Dubai Public Library Enriches Community Experiences with Visual Storytelling Workshops
Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is set to offer a series of engaging and educational sessions at Dubai Public Library branches this August. Under the School of Life project, these activities, which include Cinema, Photography, Art, and Chess clubs, are designed to enhance the skills of both adults and children, enriching their knowledge of visual storytelling and helping them craft impactful narratives. The initiative also aims to empower participants to document their memories through photography and cinematic arts.
Themed ‘Capturing Moments: Photography and Cinema,’ the School of Life program will feature workshops at the Al Safa Art & Design Library, led by artist Hala Kassab through the Art Club. Workshops include ‘Memory Box,’ where children learn collage techniques to design personalized memory boxes, and ‘Creativity from Scraps,’ which explores multimedia approaches to creating mosaic-like photo collages. Other workshops such as ‘Art of Decorating Tea and Coffee Pots’ and ‘Artistic Porcelain Plate Painting’ will guide participants in transforming everyday objects into artistic expressions.
Additionally, the Al Safa Art & Design Library will host four Photography Club sessions with members of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award. These sessions will teach children the art of storytelling through photojournalism and advanced photography techniques. Participants will practice by covering the Dubai Public Library's Summer Camp activities, culminating in an exhibition and discussion of their work. Adults can also join the ‘Flash Lights & Runways: Fashion Photography Workshop,’ which covers techniques for using lighting, poses, and dynamic movements in fashion photography.
Al Mankhool Public Library will feature Cinema Club sessions led by Touma Bittar, focusing on analyzing classic films and exploring visual composition. Workshops like ‘Camera Movements for Storytelling’ and ‘Integrating Framing and Movement’ will teach participants how to use camera techniques to enhance storytelling. Participants will work on a cinematic project, showcasing their skills within the club's activities.
The program also includes workshops like ‘Capturing Togetherness: From the Heart to the Lens’ by Nasser Haji at the Thukher Social Club, focusing on family photography techniques. Haji will also lead the ‘Lens of Memories’ workshop at Hatta Public Library, highlighting the power of photography in capturing Emirati heritage and culture. Meanwhile, Mohamed Ramadan will continue teaching chess strategies at Al Twar Public Library, and the ‘Developing Images Process’ session by Filmoticon-Spacelab will offer adults advanced photo enhancement techniques.
Dubai Culture has also announced the registration of the School of Life brand and logo as a trademark, with approval from the Ministry of Economy. The logo, inspired by the ‘Tangram’ puzzle, symbolizes creativity, mental enhancement, and skill development.
