Abu Dhabi, UAE, February 2, 2010: The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) today revealed details of its most ambitious festival to date - The Abu Dhabi Festival 2010. Offering a unique platform fusing world-class performances from the masters of the arts world today, cultural vision and a depth of community spirit, this year's Festival will take place from March 20th to April 7th.
Held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Festival will be a feast of arts and culture with more than 40 events. It is a two-week manifestation of world-class performances in traditional, classical and jazz music, drama, fine arts, and ballet.An important visual art exhibition and rich community and education programs will assert the position of the festival as the emirate's premier celebration of cultural expression and one of the first "Home Grown" brands with international cultural impact. The Festival has ambitious aims, not only to provide entertainment, but to be a platform where commissioning works, partnerships, world premieres and cross-cultural debates take place.HE Hoda I. Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, comments, "Year after year, the Abu Dhabi Festival has developed, and as well as having the world's most prestigious performers, it now involves the whole community - not just in Abu Dhabi but across the seven emirates. Underpinning it all are the education and community programs which assert the festival legacy and a deeply rooted cultural strategy. The Festival has reflected over the years the determination of the Capital to lead in cultural understanding. Rapidly becoming an anchor for the cultural elite of the world, the festival will see the world's most prestigious performers share the stage. Dedicated to arts education and knowledge and committed to community outreach, this year's festival offers a vast program spanning performances to commemorate Chopin's Bicentennial; traditional, classical and jazz music, drama, opera, ballet, Middle Eastern artists and a striking contemporary art exhibition".A strong educational element has been tightly woven into the Abu Dhabi Festival 2010 program, supporting ADMAF's dedication to furthering education in culture and the arts throughout the UAE. The education program for the 2010 Festival has a wide reach including school children, university students, children with special needs and the public, many of whom will be able to interact with internationally acclaimed artists in the world of theatre, marionettes, music, arts, film, ballet, drama and literature. As well as workshops and performances, ADMAF is launching a major initiative this year called the ADMAF Debates which will feature leading figureheads from the global arts community.
The "ADMAF Debates" will ignite the capital's intellectual appetite. Three panel discussions shall precede the festival's evening events and address key global and regional issues affecting the global cultural sector today. In the last session, Emirati artistic practice shall come under debate; marking the beginning of the festival's long-term initiative to support the nation's artists through exhibitions, residences and other resources across the UAE and far beyond.
HE Hoda I. Al Khamis-Kanoo, comments: "The Abu Dhabi Festival combines a two week feast of world class events, with a strong educational element that resonates throughout the year. During the days of the Festival, we provide an intense platform for debate, knowledge sharing and sincere cross-cultural understanding. These initiatives inspire innovation and embed creativity especially among the young. Most importantly, year after year, we are contributing to the ever growing cultural legacy of the UAE."
Commitment to the Community ProgramThe Abu Dhabi Festival 2010's community program will sustain commitment to the country through diverse performances across all of the seven Emirates. At the heart of the festival is the theme of "Bilad Al Khayr" or "The Land of Blessings", which brings together communities around the seven Emirates in a shared love of music, arts and culture.HE Hoda I. Al Khamis-Kanoo continues: "The Festival is a true celebration of the UAE, the land of blessing, land of tolerance, respect and enlightenment and we are pleased to be presenting events in every Emirate which are accessible to all. Inspired by the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, we endeavour to empower people and communities to enhance their creativity and embed their innovation in the world of arts". The festival runs from 20 March to 7 April 2010 and events will primarily be hosted at the Emirates Palace, with tickets on sale from tomorrow. Parts of the proceeds will go to the Ewaa Shelter for Women and Children. Education and community programs will be hosted across Abu Dhabi and the UAE and full details of these programs will be announced in the coming weeks.Videos