Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), hosted female students of Zayed University, ZU, for a brainstorming session on the third edition of Dubai Canvas to be held in March 2017.

The brainstorming session was designed to generate ideas for further enhancing the annual art festival, which brings together some of the world’s best 3D artists. The session asked students how they envisioned next year’s festival and what they wished to see in the third edition of the event.

Director-General of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) Mona Al Marri welcomed the students and said that the brainstorming sessions are part of Brand Dubai’s objective of involving the youth in the preparations for next year’s Dubai Canvas, which has become a major event in Dubai’s art calendar.

She said the sessions were also inspired by the Dubai leadership’s keenness to provide opportunities to the country’s youth to contribute ideas to the development of major initiatives and projects.

Member of the Organising Committee of Dubai Canvas Ayesha bin Kalli gave a detailed presentation to the students on the past two editions of Dubai Canvas in which she outlined the main features of the event, the process of selection of artists, and the criteria for their selection. She also spoke to the students about the festival’s success in attracting a large number of visitors not only from Dubai but also across the UAE.

Bin Kalli said that the session with Zayed University students were the first in a series of brainstorming sessions devoted to generating new ideas for an enhanced festival next year. The sessions form part of Brand Dubai’s efforts to create unique events that add value to Dubai’s artistic and cultural environment, she further said.

"We are very happy to have Zayed University students participate in the brainstorming session. The ideas generated were very creative and there were many unique suggestions on how the event can be promoted further among audiences in the UAE and beyond," Bin Kalli added.

Launched in 2015, Dubai Canvas featured the works of 30 artists from 14 countries in the second edition of the festival held in March this year.