Time Takes Center Stage at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi 2024: A Global Dialogue on Culture’s Evolving Relationship with Time
Global thought leaders from over 90 countries will meet in Abu Dhabi this March for the sixth edition of the Culture Summit to consider how our changing relation to time is impacting the way culture is produced, received, and consumed.
By Culture Summit Abu Dhabi
Friday, March 1, 2024
The theme of the 2024 Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, ‘A Matter of Time’, is not merely a philosophical inquiry, but a pragmatic deep dive into how our relationship with time shapes cultural discourse. The sixth edition of the Summit, taking place from 3-5 March at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, will welcome practitioners, thinkers, and researchers from the fields of art, heritage, media, museums, music, public policy, and technology. They will unravel the intricate relationship between culture and time – how it is evolving, what the challenges this evolution represents for the culture and creative sectors – and provide actionable solutions.
On Day 1, themed ‘Time to Remember’, participants will explore the role of culture in creating collective memories, offering alternatives to the linear concept of time and raising awareness of current topical issues. The day starts with a reading by the famous Arab poet Adonis, followed by a conversation with pop star Hussain Al Jassmi, and consecutively a creative conversation with Nobel Prize of Literature laureate Wole Soyinka and Malian filmmaker Manthia Diawara. The ‘First People’s Knowledge on Living in the Everywhen’ panel, moderated by Stephanie Rosenthal of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project, will discuss different ideas of time and its real-life expressions with artists and practitioners from First People’s communities. At the ‘Sustainability and Decision Making’ panel, Eleni Giokos, CNN Anchor/Correspondent, together with former prime ministers of Canada, Mali, Greece and Bhutan will discuss their experience dealing with decision-making, the constraints of time, and the consequences for building a sustainable future. In addition to other panels and keynotes, this first day will also see major players of entertainment, scholars in the field of living heritage and VR experts unpacking the mechanics and impact of the passage of time.
Day 2, themed ‘Time to Act’, will celebrate the launch of the MONDIACULT Ministerial Dialogue at Culture Summit, a landmark initiative inaugurated by one of the Summit’s key partners, UNESCO. This new platform for global cultural and creative dialogue will bring together ministers of culture from countries including Spain, Morocco, Paraguay, Cabo Verde, Croatia, Cuba and Chad. The discussion will concentrate on ‘culture as a global public good’, aiming to embed it in the upcoming UN Sustainable Development Goals.
‘The Clock is Ticking: Leading Public Agencies for Culture in Times of Polycrisis’ session with the likes of IFACCA members Magdalena Moreno Mujica and Kristin Danielsen, joined by Nicholas Moyo, Permanent Secretary for Culture of Zimbabwe, Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director General at the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam, and Stephen Wainwright, Chief Executive of Creative New Zealand, will dissect the evolving challenges and opportunities for public cultural institutions amid global crises. ‘Building forever? The new art of sharing’ will see William Mullally, Arts & Culture Editor at The National sit down with directors of the National Gallery of Art Washington, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, Kaywin Feldma,Manuel Rabaté and Mariët Westermann. They will tackle the shift from traditional, permanent museum collections, using Louvre Abu Dhabi’s unique rotating loan system as a key example. The ‘Creating A New, Valuable ‘Time Economy’ Through The Metaverse’ host Tom Wainwright from The Economist with Catherine Henry from Media.Monks and Mic Mann of Africarare will unpack the metaverse’s ability to alter perceptions of time, a feature that poses both fresh opportunities and challenges for businesses and the way we consume media.
The Summit’s final day will be dedicated to the ‘Time to Share’. The ‘Deep Time’ panel with Alexandra Munroe of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, artist and curator Jitish Kallat, Ella Saltmarshe of The Long Time Project, and artist-writer Himali Singh Soin, encourages a deeper exploration of the concept of an extended timescale and of time’s impact on our relationship with nature and each other. At the ‘Innovation, Disruption and Diversity: Shaping the Future of Entertainment Across Cultures’ panel, industry pioneers Simon Fuller, Adam Roth and Steven Schneiderwill explore the intertwining of storytelling and technology. In the panel ‘Creating a Sustainable Pipeline of Talents,’ industry leaders Sir Alistair Spalding, Mark Russell, David Bogen, and Britt Burton will discuss nurturing new talent and preserving the vitality of the creative sector amidst global adversities, sharing insights from the realms of education, performance, and media.
The Summit will feature keynotes and performances by celebrated artists, authors, curators and thought leaders such as Richard Armstrong, Babyface, Fatima Alhashmi, J. Ivy, Nujoom Alghanem, Prof. Homi Bhabha and Abeer Seikaly, among others. The event also offers an opportunity to engage with the creative insights of leading contemporary artists and creatives such as Ahaad Alamoudi, Ayman Zedani, Kader Attia, Rafael Lozano Hemmer, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Sarah Morris and Wayne McGregor CBE.
Since its first edition in 2017, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi has established itself as a pivotal force for change in the cultural sector and gained global recognition. In its inaugural year, under the theme ‘The Creative Mind of the Connected World: Culture as a Change Agent in the Digital Age’, the Summit featured the likes Madeleine Albright and Darren Walker and discussed the interplay of culture and digitalization. Themes have evolved annually, from ‘Unexpected Collaborations’ in 2018, to 2019’s ‘Cultural Responsibility and New Technology’, examining tech’s cultural impact. The pandemic prompted a virtual ‘Alone Together’ edition in 2020, while 2021’s ‘The Cultural Economy and the Economy of Culture’ featured Audrey Azoulay and Sir David Chipperfield, and 2022 celebrated ‘A Living Culture’ with Trevor Noah and a Frank Gehry, continuing the Summit’s tradition of diverse and influential voices.
Over the years, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi has significantly contributed to DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to establishing the emirate as a leader of cultural authenticity and innovation, both regionally and on the international stage. This event goes beyond celebrating diversity and thought leadership; it underscores the vital influence of culture in shaping our shared future. As participants from around the world convene, the opportunity for novel ideas and partnerships promises to influence the cultural narratives and policies of the future, adding a significant milestone to the evolving story of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi.
Culture Summit Abu Dhabi 2024 will take place from 3-5 March at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and is organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) with leading global partners including UNESCO, Economist Impact, Design Museum, Google, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, and the Recording Academy®. Those looking to attend Culture Summit Abu Dhabi 2024 can express their interest on the website here. The event is by invitation only; spaces are limited. The most up-to-date program is available here.
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