Skyscrapering....

Weekends....

Its Saturday and its supposed to be the start of the weekend but it is actually the last day here. Weekends are Friday and Saturday in the UAE and I don't know how I will ever get used to it. I am not the only one either...

I went to a Meet and Greet of the American Women's Association of Dubai and people who have been here for upwards of two years say the same thing. They have the luxury of traveling back and forth between here and the States, Europe and many other places where the weekend is Saturday and Sunday that I don't so maybe I will grow more accustomed to it. 

It does mean that I still work six days a week because in the States and other places where people are that I need be in contact with, its Friday and they are working. A six day work week is not anything new in my sphere as before I got here I was working seven days a week!

Onwards...

 Let's talk about buildings and building for a second...

I mentioned in the previous blog there were so many buildings that are left unfinished due to the economic crisis...yes, folks it is global...we are not the only ones! 

Those buildings are in such stark contrast to the iconic 'Dubai' that everyone knows...and as an arts manager, it makes the intentions of this festival I am working on more challenging and interesting to navigate.

Why? Because those buildings remind people of what once was. Constant majestic reminders of a time that was luxurious and decadent...and who would want to let go of that in favor of reality? Especially a reality that one drives by every day. Burj Khalifa next to an unnamed building that is only a shell, still waiting to be completed.

I have to admit I hope that the finished buildings, that resplendent Dubai, will serve our purposes well. We are creating this amazing Children's Arts Festival, a first of its kind here, that we want to be exciting in a way only the exotic-ness of Dubai can provide.

At the same time it is imperative that we maintain the values that are at the core of our work.

How do we do that? How do we marry the values of our nonprofit with the values of a place that appreciates that but by and large is looking for an escape? 

I am gonna call on a phrase some of you will recognize well.... 

'Good Art, Well Marketed.' 

We have the good art....however marketing is critical at this point...for sponsors, for the schools, for the general public. We are introducing a new format we hope will have sustainability for the future but at the same time, it must be balanced with enough of the Dubai 'X-Factor' to capture the attention of those individuals that live here and pull blinders when they pass by those unfinished buildings, that are not here to think about value for money and education...rather that are trying to avoid it.

We are an unfinished building hoping to scrape the sky like no other structure here....

What's next?