For too long, the cultural fabric of the GCC has been viewed through a narrow lens, often dismissed as nascent and lacking substance. Yet, those of us working within the creative and cultural industries have long seen a different picture: one of steady, intentional growth.
From the announcement of Frieze Abu Dhabi to the Sotheby’s Masterpiece event, and with ever-growing anticipation surrounding Dubai Design Week, the UAE is gaining cultural attention. Add in Saudi Arabia’s steady stream of cultural announcements, and it becomes clear what many of us have long believed: the region is not a participant in the global cultural dialogue - it’s becoming one of its defining centres.
Culture has always been our compass at STORY. We’ve seen firsthand how art, design, and heritage have evolved from being niche interests to strategic pillars of brand identities. The GCC is no longer hosting nomadic exhibitions or borrowing trends, it is building a cultural ecosystem that is deeply rooted both regionally and internationally.
The GCC’s economic diversification strategies, from Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia to the UAE’s Year of Sustainability and Year of Community, are increasingly anchored in cultural investment. Culture shapes perception, perception drives reputation, and reputation fuels investment.
When the world’s most established institutions, such as L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, invest here, they are acknowledging a narrative of longevity. For communicators, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: to ensure that the story of the region’s cultural rise is told authentically, not just impressively.
"Bought" culture and the role of strategic communications
There’s a persistent critique that culture in the GCC is “bought” rather than earned and that museums, art fairs, and biennales arrive fully formed, bypassing the organic evolution that defines older cultural capitals. There’s some truth to the observation that growth here has been accelerated, but it is also deeply unfair to overlook the years of local groundwork, education, and community engagement that have underpinned this acceleration.
Strategic communications have a vital role to play in reframing this narrative. It’s not about rejecting the perception of rapid development; it’s about contextualising it. Communicators must highlight the long-term commitment, the visionaries, and the homegrown talent behind every major initiative.
Across the GCC, a new generation of artists, designers, and creative entrepreneurs are defining what “local culture” means today, often drawing from heritage while speaking the language of contemporary art and design. PR and communications can bridge these worlds, by providing platforms for emerging voices, curating culturally sensitive storytelling, and fostering collaboration between global institutions and local talent.
For those of us in communications, the task is to ensure that this momentum is matched by meaning. The GCC’s cultural narrative deserves to be told through stories of substance, sincerity, and shared growth.
We’ve always believed this region meant business when it came to culture, and now the rest of the world is finally beginning to see it too.
STORY's Founder and Director, Laetitia Tregoning, possesses close to two decades of PR and marketing experience, including more than 13 years working in the GCC region. She has elevated the profiles of business owners and companies, including work with clients such as Hong Kong Tourism Board, Van Cleef & Arpels L’ÉCOLE Middle East, Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) as well as industry leaders Abdulla Alserkal and Dr Reem El Mutwalli. Prior to moving to the UAE, Laetitia shaped her expertise in London working with luxury travel agency, Mason Rose.
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