Short+Sweet Theatre Dubai 2026

Short+Sweet Announces Major UAE Expansion Under Direct Management 

New initiatives include the S+S Arabia Short Film Festival and a national S+S Education program

DUBAI, UAE – 4 September 2025 – Short+Sweet, the world’s largest short-form creative platform, today announced a major expansion of its UAE operations, which will now be managed directly by the global organisation.

This move to a direct-management model follows the recent conclusion of the organisation’s third-party licence agreement in the UAE. It marks a renewed commitment to artist-first governance and paves the way for a suite of new initiatives designed to discover and elevate local talent.

Headlining the expansion is the new S+S Arabia Short Film Festival, a prestigious platform for emerging and established filmmakers. 

The festival will culminate in a grand final gala, with the winning filmmaker earning a career-defining “Road to Hollywood” prize package to attend the Short+Sweet International Gala Finals in Los Angeles and showcase their film to an industry audience.

Complementing this is the launch of S+S Education, a curriculum-aligned program designed to integrate creative skills into schools across the nation, with full Arabic-language integration to support local curricula and cultural heritage. The expansion also includes the S+S AI Sandbox, an initiative to develop multilingual creative tools and champion the protection of artists’ intellectual property.

“We’re incredibly excited to be deepening our investment in the UAE’s dynamic arts scene,” said Mark Cleary, Founder and Artistic Director of Short+Sweet International, who is currently in Dubai to oversee the expansion.

“By managing operations directly, we can ensure the highest standards of artist care and provide a bilingual platform where stories in English, Arabic, and other languages can be celebrated. These new initiatives will create a powerful, direct pathway for Emirati and local talent to connect with a global network and build sustainable creative careers.”

This new chapter for Short+Sweet, which has operated in the UAE since 2013, will be guided by transparent, artist-first principles to strengthen trust with the creative community. 

The organisation has confirmed that its flagship Short+Sweet Theatre festival will continue its regular annual cycle, ensuring a seamless transition for the hundreds of local artists who participate each year. 

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About Short+Sweet 
Founded in Sydney in 2002, Short+Sweet is the world’s largest short-form creative platform, operating in over a dozen countries. Having staged 15,000 original short works featuring over 100,000 artists, its 10-minute format is a proven “on-ramp” to the creative industries for thousands of successful creators worldwide.

Media Contact: Mark Cleary Founder & Artistic Director, Short+Sweet International Email: [ArtisticDirector@shortandsweet.org] WhatsApp: +61414508182