Makers’ Month

Dubai Culture is running its third Makers’ Month this weekend at Earth Roastery in Al Quoz – panel discussions, talks, and hands-on workshops “designed to sharpen skills and foster collaboration between manufacturing and the creative industries”. The principles are sound: encourage local manufacturing businesses to see what’s going on the crrative field, encourage creatives to think about using local production facilities if they have one-offs or short runs to make, generally help the creative sector up its act in thinking commercially. And there are incentives to highlight: Khulood Khoory, Director of the Projects & Events Department at Dubai Culture, said the weekend would emphasise “Al Quoz Creative Zone’s unique resources, investment opportunities, and proven models”.

The workshops range from the basics – sustainability, craftsmanship, starting up a business – to more advanced topics like using AI in product design workflows. And some of the presentations are sure to be packed out: Alhaan Ahmed of ARDH on ‘Designers as Entrepreneurs: Crafting Sustainable and Desirable Solutions for the Future’ looks a good one. ‘The Art and Business of Ceramics: Craft, Growth, and Community’ with a strong panel is another good subject, the delicate balance beween art, community and commerce.

The programme – download the PDF here – also features a guided bus tour organised by Make Works UAE to visit three local factories: a furniture manufacturer, a multipurpose production facility, and a printing house and design studio. The tour offers live demonstrations and real-time exposure to the creatives’ processes, “underlining Al Quoz Creative Zone’s technical expertise and craftsmanship”.

Attendance is free, but you’ll need to pre-register. And no, we don’t know why a weekend event is titled as a month …