Dubai Culture's Government Innovation Labs Explore Strategies for Cultural Volunteering and Memberships

Dubai, UAE, 7 December 2023: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) concluded the Government Innovation Labs series, held at Etihad Museum to discuss a set of specific plans and ideas related to innovating new services for customers and members of Dubai's public libraries, museums, and heritage sites. This is in line with the Authority’s sectoral priorities and its strategic roadmap aimed at encouraging effective participation by all segments of society, which contributes to achieving Dubai’s cultural vision of positioning the emirate as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

The innovation lab discussions and sessions witnessed the participation of over 45 Dubai Culture employees, volunteers and customers, during which they reviewed the themes of the study 'Innovating new services for customers - volunteering in the service of culture,' the outcome of which was 70 specific ideas aimed at stimulating volunteerism in public libraries, museums and heritage sites. Participants in these sessions discussed the importance and role of social cultural assets in encouraging the youth to volunteer in public libraries, museums, and heritage sites in Dubai, especially as it has positive repercussions in raising their level of self-confidence, enhancing their ability to communicate with others, and encouraging their leadership spirit. They also discussed the possibility of offering an integrated training programme to prepare certified cultural volunteers, launching the Distinguished Cultural Volunteer Award, and a digital platform for cultural volunteers and linking it with the official volunteer institutions in the country, in addition to organising the annual forum for cultural volunteers, designing volunteer museum competitions, and others. The sessions also discussed ways to qualify and train young volunteers to meet the needs of these public assets.

The 'Innovating New Services for Customers' study included more than 170 suggestions to encourage demand for membership services and improving their level with the aim of enriching customers’ experience during their visit to the Authority’s cultural and heritage assets. Participants in the study suggested opening new Dubai Public Library branches in shopping malls, launching a home delivery service for books, and creating new and dedicated memberships for employees of the Dubai government, the federal government, the private sector, international institutions, and others, in addition to benefiting from Dubai Culture’s public-private partnerships to attract new library members. They also discussed the possibilities of improving the experience of visiting museums and heritage sites by launching cultural memberships, and cooperating with national public and private institutions as well as the UAE embassies around the world to organise various visits to the sites, along with designing the visitor journey, and using modern technologies to introduce museum collections, and others.

The Innovation Lab mechanism relied on the use of new methods in analysing the ideas presented and the process of developing and implementing them on-ground to attract customers and volunteers and contribute to the development of their skills, competencies and knowledge by integrating them into the cultural work system in Dubai. Participants in the lab series presented a set of recommendations, including the importance of organising periodic innovation labs targeting customers and specific categories of volunteers to benefit from the range of interactive sessions and workshops taking place in these labs. This positively reflects on their skills and enhances their interaction with volunteer work and its positive effects on the individual and society.