Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, has assigned a group of young UAE artists to work on the ‘2nd December Street’ project in Dubai, the first phase of the Dubai Street Museum initiative. The project is being jointly implemented by Brand Dubai and Dubai Municipality.

Both local and international artists are participating in the project that is set to be completed over a period of five years. It aims to display the works of the artists on buildings along 2nd December Street, one of the busiest streets in Dubai. The project also offers a unique opportunity for Emirati artists to engage with major international mural artists.

Shaima Al Suwaidi, Project Manager of the Dubai Street Museum project, said that Brand Dubai ensures all its key projects feature UAE artists as part of its commitment to support their development. She also said that the UAE artists are making a unique contribution to the project. "Local artists have created distinctive murals for the ‘2nd December Street’ project and displayed a high level of skills. The project has facilitated their engagement with famous international mural artists from diverse genres, which will help them enhance their ability to execute such large projects," Al Suwaidi said.

Maitha Al Mazroui, Senior Green Building Engineer at Dubai Municipality, said that the Municipality is keen to provide opportunities like these for young UAE artists to showcase their talent. She said that the Municipality is committed to supporting young talent as part of a strategic talent development plan. She also said that the Municipality has come up with a comprehensive plan to execute the project, designed to match Dubai’s objectives and support the implementation of new creative ideas.

UAE artists participating in the project praised the organisers for the opportunity to take part in creative projects like the 2nd December Street project. They also expressed their keenness to participate in future phases of the project that will allow them to showcase their skills, and their happiness at being able to contribute to the creation of murals based on themes related to Dubai’s history at a time when the nation was celebrating its 45th National Day.

Ahwaq Abdullah, a young UAE artist said that the project offered an opportunity for local artists to contribute to such mega projects. As part of the project, she created her version of a famous photograph of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum taken by UAE photographer, Noor Ali Rashid.

The young artist said that the mural is the biggest she has ever drawn, and that it was challenging to work on the mural in open spaces where artists cannot control all the conditions, including the weather and light. She said that she was able to overcome the challenges because of her passion for the theme. "I wasn’t able to move easily and had to walk long distances to review the mural. Light was also an obstacle at times apart from the lack of a quiet environment. At the end, I managed to overcome all the challenges and meet the deadline," she said. The mural took 10 days to complete, she added.

Maisoon Al Saleh hailed the project which aims to showcase Dubai in a uniquely creative way by linking the present with its past and future. She said that her mural, which took 12 days to complete, was based on old postage stamps.

Hamdan Bati Al Shamsi said that he selected Al Ayal art as a topic for his artwork. He used new techniques to create his version of the style of art that is typically used for images displayed in official celebrations and weddings. He added that his mural was completed in seven days.

The Dubai Street Museum project seeks to highlight the UAE’s unique history, heritage, achievements and aspirations through public artworks.