Theatrical Association organises 11th Local Theatre Forum

Organised by the Theatrical Association, the forum was titled "The Role the Theatrical Association Should Play in the Local Theatre Scene." The forum included numerous proposals from attendees, which greatly enriched the discussion and addressed the most significant challenges facing the Theatre Association, as well as ways to overcome them, in order to enable the association to play a more prominent and significant role in the future.

At the outset, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association, Ismail Abdullah, presented a brief overview of the most significant achievements of the past two decades. He highlighted the esteemed blessing and direct support the Board of Directors has received since assuming leadership in 2007 from His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, which has provided the Board with invaluable moral support to carry out its duties effectively.

He also touched upon numerous accomplishments that have enabled the Theatrical Association to become an integral part of the development of the local theatre scene through organising theatrical events, active participation, and the provision of opinions and advice.

Strengthening the association work

During the audience's interventions, many suggestions were made to enhance the Association's work in the coming period. Among the most important was the need for the Association to play a more prominent role in the local theatre scene by granting it greater authority in managing local theatrical productions in collaboration with relevant institutions, departments, and organisations.

Another suggestion was the establishment of a repository of local theatrical scripts, to be overseen by the Theatrical Association. Several proposals were also made, including the need for the association to focus on university and school theatre, the importance of revitalising the Emirates Puppet Arts Centre, and the establishment of a media and advertising platform for the Theatrical Association in collaboration with other media institutions. Another proposal suggested holding the forum concurrently with the UAE Theatre Day celebrations. Other proposals included the necessity of documenting the theatrical movement and establishing a legal committee within the Theatrical Association to inform artists of their rights and support them.

Granting the association a greater role in developing the local theatre scene

Following this, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Theatrical Association responded to all the proposals presented during the forum. Some proposals were put forward with mechanisms for immediate implementation during the forum, while others were promised to be implemented where feasible during the upcoming term of the Board. Regarding the local theatre forum and the importance of holding it at this time, Ismail Abdullah, Chairman of the Board, stated: "Holding the forum at this time came in response to the Board's desire to understand the nature of the association's work and ways to develop it by listening to proposals. These proposals focused primarily on granting the association a greater role in developing the local theatre scene, as well as reviving university theatre through the association, and supporting young writers in publishing their plays and books. We will work in the coming period to achieve all of this with the resources available to us, and in partnership with relevant institutions, departments, and organisations, in order to preserve and enhance the achievements of Emirati theatre, in line with the vision and directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah."