the other hand is making quick moves against this and due to the safe, socially distanced sell-out shows this is making Dubai the entertainment capital. The UAE has been noticing the rise of cultural hubs like Al Serkal Avenue in Dubai, and Barjeel Art Foundation in Sharjah, shows, and entertainment that help push groups and also individuals. Al Serkal Avenue has been established in 2007 in Al Qouz, Dubai by Abdelmomen Al Serkal. Abdelmomen Al Serkal is an Emarati businessman-turned-arts patron. Similarly, is Barajeel Art Foundation, which is a gallery that helps promote Arab art, was founded by Emarati art collector Sultan Al Qassimi. Many projects such as The Louvre Abu Dhabi, La Biennale di Venezia, Sharjah Art Foundation, Barjeel Art Foundation, and Al Serkal Avenue, and more show both individual and institutional efforts in the UAE. These projects’ main aim is to create a positive narrative in the region. These ventures all convey components, portions, and topics with the subjects of observing Arab culture, Arab art, supporting tolerance, and portraying a set of experiences for the area. According to the Minister of Culture and Youth says the Ministry is in the final stages of preparing a long-term (10-year plan) strategy to increase GDP. Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth said during a keynote speech which was held at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit that the strategy of the 10-year plan will consist of eight goals with around 40 initiatives that will be launched during the current year. Al Kaabi also added, “Our reference road map to make the creative sector among the best economic sectors in the UAE”. Dubai Culture and Arts Authority also announced that it will soon grant cultural visas to almost 1,000 creators and artists from across the world. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai launched the cultural visa in 2019. Sheikh Mohammed seeks to position the emirate as a global center for culture and incubator of creativity and also a space or hub for any talent.
Music and Dramatic Arts locally. There are many opportunities supported by Dubai Culture that encourage promising musical talents to pursue their passion. Dubai Culture and Arts Authority has announced a musical arts program that is called “the national anthem of the “United Arab Emirates” and it invites people who seek to develop their passion for music. The program was held from 16th of august to the 29th of November 2020 as a part of the “Dubai performing Arts Programme to increase the opportunities for communication. The event will also come to an end with a musical evening performed by the workshop participants. This program was originally created to provide a platform that would help promising musical talents through workshops that are supervised by musicians from the United Arab Emirates and the western world. Music, Dance, Poetry, Pottery, weaving and embroidery are all forms of art that were performed and practiced both currently and in the olden days in the UAE. The Ayala or the “Stick dance” is one of the folk-dance forms that make the UAE different. It is performed by students in the university and schools and also performed by groups in events and ceremonies. The dancers performing Al Ayala are usually a group of men who are shoulder to shoulder, signifying the unity and co-operation and is usually accompanied by specific drumming beats. There are also a big number of institutions in the UAE who were recognised and also honoured in arts and art forms. Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award was given in many fields like fine arts, photography, multimedia, design, and also architecture. This gives a chance and a push to youth to share and present their work on both local and international art platforms, with supporting the artist to help them grow and develop their skills and talents.
UAE residents ages 18-30 years are welcome to participate and apply for the award that also includes a cash prize. Universities in the other hand that are in Dubai and in the UAE to be more specific, all share similar departments like The School of Engineering, School of Medicine, School of Mass Communication (Advertising, Public relations, Journalism, Visual Communication), and finally the School of Business Administration. Not so many schools in the UAE offer a department of Music and Dramatic Arts. Mostly offer a program or a Minor taken with the Bachelor, like The American University of Sharjah that just offer a program in Music, Arts, and Theatre. Which will be leaving us as the first university in Dubai to have its own fully equipped department in this field. unlike other countries in the region, The American University of Cairo offers a performance program to teach the theory, literature, and performance of music, and the theory and practice of music technology. Lebanon has also The Performing Arts program that can be taken with a Bachelor of Arts and a Minor in Performing Arts. The Notre Dame University in Lebanon is a private, non-profit catholic university that offers a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Musicology. The American University Kuwait offers The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) which includes a full department of Music and Drama with a mission of exploring music and drama in the context of liberal arts education through both academic study and performances. In Schools, Saudi Arabian schools also now teach music, theatre, and art. According to the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia, Music, Theatre, and arts will be included in the curriculum of public and private schools since 2019. This announced has come due to considering ongoing changes in Saudi Arabia that are changing the Kingdom into a centre point for shows, craftsmanship shows, and social and diversion occasions around there.
Music and Dramatic arts globally. The market size of the musical and dramatic arts industry in the United States altogether dropped in 2020, showing a decline of approximately 33%. Generally, the statistics were estimated at 215.28 billion U.S. dollars and showed an increase of 321.4 billion U.S dollars the earlier year.
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Figure 1.2 above shows the statistics of the Music and Dramatic Arts industry in the U.S. the highest number for market size with almost 350 billion dollars in 2018. 2019 follows the previous year with a small margin difference. In 2020 on the other hand, the market size has significantly decreased with less than 200 billion dollars. In 2021, we see a recovery of the industry again with almost 300 billion dollars market size.
