The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi fosters creativity at home with a new series of online visual and performing arts classes

Abu Dhabi Culture offers a wide-ranging series of online classes of visual arts, crafts and music, aiming to bring the transformative power of the arts to participants of all ages

This July, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is offering a new series of creative online courses to introduce audiences to the transformative power of the arts, in the comfort of their own homes. With live visual and performing arts courses for all ages, the Abu Dhabi Culture Online Classes programme provides a virtual platform for the workshops and classes normally offered at Abu Dhabi’s cultural and community arts centres.

Cultural education programmes from Berklee Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat’s Art Studio, the Cultural Foundation’s Al Marsam Al Hor and Bait al Khatt, Al Qattara Arts Centre, and Bait Al Oud offer participants the opportunity to explore their creativity at home, nurture their talent and ignite their imagination. Courses subjects include painting, mixed media, storytelling through art, embroidery, pottery, Arabic calligraphy, voice lessons, music theory, lessons in piano, Oud and more.

The dynamic programme features a team of talented artists and art educators leading both English and Arabic classes, fostering an environment in which children, adults, emerging artists and musicians from all backgrounds and skill levels can develop their abilities. The interactive Zoom classes will enable participants to work on projects, share ideas, explore new areas and grow in their understanding and immersion in both visual and performing arts practice.

The Abu Dhabi Culture Online Classes programme further bolsters the wide-ranging offering of the emirate’s culture sector, with the classes joining an already robust roster of online sessions and performances and complementing the recent reopening of Abu Dhabi’s cultural sites.

For full course information, dates and fees, and to register to participate, please visit www.abudhabiculture.ae.

Abu Dhabi Culture Online Classes

Clay Handbuilding

Age group: Teens & Adults

Handbuilding is a pottery making technique that involves creating forms without a pottery wheel, using the hands, fingers, and simple tools. This course is for beginners and those seeking to further their development of hand-built ceramics. Participants will learn fundamental techniques, including coiling, slab building, pinching, and the use of texture.

Masters of Art Techniques

Age group: Juniors & Teens

A session to learn about some of the major art movements that defined and shaped modern art and which still influence the art being produced today, including Surrealism, Pointillism, and Pop Art. In this course, participants will create artworks inspired by each of these movements’ unique styles and techniques.

Mixed-Media Maestros

Age group: Juniors & Teens

During this course, participants will engage in an experimental painting and mixed-media experience, learning methods such as monoprinting, collage, intentional brush strokes, negative space painting, paint pouring and splatters.

Sensorial Arts Exploration

Age group: Children (3-5) with adult

In this course, children accompanied by their favourite adults engage in transformative and experimental introductory art activities with a focus on texture, colour, and experimentation. By providing a variety of sensory art activities, children will be invited to discover these interesting, textured projects and have fun while they explore, investigate and create.

Embroidery Exchange

Age group: Teens & Adults

Embroidery is a form of needlework that has been practiced across the world for thousands of years. It is used to embellish textiles both for decorative and communicative purposes. In terms of form and aesthetics, embroidery may add colour, texture, richness, and dimension. In this course, participants will create their own embroidered artworks using a variety of stitching techniques, including satin stitch, back stitch, running stitch, chain stitch, split stitch and stem stitch.

Storytelling Through Art

Age group: Children (3-5) with adult

This course will stimulate the imagination by turning popular children’s stories into fun art activities. Children accompanied by their favourite adult are invited to join the weekly storytelling sessions, followed by art activities inspired by the characters, places, and events featured in each week’s children’s tale.

Voice Lessons:  An Introduction to Singing

Age group: All ages

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice by the use of sustained tonality, rhythm, and a variety of vocal techniques. In this course, participants will learn the five basic components of singing: pitch, breathing, rhythm, diction and voice. To become a good singer, it is important to start with the basics.

An Introduction to Music Theory & History

Age group: All ages

In this introductory course, students will learn to identify notes and scales and to understand the fundamentals of pattern and structure in music. Group sizes are kept small, in order to give students a personalised experience.

One-to-One Piano

Age group: All ages

This course is offered to people who grew up in a musical family, or are a complete beginner, as there are unquestionable mental and physical benefits to playing musical instruments. Furthermore, studies show it is truly never too late to start learning piano!  Participants of all ages and levels, from young children to adult beginners are invited to take this one-to-one online piano course.

Oil Painting Techniques

Age group: Teens & Adults

Learn the skills and techniques of oil painting as practiced by the great masters in art history. The course includes lessons on light and shadow, color theory and values, drawing with paint, creating form and space, various paint application methods, and creating balance and harmony in paintings.

