Salik, the exclusive operator of toll gates in Dubai, and Dubai Culture, the emirate's culture and arts authority, have announced the launch of the "Dubai Heritage Through Your Vision" competition. This initiative aims to provide artists, creators, and youth with the opportunity to contribute to the design of new Salik cards, allowing them to express their vision, reflect Dubai's creative spirit, and highlight the emirate's cultural diversity and unique artistic landscape. The competition aligns with the "Dubai Heritage" initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council. The initiative aims to preserve Dubai's historical memory by documenting and collecting the stories and life experiences that embody the emirate's development and the lives of its people across generations. Salik will begin accepting competition entries, which feature a total prize pool of 100,000 dirhams (27,000 USD), starting today and continuing until January 19. The winners will be announced during the 14th edition of the Salik Arts & Design Festival, organized by Dubai Culture from January 23 to February 1, 2026, in the historic Al Shindagha district. The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of 15,000 USD, the second-place winner will be awarded 7,000 USD, and the third-place winner will receive 5,000 USD. A committee comprising representatives from the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Culture, and Salik will evaluate the entries and select the winners. The competition aims to discover artists, designers, and creators from various disciplines, support and encourage them to pursue their passion, and present unique artistic experiences that help stimulate a culture of innovation within the creative community and support Dubai's cultural and creative talents. This aligns with Dubai Culture's mandate to realize Dubai's vision of establishing itself as a global hub for culture, a cradle of creativity, and a meeting point for talents. Ibrahim Sultan Al-Haddad, CEO of Salik, said: "Our collaboration with Dubai Culture on the 'Dubai Heritage Through Your Vision' competition is an extension of Salik's commitment to empowering talents and fostering youth creativity, and cementing art as a central element in shaping Dubai's future. This competition is a response to the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktum, and it contributes to strengthening the 'Dubai Heritage' legacy by providing an innovative platform that enhances the value of our digital solutions and services and contributes to developing a smart and sustainable transport system. Furthermore, it opens the door for the new generation to contribute to the design of the cards that accompany commuters on their daily journeys across the city. Through this partnership, we look forward to inspiring promising talents in schools, universities, and the creative community to present works that reflect Dubai's renewed spirit and translate its ambitions to solidify its leading global position in innovation and quality of life." In turn, Shamma Rashid Al-Suwaidi, Executive Director of Arts, Design, and Literature at Dubai Culture, noted the authority's commitment to developing the local cultural sector, enhancing the skills of community members, and making art accessible to all. She highlighted that the collaboration between Dubai Culture and Salik represents an inspiring milestone for enriching artists' experiences and motivating them to unleash their imagination and develop their products. She stated: "The 'Dubai Heritage Through Your Vision' competition is a new initiative aimed at showcasing the uniqueness of Dubai's essence, history, and landmarks, as well as spreading a culture of creativity and inspiring an innovative spirit among talented individuals. We encourage them to leverage the emirate's cultural and heritage wealth to express their vision and diverse experiences, transforming them into distinguished works of art that contribute to enhancing the cultural and creative industries and elevating the artistic and aesthetic standards in the emirate." Salik and Dubai Culture have called upon all artists, practitioners, designers, calligraphers, and graffiti professionals to participate in the competition, submit their innovative ideas and proposals to create custom cards, and contribute to enriching Salik's design library and increasing public engagement with the brand by exploring and acquiring new designs. Participants are required to submit distinctive ideas that reflect their commitment to innovation, and the designs must be original, modern, and have not been previously displayed or produced, and must not conflict with the values and traditions of the local community.
