The Culture Programming Department at the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi encompasses programmes across music, symposiums and visual art. The Department is comprised of four key programmes:

The Abu Dhabi Music Programme, which includes Abu Dhabi Classics, one of the premier initiatives to promote both Arabic and Western classical music; Bait Al Oud, which plays an essential role in documenting masterpieces of Arab musical heritage and in restoring the role of music as a fundamental element in the cultural life of UAE nationals and residents; Sounds of UAE, a concert programme aimed at safeguarding the musical traditions and heritage of the UAE through regular performances by Emirati musicians; Umsiyat, a concert series presenting a cross-cultural musical programme with poetry elements, delivering a message of co-existence and mutual understanding and Cultural Foundation Classics, a community programme involving classical and jazz musicians. abudhabimusic.ae

Culture Summit Abu Dhabi is a forum established in 2017 that convenes leaders from the arts, museums, heritage, media, public policy and technology to identify ways in which culture can promote positive change in global society. culturesummitabudhabi.com

Public Art Abu Dhabi is an initiative that furthers the emirate’s long legacy of investing in culture and cementing it into the fabric of the city. There are three main projects that fall under the initiative; Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, featuring new commissions across the city; and Manar Abu Dhabi, a platform showcasing an array of light artworks that celebrate the natural beauty of the city’s unique vista; and finally, direct commissions across the city to take place yearly. paad.ae

Abu Dhabi Art delivers a year-round visual arts programme that includes art installations and exhibitions, residencies and events, culminating in an annual art fair each November. abudhabiart.ae