Expo 2020 Dubai supports flourishing UAE arts scene

DUBAI. KAZINFORM - Expo 2020 Dubai has announced that it will help establish world-class training courses in make-up and costume design – the first of their kind to be conducted in the region - in a bid to further boost the UAE’s flourishing arts scene, WAM reports.

Known as the ‘Atelier 2020’ project and running alongside the UAE’s first opera, Al Wasl, Expo 2020 has signed agreements with London College of Make-up and the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, DIDI, to create specialised courses for students in the UAE.

Atelier 2020 is now open for applications and will offer top-class qualifications, creating opportunities for the UAE’s youth to embark on behind-the-scenes careers in the theatre and movie industry.

Three Atelier 2020 make-up courses, run by the Dubai-based London College of Make-up, will focus on special effects, theatre and stage, and fashion and media make-up. The eight-week courses start in 2020 and prospective students can find out more at the London College of Make-up website.

DIDI’s costume design for theatre courses will form part of the DIDI Bachelor of Design, and will teach students visual literacy and the required technological skills, based on a collaboration and sustainable approach.

The courses were designed by the team at Al Wasl, the Expo 2020-commissioned opera composed by Emirati artists Mohamed Fairouz and Maha Gargash. Performed in both Arabic and English, Al Wasl will tell the rich cultural story of the UAE, including its achievements and future aspirations, and forms a key part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s cultural programming.