Creative Clay

Age group: Juniors, Teens & Adults

In this course, the love of clay will ignite children’s imaginations and creative processes. As they learn about the qualities of one of Earth’s more abundant natural materials, they will also learn that squishing it, rolling it, pinching it, and decorating it can create something new and exciting with endless possibilities.

Upcycled Paper Crafts

Age group: Juniors, Teens & Adults

Participants will have fun learning several different types of upcycled paper crafts including decoupage, paper quilling, papier-mâché, and paper bead making, all made from readily available materials upcycled from around the home.  Participants will develop their creative skills and have the opportunity to create and personalise unique projects.

Arabic Calligraphy: Tools and Techniques

Age group: Juniors, Teens & Adults

Arabic calligraphy is written using a traditional pen made of reed. The earliest style is known as the Kufic style, which has sharper edges and corners compared to many of the other later developed styles such as Thuluth, Diwani, Riq’ah and others. These writing styles can be thought of as different font types, and the tip of the reed pen is cut differently for each. Through this course students will learn about the various writing styles and techniques of the art of the written word.

Oud to Joy

Age group: All ages

The oud is undoubtedly the most popular musical instrument in Arabic Music, with cousins of the instrument appearing in different cultures across the world. In this course, participants will learn the fundamentals of oud, and basic theory and techniques. As the course progresses, participants will learn to play songs and etudes including Maqamat (musical scales). Suitable for students of all ages and levels, from young children to adult beginners.

Tranquil Watercolours

Age group: Teens & Adults

Watercolour is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-based solution. The term refers to both the medium and the resulting artwork. In this programme, participants will enjoy experimenting with a wide range of basic principles and techniques that form the building blocks of all watercolours.

Oil Painting

Age group: Teens & Adults

This introductory course will allow participants to discover the power of the brush and to learn the skills and techniques of oil painting, including lessons on light and shadow, colour theory and values, drawing with paint, creating form and space, various paint application methods, and creating balance and harmony in paintings.

Jewellery Design

Age group: Teens & Adults

For thousands of years, people have used jewellery to embellish themselves, to give as gifts, and express faith, celebration and more. This introductory course will teach the basic techniques of drafting jewellery and sculpting precious metals into intricate and unique designs. Participants’ creative processes will be harnessed to produce their own original accessories.

Arabic Calligraphy: The Art of the Written Word

Age group: Teens & Adults

Arabic calligraphy is the artistic practice of the written word. It is known in Arabic as khatt, from the word meaning ‘line’. Originally a tool for communication, with time, it began to be used in architecture, decoration and in other elements of design. In this course, participants will learn the techniques of basic lettering by completing a series of writing exercises to develop a greater understanding of and appreciation for this striking art form.

Oud Classes

Age group: All ages (10+)

The Oud department is the core of Bait Al Oud, a central training institution for the teaching of Arabic music. Under the supervision of oud master Naseer Shamma, the department focuses on both keeping the tradition and evolving the practice of oud. The course includes instrument practice, performance and composition. Each student will get two sessions of 45 min per week as well as participate in a group Solfege class.

Qanun Classes

Age group: All ages (10+)

The Qanun department is one of the oldest in Bait Al Oud, focusing on one of the central instruments of every Arabic Takht Band: the qanun. The programme includes instrument practice, Solfege and performance. Each student will receive two sessions of 45 min per week as well as participate in a group Solfege class.

Vocal Classes

Age group: All ages (10+)

The Vocal department of Bait Al Oud plays an important role in the preservation of traditional Arabic singing and the development of new singing talent. Furthermore, the Vocal department also teaches Mowashahat, Qudood and Emirati songs. Each student will receive two sessions of 45 min per week as well as participate in a group Solfege class.

Cello Classes

Age group: All ages (10+)

The Cello department of Bait Al Oud combines teaching cello with a special focus on the Arabic Takht Band and the teaching of rebabah. Students interested in this area will have the opportunity to play a central role in the preservation of Emirati heritage. Each student will receive two sessions of 45 min per week as well as participate in a group Solfege class.

Violin Classes

Age group: All ages (10+)

The Violin department of Bait Al Oud focuses on the tradition of the Arabic Takht Band. While the course teaches violin in the Western classical music tradition, the Violin Department emphasises the crucial role the violin plays within Arabic music. Each student will receive two sessions of 45 min per week as well as participate in a group Solfege class.