Maraya Art Centre, an initiative by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), will be hosting an interactive evening focusing on the global phenomenon that is revolutionising project financing: crowdfunding.

Taking place on the 5th of June, the event is being held in collaboration with Aflamnah, the UAE based digital platform dedicated to supporting creative ideas for and from the Arab world.

Speaking about the evening, Giuseppe Moscatello, Maraya Art Centre Manager, said, "The art scene in the UAE is growing faster than ever before, with more and more young talents clambering to make an impact on the world. Artistic pursuits are more often than not very costly in terms of materials and expert services needed, and commercial rewards are long in the making.

Although the UAE, and Sharjah in particular, is going to great lengths to support up-and-coming artists, it is vital that the community at large also becomes involved in enabling the continued growth of the arts in our country. Crowdfunding is an excellent tool to encourage this involvement, which is why we are so excited to be hosting this evening with Aflamnah." He went on to point out that crowdfunding not only makes financial resources available to aspiring artists, thus empowering them to contribute to the nation and the region’s cultural growth, but also acts as a bridging tool between the artistic community and the public at large.

Moscatello added, "When members of the public contribute personally to the creation of a work of art, whether it is a painting, a short film, a sculpture, or a graphic novel, they get to enjoy both a sense of ownership and the satisfaction of sharing in its success, which makes for a very powerful incentive for their continued involvement in the arts." Founded by Vida Rizq and Lotfi Bencheikh, Aflamnah is an online platform that allows any individual or group to present a project or plan that is in need of funding to the public. Aflamnah facilitates and promotes the project to the online community, and people wishing to contribute then pledge a specific monetary amount.

The interactive evening will see Aflamnah’s founders exploring how crowdfunding can help anyone, whether a designer, photographer, writer, publisher, filmmaker, or any other, source the money needed to turn their creativity into a tangible reality. Acclaimed film director and producer, Sabah Haider will also be showing her short film "Abu Rami" and explaining how Aflamnah helped raise funds to produce her film.

We accept Guest Posts

Download the Dubai City Guide iPhone mobile app

DubaiCityGuide.com is owned and managed by Cyber Gear