After the booming of Art Dubai - since its beginning in 2007, the number of commercial galleries jumped from 7 to 50, more than the whole Cooperation Council for the Arab States (GCC) together –, its sixth, 2012 edition consolidated itself by becoming one of the prominent appointments for contemporary art in the Arabic area. Now it is Design's turn. Clearly, there is huge potential. The interior design and fit out market in the GCC has set to see USD 8.6 billion worth of contracts awarded in 2011 compared to USD 5.1 billion two years ago. The Arabian business data of late 2011 is clear: Emiratis from Dubai alone annually spend AED 1.32 billion, with Arab Expatriates spending AED 740 million and European Expatriates spending AED 465 million. The new Dubai Design Days fair, directed by French Cyril Zammit, is the first fair in the Middle East and South Asia for limited edition design and presents itself as a forward-thinking event, including exhibitions, debates, and educational programs by the world's leading designers. "With a fantastic list of galleries from all over the world and an educational programme, we believe Design Days Dubai will quickly establish itself as a forum for exploring contemporary and historic design both in the region and globally, and address the growing demand for investment choices in art and design. These things combined make for an incredibly exciting starting point."
We want to be the event that brings to Dubai the best of international design.We are convinced that the initiative we are undertaking this year will be generating many more and we cannot wait for this to happen
We asked the director if design is already considered a hot commodity in UAE: "Design is an essential part of the new lifestyles developed in the region. Now that the art market has nicely matured, design is the natural complement to the cultural scene here". Design as a natural complement of international cultural scenes. Maria Cristina Didero