Abu Dhabi-Ihab Darwish walked the miles of his initial careers with one dream, to bring his original compositions to life through a full symphony orchestra. He wanted to prove an Emirati composer could contribute a distinctive voice to the international classical music landscape.
In 2017 he brought that plan to Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF), which supported the productions that followed, beginning with his debut symphonic album, Waves of My Life, and leading to international stages.
The Emirati Composer, Ihab Darwish’s music draws on different cultures, musical traditions and orchestral languages. He sees that blend as a reflection of the UAE’s openness and tolerance, and as something he wanted to express without losing his own identity.
For Darwish, Abu Dhabi is the soil where his dreams found its voice, where the music redefined to be a cultural identity, building a bridge between nations.
“While my music may travel across continents, its soul will always belong to Abu Dhabi,” said Darwish.
To him, ADMAF does not simply support the artists, but it invests in them, their potential and their long-term development.
Composing a legacy
Dana Alkatheeri aligned with a similar vision. A young pianist who fell in love with the instrument in elementary school, encouraged by her father. She realised music “can be a powerful way to tell stories and share our culture.”
Her biggest challenge was defining her own musical identity while finding the courage to try something new. But it didn’t stop her.
First, she played music, composing came later. “Moving from playing music to composing my own pieces was a big step,” she said.
In 2024, she won the Gulf Capital ADMAF creativity Award, while she brought together music and history with major works like ‘The Founder’s Legacy’. The competition was the avenue to finding her courage, a symbol of bravery and self-trust.
“I wanted people to feel proud of our country and understand that (His Highness) Sheikh Zayed’s legacy is something we must continue through our own actions,” Alkatheeri added.
Winning the award opened new doors for her, including opportunities to perform at Abu Dhabi Festival and Expo 2025 Osaka. But holding the leadership title at the foundation is what further added meaning to her journey.
Abu Dhabi’s young talents go beyond music, with some narrating stories through jewellery.
Research meets craft
Emirati interdisciplinary artist and jeweller, Noura Alserkal’s career began with a drawing competition that she won at nine. “I remember feeling, even at that young age, that I was an artist and that my work had importance and relevance,” she said.
Today, she is a jewellery artist whose work begins long before anything is made.
She reads a book, rummage through archives and even simply have a conversation with parents, the questions usually lead her back to her own family history, genealogy or even a memory.
What fascinated her is the process of creation, as she worked with materials that taught her about the world and the people in it.
In her upcoming exhibition, she described the collection to reflect her relationship with her father, touching upon his collection of stamps. “These stamps become a starting point for creating artworks using materials that are entirely different from the original objects,” she added.
“As artists, we sometimes experience imposter syndrome. We question ourselves, our work, and whether what we are creating has value,” she said while explaining the role of ADMAF in her journey, as the ‘little push’ from someone that truly believed in her.
She is now the founder of TURABI, founded in 2022, which she describes as a brand beyond herself, also conducting workshops to introduce her art of jewellery-making to the world.
“I believe dialogue is an essential part of artistic practice,” said Alserkal while she attains that very experience through teaching, exchanging ideas and challenging perspectives. “We build a community around making and creativity,” she added.
The international stage
Abu Dhabi has emerged as a stage for major international performances and artistic premieres over the past three decades, with the ADMAF playing a central role in the capital’s growing cultural profile.
“What makes Abu Dhabi truly special is its ability to embrace the world while remaining deeply rooted in its own culture and traditions,” said Darwish.
According to ADMAF, emerging artists in the UAE can face three barriers: access, knowledge and visibility. The foundation says it works with national and international partners to address them.
The results have travelled; "The exchange runs both ways," ADMAF said.
In June 2025, Emirati artists performed at Kensington Palace for the first time, at a concert featuring the world premiere of Darwish’s Ruins of Time. While in Seoul, the exhibition Proximities drew 80,000 visitors to see work by 47 UAE-based artists, 33 of them Emirati, according to the foundation.
For these artists, the city is more than a backdrop. It is where a stamp collection becomes an exhibition, a first composition finds an audience and where a dream of an orchestra can be taken seriously.
Abu Dhabi does not ask its artists to choose between their roots and the world. It gives them both and then waits to see what they make.