Abu Dhabi and Paris Join Forces in a Pact of Art, Heritage, and Innovation
In an increasingly fragmented world, a bold new partnership is using art to build bridges. On July 21, 2025, the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and France’s Manufactures nationales Sèvres & Mobilier national signed a Memorandum of Understanding that sets the stage for a long-term cultural exchange. The goal: preserve heritage crafts, support emerging talent, and explore how tradition and innovation can co-exist.
What might sound like a ceremonial alliance is, in reality, a highly strategic move with deep cultural and educational implications.
A New Chapter in UAE-France Cultural Ties
Signed at the Ministry of Culture in Paris and witnessed by France’s Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, the agreement marks a significant deepening of France-UAE relations.
“This agreement marks a new stage in the relationship between France and the United Arab Emirates, where culture plays a key role,” said Dati. “It fits perfectly with the international outreach objective of the Manufactures nationales, a public center of expertise that is absolutely unique in the world.”
The French side brings centuries-old mastery in decorative arts from ceramics and tapestries to woodwork and upholstery. The UAE, through ADMAF, contributes its forward-looking approach to cultural development and arts education. The result? A blend of legacy and modernity that both countries see as vital to shaping a sustainable creative future.
From Ceramics to Sustainability: What the MoU Covers
At the heart of the agreement are three pillars: creation, innovation, and transmission. It’s not just about exchanging artworks or holding exhibitions. It’s about building a working ecosystem that allows young designers, master artisans, and cultural institutions to learn from each other, co-create, and innovate.
The partnership’s first initiative, the Inspiration Residency, is already underway. UAE-based designers are invited to apply for a residency in Paris, where they’ll get access to historic workshops, design archives, and mentorship from leading French artisans. The winner will be announced in August, with the residency kicking off during Paris Design Week in September.
“Through this partnership, we are establishing the foundations of a long-term collaboration,” said Huda Al Khamis-Kanoo, ADMAF’s founder. “This commitment to upholding our roots while embracing modernity is shared by both the UAE and France.”
Diplomacy Through Design
This isn’t just a cultural pact it’s diplomacy through design. France’s Ambassador to the UAE, Nicolas Niemtchinow, emphasized the partnership’s role in deepening shared values between the two nations.
“This agreement marks a meaningful new chapter in the vibrant relationship between the UAE and France, where culture and education play a vital role,” said Niemtchinow. “Together, we are planting the seeds that will inspire a new generation of artists, makers, and cultural leaders.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Hervé Lemoine, President of the Manufactures nationales, who sees the collaboration as a fertile ground for experimentation.
“We affirm that the future of decorative arts lies at the intersection of tradition and bold innovation,” Lemoine said. “Together, we seek to invent new narratives woven through shared creation.”
Why This Partnership Matters Now
The partnership arrives at a time when cultural industries globally are grappling with digitization, sustainability, and generational change. By combining the UAE’s investment in education and talent development with France’s artisanal heritage and global networks, the initiative offers a model for how nations can collaborate meaningfully in the cultural sector.
For ADMAF, it strengthens its role not just as a patron of the arts but as a regional leader in cross-cultural collaboration. For France, it reinforces the global visibility of its decorative arts and craftsmanship.
The collaboration will also explore the integration of technology into traditional craft practices, development of educational materials for youth, and a shared commitment to environmental sustainability.
Looking Forward
More than a symbolic gesture, this MoU lays the groundwork for an enduring relationship built on mutual respect and creative ambition. It underscores how partnerships in the arts can catalyze change far beyond gallery walls strengthening diplomacy, education, and cultural preservation all at once.
As the first young UAE designer prepares to take up residency in Paris this fall, the real impact of this partnership will begin to unfold not just in objects created, but in the relationships built, skills exchanged, and ideas sparked.
Because what’s at stake here isn’t just craft it’s culture as a living, evolving force that can still connect, teach, and inspire across borders.
