Art residencies are having a very busy summer in the UAE, and the options available to Dubai residents right now are genuinely exciting.
Creative Studio Residency at Al Shindagha, Dubai
Dubai Culture has launched an open call for its Creative Studio Residency, a new programme in Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood offering a four-month residency focused on research, creative practice development, and artistic production. This is a rare chance to build your work inside one of the city’s most storied districts, where the streets carry centuries of trade and culture.
The initiative is open to creative studios, collectives, and founders of cultural initiatives. Applicants must have an established creative practice in Dubai, be registered in accordance with UAE regulations, and submit a comprehensive portfolio that includes their projects, exhibitions, and previous public programmes, plus their experience in delivering workshops, talks, and talent development.
Submissions are reviewed by a specialised committee based on the quality and feasibility of the concept, the diversity of the proposed public programme, and its contribution to enhancing the skills of emerging talent. Applicants must send all required supporting documents to De****@**********re.ae.
Tashkeel Makerspace workshops, Al Quoz
Established in Dubai in 2008 by Lateefa bint Maktoum, Tashkeel provides a nurturing environment for the growth of contemporary art and design practice rooted in the UAE. It sits in the heart of Al Quoz and gives residents a way to make real things with real equipment, rather than simply talk about making.
Tashkeel Makerspace is a multidisciplinary creative hub in Alserkal Avenue that unites printmaking and ceramics studios under one roof to support workshops, custom orders, and artistic experimentation. The space supports artists and designers by hosting hands-on workshops, offering tailored learning opportunities, and providing custom production services.
The print studio lets creatives explore traditional and contemporary printmaking techniques, while the pottery studio offers wheel-throwing and kiln firing alongside Dubai’s only 3D clay printer, available for custom orders and experimental projects. Tashkeel’s annual programme covers training, residencies, workshops, talks, exhibitions, international collaborations, and publications.
Alserkal Arts Foundation residency, Al Quoz
Alserkal Avenue in Dubai is known for its innovative approach to art residencies through the Alserkal Arts Foundation. This residency provides artists with a studio space within Alserkal Avenue, as well as funding to create new projects. The programme focuses on themes such as social and environmental impact, supporting artists in exploring cultural histories and interdisciplinary practices.
Artists are encouraged to engage with the local community through public events, adding a social dimension to their creative work. This focus on community makes the programme feel less like a solitary retreat and more like an open conversation with the city around you. The Al Quoz location means you are surrounded by galleries, independent studios, and fellow makers every single day.
What the creative community says
The UAE art residency scene has matured considerably in recent years. Programmes now offer far more than studio space. They build genuine bridges between resident artists and local audiences, through open studios, community workshops, and public installations. For a Dubai-based creative, the value is not only in the dedicated time to produce work, but in the network that forms around you during those months. The summer period is particularly productive because the city slows down socially, which gives artists the focused environment they need. Any resident who is serious about advancing their practice should treat a residency application with the same energy they give to their actual creative work.
Industry perspective, visual arts and cultural programming professionals in the UAE
RAi Residency, Dubai
The RAi Residency is open to 4 residents at a time, comprising 3 artists and 1 curator or theorist. It provides practitioners with a platform to incubate their ideas, opportunities for research, studio visits, workshops, and chances to present in colleges and other creative venues. The residency makes space for arts professionals and cultural practitioners to explore contexts beyond their own and enrich their creative practice.
RAi also provides Residency Awards for selected individuals based on applications announced and reviewed intermittently. The awardees receive a fully funded residency programme participation. That word “fully funded” matters. Many creative professionals in Dubai hold day jobs, and a fully supported residency removes the financial barrier that so often keeps talented people away from dedicated creative time.
Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation Art Residency (accessible from Dubai)
This programme is worth the short drive from Dubai. The six-month Art Residency Programme offers professional artists, designers, architects, writers, performers, researchers, filmmakers, and cultural practitioners the space and support to elevate their practice through dedicated studios, resources, and community engagement. Participants benefit from 24-hour studio access, curatorial support, Cultural Foundation facilities, and financial resources, culminating in studio visits and a final open studio night.
Residency periods run from 25 March 2026 to 20 September 2026 for the first cycle, and from 25 September 2026 to 20 March 2027 for the second cycle. Applicants must commit to the full six-month duration of their chosen cycle and actively engage in community outreach, such as the open studio night. The programme prioritises applicants who demonstrate potential for professional advancement and cultural impact.
These art residencies are yours to take
Art residencies across the UAE are open right now, and Dubai residents are in a genuinely strong position to access them. From a 4-month studio inside a historic neighbourhood to a fully equipped makerspace in Al Quoz, each programme offers something different. Think about what your creative practice needs most: time, tools, community, or funding. Then apply. Art residencies do not find you. You find them. Visit each programme page directly, gather your portfolio, and send your application this summer before the windows close.
Discover more about art residencies
- Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
- Tashkeel Makerspace: Workshops and creative programmes in Al Quoz
- Alserkal Avenue: Art residencies and creative programming in Dubai
