AD Culture Summit announces theme, details

Abu Dhabi: The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT  Abu Dhabi) has announced details of the programme for the third edition of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, which is set to run from 7 to 11 April at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi.

 Under the theme ‘Cultural Responsibility & New Technology’, a programme featuring panel discussions, performances, interactive workshops and network events has been  crafted in collaboration with five partners representing influential sectors in the fields of arts, media, heritage, museums and technology.

This edition’s theme reflects the current zeitgeist, addressing questions of how cultural agents can be more engaged in addressing global challenges, and how creativity  and technology may be harnessed for positive change.

Collaborative partners include The Economist Events, providing expertise in media and the distribution of information in global society; UNESCO, which will explore crucial issues in cultural heritage including responses to crises and conflict; the Royal Academy of Arts, responding to the Summit theme by exploring global visual culture, architecture and public art; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, exploring how museums can shape the future of culture and how can museums offer a way of exploration to see the cultural past through the lens of the present; and Google, exploring technology’s  impact on arts, culture and media.

“This third edition of the Culture Summit aims to continue the great strides we have made over the last two years,  partnering with esteemed global leaders in relevant fields of cultural awareness and intellectual development,” said HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman at DCT Abu Dhabi. “The programme examines how the cultural forces of arts, heritage, media and technology can be used to incite tangible, positive change, in the context of our increasingly globalised and rapidly  changing society.

“The Summit will cover  some of the cultural sector’s most pressing issues, exploring topics that affect us all - from how we see the world around us to how we are allowed to express ourselves; from the true impact of technology on our lives to ways of safeguarding and preserving  culture in times of conflict. I look forward to seeing the insights and outcomes that result from what I’m sure will be extremely productive sessions.” A series of sessions will be moderated by the Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Arts, Tim Marlow, who will debate with leading artists, architects and curators issues including the legitimacy of public art, popularity vs populism and freedom of expression.

Cultural Heritage is a central theme of the Summit, and UNESCO will consider the challenges and opportunities associated with the safeguarding of cultural heritage in emergency situations, including both armed conflict and disasters,  and the use of new technologies to protect heritage during emergencies and post-crisis recovery and reconstruction.

Lazare Eloundou,  Director for Culture and Emergencies, UNESCO, will moderate sessions with experts and specialists on cultural heritage from the Middle East, South America and Africa including: Anne-Marie Afeiche, Director, National Museum  of Beirut; Ali Ould Sidi, Adviser to Mali’s Ministry of  Culture; and ALIPH Executive Director Valery Freland.

 John Prideaux,  US Editor at The Economist, will chair discussions on the changing face of media and the role information plays in our increasingly global society. Panels will discuss subjects such as survival techniques for traditional media in the age of technology, how  the media can be a driver for change, bursting the bubble of social media, and innovations and new frontiers in the media landscape.

Participating speakers come from both traditional and new media and include Jason Leavy, Managing Director, MENA at VICE Media and Editor-in-Chief of The National Mina Al Oraibi.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation is leading discussions on the role of museums in shaping the future of culture. Moderators Richard Armstrong, Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, and Alexandra Munroe, Samsung Senior Curator of Asian Art and Senior Advisor, Global Arts, Guggenheim Museum; Interim Director, Curatorial Affairs, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project will be engaging speakers from Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong and Indonesia to consider questions such as how museums can activate the past  in our present.