The fifth Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries will take place on September 20 at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, bringing together policymakers, authors, technologists, content creators and investors for a day of keynotes, panel discussions and masterclasses. The free event, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, focuses on how Arabic creative industries can grow regionally and internationally under the theme "Arabic as Infrastructure Identity, Knowledge & Economic Power in the Digital Age."
Launched in 2022, the congress has expanded beyond publishing to cover the wider creative sector. Last year's edition featured Jordanian director Tima Shomali, Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki, Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer and Tunisian-Egyptian actress Hend Sabry, with discussions ranging across Arabic storytelling on screen, on stage and in literature.
What the sessions will cover
The programme will address the commercial value of Arabic creative work, from book rights and transmedia franchises to game localisation and licensing agreements. Other sessions will look at how Arabic language and culture can adapt to new digital technologies, including AI tools for creatives exploring the intersection of tradition and software.
Additional topics include investment gaps in the creative economy of the Middle East and North Africa, and how games and interactive learning can support Arabic-language acquisition, cultural identity and community engagement. The full line-up of speakers and panelists has not yet been announced. Attendance is free with registration.
A creative economy in transition
Arabic-language creative work carries commercial weight, from book rights to game adaptations - the kind of transmedia value that AI and digital distribution could widen. For creatives already experimenting with Generative Art, the congress signals that the region's institutions see technology as a lever for cultural products, not a threat to them.
Why this matters for creatives
If the congress delivers on its agenda, Arabic writers, filmmakers, game designers and visual artists could find new avenues for licensing, localisation and international reach. For creatives looking to position themselves ahead of these shifts, understanding how Arabic-language AI tools and interactive media markets function is becoming a practical professional skill - not an abstract conversation. The September 20 event is a direct place to hear how those markets are developing from the people building them.
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