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Art blossoms in small Gulf emirateBy Sylvia Smith for CNN  An exterior view of Sharjah arts center. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSSHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- The third largest member of the United Arab Emirates is in the process of carving out a distinctly different future than its neighbors by shifting its focus away from commerce and tourism and instead promoting culture and art. Over the last decade more than 25 museums and galleries have opened in Sharjah, even though the population is a mere 600,000. The emphasis on art, and contemporary art in particular, was brought into sharp relief last week as the country's ruler announced that yet another museum is to be built, and respected Russian conceptual artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov paid Sharjah a visit to oversee one of their works being installed in the main art museum. Although the country has restored groups of traditional medina dwellings along the seafront to house some of its treasures, investment in the fabric of museums and galleries is only part of the picture with the real emphasis being on the collections themselves and enticing the local population to share Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi's enthusiasm for culture in all its manifestations. In order to involve the indigenous population in this art boom Sharjah's recently appointed head of museums and galleries, Sue Underwood from England, has the remit of making the galleries relevant to the local community." Sharjah is at a pivotal point in the development of its museums and galleries," she says. "A budget has been agreed and I'm looking forward to being a part of Sharjah's longterm cultural strategy." Sharjah has just hosted a British Council-sponsored exhibition, Common Ground, depicting the lives of Muslims in Britain and Sue Underwood believes there will be further collaborations of this kind. Hisham Al Madhloum, of the Directorate of Art, was at the opening where visitors to the exhibition included students from the University of Sharjah, which offers the only degree course in Fine Arts in the Gulf. The first batch of students from the four-year course will be graduating later this year. "We believe that collaboration with Europe will help us bring the very best international art here," he said. "We are in the process of creating our own home-grown talent and they need to be stimulated by traveling exhibitions that bring in fresh ideas." Ebtisam Abdul Azziz, a female artist from Sharjah who has exhibited in Europe, anticipates the introduction of a Masters Degree in Fine Arts. "This will be a further boost to my country's standing as a beacon of culture in the region," she explained. The continued support for the arts shown by the ruler is balanced by his concern for preserving the heritage and customs of this Gulf country. Young students are encouraged to take part in three-day residential courses that take them back to the practicalities of daily life as lived by their grandparents. While the young Emirati on the course were unanimous that learning desert songs and cooking traditional food was fun and brought them back to their roots, they were equally as keen on defining themselves as citizens of the modern world. The country's arts and policy is a reflection of the ruler's belief in exactly that. 
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