Jewel to novel: Dubai Culture & Arts Authority events cover a wide range
- Last updated: January 8, 2026 | 09:49 ..
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has unveiled the January programme of its School of Life initiative, featuring 30 interactive, knowledge-based workshops that combine creativity with learning. It invites members of Dubai Public Libraries to discover fresh ways to learn, create, and connect. The lineup spans design and jewellery, music, calligraphy, languages, and Arabic literature, complemented by workshops that build practical know-how and support family connection in library settings. With the start of the new year, Al Safa Art & Design Library is designed as a creative hub.
Hamda AlMajid leads ‘Rooftop Soapery’, introducing soap-casting, colouring, and moulding techniques inspired by gemstones. Afrah Siroor supervises ‘Heritage Patches’, a fashion design workshop organised by Cordon, where participants transform fabric into embellished textile pieces informed by cultural motifs and local heritage. Brunch & Art specialists runs ‘Polymer Clay Jewelry’, covering colour blending and the making of earrings, necklaces, and accessories.
Boubaker Boukhari hosts ‘Watercolour Gemstones’, focusing on painting skills with an emphasis on colour transparency, shadows, and light gradation to highlight the unique beauty of each stone. Medaf Creative Studio runs sessions at Al Safa Art & Design Library, including ‘Clay Jewellery Holder’, where attendees shape and personalise an air-dry clay trinket dish.
The programme also includes ‘Jeweled Mirror’, where learners create mosaic-style mirrors using a mix of old and new jewellery, and ‘Jeweled Butterfly’, which involves decorating wooden butterflies with colourful jewels and craft materials to produce one-of-a-kind keepsakes. At Al Mankhool Library, Gino Banola and Teng Meras lead the ‘Gino Banola x Teng Meras: Design Your Own Baybayin-Engraved Necklace’, where participants engrave a chosen Baybayin word or name onto a pendant to create a culturally inspired keepsake. They also run ‘Engraved Baybayin Keychain,’ using professional tools to produce personalised keychains.
The library will also host ‘Paper Quilling Jewelry’, led by StripsnCurls, introducing paper-quilling basics, guiding attendees in making statement accessories aligned with their style. Al Twar Library hosts two ‘Arabic in Nature: Sadu’ sessions under the Languages Club, where Arabic experts introduce children and youth to the art of Al Sadu and its cultural significance in Bedouin life.
The programme also spotlights pearl diving traditions, the beauty of pearls, and their historical importance to the UAE. In collaboration with Cordon, Al Safa Art & Design Library organises Music and Performing Arts Club activities, including ‘Choral in Arabic: Hag Al-Layla’, which introduces community members to traditional chants and group singing. Participants can also join ‘Choral in Arabic: Hilal Ramadan’, focusing on vocal warm-ups, breath control, pitch regulation and pronunciation, culminating in a medley performance of Ramadan Jana and Aqbal Qamrak.
In addition, the library hosts the closing ceremony for the ‘Ruq‘ah Calligraphy’ Creative Impact Track workshops, delivered by calligrapher Mohammad Altamimi under the Calligraphy Club. The Photography Club presents ‘Creative Impact Track: Photographic Storytelling & Building Family Memory’, which aims to empower participants to use photography as a tool for self-expression and community engagement. It is curated by Ola Al Louz in collaboration with Fujifilm. As part of Art Club activities, Hadeel Adnan supervises ‘Wire Jewelry Making’, organised by Al Safa Art & Design Library in collaboration with Ghosn Art. Abeer Al Edani will lead ‘Jewelry Design Through Artistic Collage’. Experts from Medaf Creative Studio lead three workshops: Designing a ‘Clay Jewelry Holder’, a ‘Jeweled Mirror’, and a ‘Jeweled Butterfly’.
Under the Health and Nutrition Club, Nada Kattan delivers ‘Pastry Making’ at Hatta Library and ‘Cake Decorating’ at Al Safa Art & Design Library, introducing decoration techniques and methods to create standout designs for various occasions. The Family Development Club runs sessions at Al Safa Art & Design Library and Hatta Library, focusing on strengthening family cohesion. They include ‘Family Wellness,’ organised by Wasl, where Louise Hurley and Anushkha Gokani explore how the home environment supports children’s emotional and physical wellbeing. Aisha Abdulqader leads the ‘Self-Awareness for Stronger Family Bonds’ workshop.
In December last year, Dubai Culture welcomed international jewellery designer from Italy, Roberto Coin, for a talk titled ‘Exploring Ideas: A Conversation with Roberto Coin’. Supported by Sikka Platform and held at Etihad Museum, the event was held in the presence of Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture; Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of the Arts, Design & Literature Sector; and Khulood Khoory, Director of Projects & Events. It was moderated by art curator Lucia Boscaini. Coin spoke on his early years in the hospitality industry and the pursuit of balance between heritage and contemporary expression. He also addressed ethical considerations within the jewellery field, offering guidance to young creatives.
In December last year, Dubai Culture also organised a session titled ‘The State of the Novel in the Arab World’, as part of the Library Talks initiative, which aims to strengthen engagement between creators and the public. The panel discussion, which took place at Al Safa Art & Design Library on December 18, hosted writer Ali Abu al-Reesh, Dr. Mohsen Alramli and author Nadia Al Najjar, who explored the current state and evolution of the Arabic novel. Moderated by writer Mariam Hammoud, the session deliberated on the prospects and future of Arabic literary narrative, shedding light on contemporary literary trends and creative experiences and the role of the novel in shaping cultural and social awareness. The Library Talks initiative, part of the Schools of Life project, also hosted a workshop titled ‘Narrative Techniques in Novel Writing’, delivered by Dr. Mohsen Alramli (Dec. 19 – 21).