Dubai World Trade Centre hosts first music tradeshow and festival in Middle East and North Africa

Combining DWTC's expertise in event services management with G3's mission to provide opportunities for western and Middle Eastern artists in MENA, the venture will result in the launch of Dubai Music Week (DMW), the region's first music industry tradeshow and festival, in addition to several music festivals throughout the year.

Contributing to Dubai's pioneering position as a regional media hub, DMW is the first music industry tradeshow in MENA which brings together all the major music labels, artists and merchants to exhibit their products and launch initiatives to key industry stakeholders and consumers.

DMW is set to launch in 2013 as a public event and will be an annual tradeshow including daily conferences, networking events and workshops as well as live performances.

The collaboration between DWTC and G3 will also result in the launch of Dubai Rocks and Dubai Classics, two large scale music festivals designed to attract the Gulf's residents and tourists.

Dubai Rocks and Dubai Classics will see highly sought international and regional artists perform over several nights in Dubai. All three events will make a significant contribution to Dubai's annual calendar of events.

The Global Gumbo Group (G3) is a first of its kind cross-cultural music and entertainment company based out of the UAE and Los Angeles, founded by legendary music producer, Quincy Jones, in partnership with Emirati social entrepreneur Badr Jafar.

The company is launching a series of initiatives and productions with the objective of shaping the future of the music industry and live entertainment in the MENA region. It aims to do so by developing multi-media opportunities across all entertainment platforms in the region with an added objective of nurturing new Arab talent, and acquiring content from the region to introduce to the rest of the world.

"Attracting businesses, investors and tourists from all over the world, Dubai is undoubtedly the region's business and cultural hub," said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre.

"We are proud to host G3's events as they further attract music makers, talent, and top brands in the music industry to Dubai. The emirate has a well-established network of radio, television and digital media outlets that serve the region, and this new venture with Quincy Jones' and Badr Jafar's G3 reflects Dubai's commitment to developing the media industry and boosting cultural tourism. With our world-class venue and top tier service offerings, Dubai will further establish itself on the world map for music and live events, and we aim to attract further events by 2015," he added.

Laila Suhail, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), said, "The entertainment sector is one of the most versatile industries in the world, affecting both consumers and corporations simultaneously. One of our main goals is to build a platform that brings together the best talent in entertainment to Dubai. DEPE, through the Dubai Calendar, is committed to supporting initiatives that keep the residents and tourists of Dubai entertained all year long with events and concerts. We look forward to welcoming international and regional artists in true Dubai spirit. Working with DWTC and G3 on these exciting initiatives will surely result in world class music festivals that cater to all tastes."

Badr Jafar, co-founder of G3 along with Quincy Jones, added, "I strongly believe in the social powers of arts and entertainment, and so am constantly looking to see how best to use these spheres to create positive social impact. We both believe this collaboration with DWTC will provide a cultural exchange between our region and the rest of the world, using music's amazing power to foster a better understanding and an appreciation for our common values."