The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) convened a discussion at the Emirates Foundation on the future of arts philanthropy in the UAE as part of its Riwaq Al Fikr talks series, exploring how private giving can nurture creative talent, broaden cultural participation and provide lasting support for the country’s arts and cultural institutions. The discussion formed part of the 23rd Abu Dhabi Festival, which runs until 19 December 2026 under the theme ‘The Wisdom of Culture’.
Titled ‘The Vision for Arts Philanthropy in the UAE’, the discussion featured Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, Founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, and Badr Jafar, Special Envoy of the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business and Philanthropy and CEO of Crescent Enterprises. It was moderated by Anne-Laure Malauzat, Managing Partner of Bain UAE and Head of the EMEA Social Impact practice.
Huda AlKhamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and Founder and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival, said: “Creating impact and championing philanthropy in culture and the arts represent a vital strategic investment in people and nations alike. They lay the foundation for a sustainable cultural future, guided by the UAE’s vision of creativity and knowledge as drivers of development and progress.”
Badr Jafar reflected on why culture merits sustained philanthropic investment, stating “Art is how a society keeps its memory and rehearses its future. A child who plays in an orchestra learns to listen. A young writer who sees her own street on a stage learns that her story matters. When we fund culture, we are investing in the imagination of the country. We do not need to invent generosity here in the UAE, it is already thriving. The future of strategic philanthropy is a focus on how generosity is directed, structured and sustained, and how we make culture a more natural destination for it.”
Badr Jafar set out three priorities to help channel more philanthropic capital into the arts: making a confident, evidence-based case for culture; opening giving to people at every level, from memberships and sponsored student seats to named scholarships, corporate awards and major gifts; and earning donor trust through good philanthropy governance and transparent reporting. In the UAE’s Year of the Family, he added, families who make cultural giving part of how they express their values will fund culture for generations.
Huda added: “‘The Vision for Arts Philanthropy in the UAE’, held as part of ADMAF’s Riwaq Al Fikr initiative, affirms the importance of collaboration between arts organisations, the private sector and philanthropic leaders in fostering a culture of giving and strengthening the UAE’s cultural and creative industries ecosystem.”
As ADMAF marks 30 years since its founding by Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo in 1996, its programmes have engaged 150,000 students through nearly 2,500 educational initiatives across all seven emirates. Since 2004, the foundation has provided 296 professional development opportunities to 2,608 Emirati creatives, while the Abu Dhabi Festival has presented 42 world premieres. These milestones reflect the role of sustained cultural investment in nurturing talent and widening access to the arts
Source: Khaleej Times