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UAE freezones for Art and Media professionals

List of UAE Free Zones Dedicated to Media and Art Professionals

by Zaara 23, Oct 2020

With the world moving to the digital front and content format is evolving, there is a huge demand for media and entertainment companies to meet the growing needs of the viewers. Currently, media, art, entertainment, and creativity industry is booming in the United Arab Emirates. To promote this field and offer business license and support solutions to entrepreneurs and freelancers in the media field, Free Zones have been established.

There are several free zones in the Emirates that offer profitable business setup offerings for the media industry. They provide a media-specific space for businesses in advertising, communication, media, and marketing. These Freezones houses companies ranging from the world’s biggest media brands to potential start-ups.

Here is the list of free zones offering business setup services to individuals interested in the field of media, art, and creativity.

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1.Dubai Media City

The Dubai Media City Free Zone (DMC) has grown itself from just a media-free zone to a hub of creativity. The DMC free zone, along with Dubai Studio City, and Dubai Production City is a booming community for media entrepreneurs. The free zone offers a considerable benefit to the media and advertising companies in Dubai by providing them with an ecosystem, where they can display their talent along with the product and services and work together with some of the leading marketing companies in the UAE.

The different business activities allowed in DMC free zone are –

  • Advertising and Communication
  • Media, New Media, and Marketing Services
  • Event Management and Support Services
  • Business Information
  • Freelancing
  • Media Associations
  • Media and Marketing Consultancy
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2.Sharjah Media City

Sharjah Media City Free Zone (SHAMS) is a world-class free zone and innovation hub for the creative and media people. The business licenses issued in SHAMS free zone include media companies, freelancers and entrepreneurs. SHAMS offers a huge range of business activities apart from the media related works to the investors. The popular business activities in SHAMS are –

  • Event Management
  • Trading (Garment and Automobile Trading)
  • E-Commerce
  • Film Production/Post Production
  • Graphic Design
  • Investment Consultancy
  • Business/Project Management Consultant
  • Media Companies
  • Marketing Companies
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3.Fujairah Creative City

Creative City Fujairah is specially formed for providing the needed support infrastructure to the media businesspersons seeking a cost-effective solution. Investors in the media, consulting, events, education, communication, music, marketing, and entertainment can highly benefit out to this Freezone. It also offers Flexi desk or virtual office facilities for the investors to start.

Different types of Business License available in Fujairah Creative City

  • Publishing
  • Management of Broadcasting
  • Marketing and Media Services
  • Music and Entertainment
  • Consultancy
  • Broadcasting
  • Production/Post-production/Filming
  • Information Technology Services
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4.Ajman Media City

Ajman Media City Free Zone aims to create a world-class business environment for media businesspersons. With the pioneering and flexible processes of business incorporation, Ajman Media City is an investor-friendly location. Ajman Media City offers one of the most economical business license packages in the UAE. Different benefits provided by Ajman Media City Free Zone is as under –

  • Wide choice of business packages with a shared office
  • No need for a physical presence in the UAE
  • The simple and smooth registration process
  • No NOC required
  • A license will be issued within a day
  • 100% foreign ownership
  • 100% repatriation of capital and profits
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5.RAKEZ Media Zone

The Ras Al Khaimah Media Zone (RAKEZ) provides the media business owners and professionals in the field a platform to set up their media and creative initiatives. The RAKEZ Media Zone offers the required ground support for the media entrepreneurs to kick-off their ventures. The advantages provided by RAK Media Zone is as follows-

  • A global media hub with world-class infrastructure
  • Business-friendly registration process
  • Low operational costs
  • Access to global talents and networking opportunities
  • State-of-the-art media centres
  • High tech communication facilities
  • Flexible office spaces and shared working units
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6.TwoFour54

TwoFour54 offers more than just an office space for your media business. The support varies from specialist workspaces to unique tools and assurance to help businesses succeed in the media-related ventures. Similar to every Freezones, the obvious advantage from the twofour54 is the easy licensing & streamlined business setup services.

As you can see, an entrepreneur has many options to set up their media venture in the UAE free zones. One only thing is to decide on the location where you want to start your venture. If you are still sceptical, then we can help you with it. Contact us today to know more.

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FAQs

What is the future scope for businesses in Media Industry in UAE?

The Media & Entertainment industry had a valuation of USD 30,349.4 Million in the year 2020. And now it’s estimated to reach a whopping USD 47,029.84 Million by 2025-26. The UAE media industry is estimated to grow at a 9% CAGR from 2022 to 28.

  • The Video Games market in UAE is expected to touch USD 3.14 Billion by 2025 and a CAGR of 13.8%
  • The UAE Publishing sector is expected to touch USD 650 Million by 2030
  • Arab markets are now watching content with English subtitles
  • Digital Music is estimated to generate a revenue of USD 86 Million & a CAGR of 9.14% by 2026
  • As far as OTT subscriptions are concerned, UAE is at rank 2 out of all the MENA regions

Which are the Top 4 Media Production companies in UAE?

  • Abu Dhabi Media - Multiplatform media company
  • StazPlay - Premium content distributor. It provides - kid's shows, Arabic series, Blockbuster movies, etc
  • Shahid - Leading Video-On-Demand & Subscription VIDEO-On-Demand platform streaming content spreading across movies, web series, and TV Shows in multiple languages
  • Dubai Media Inc - Multimedia channel (radio, press & TV)

What are the documents required for getting a Dubai Media City License?

  • Applicant’s passport
  • Manager’s passport
  • Director’s passport
  • Business Plan
  • Application form for your business license
  • Information about the legal representative

What are the documents required for getting a Sharjah Media City License?

  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • Memorandum Of Association (MOA)
  • Articles Of Association (AOA)
  • Board Resolution for establishing a new company/ branch
  • Valid Trade License
  • Passport copies of Director, Individual shareholder, Company Secretary, General Manager
  • Certificate of good standing
  • Board resolution giving Approval for Power Of Attorney

What are the documents required for getting a Fujairah Creative City License?

  • Memorandum Of Association (MOA)
  • Copy of Manager’s passport
  • Copy of Director’s passport
  • Business Plan
  • Application form for your business license

What are the documents required for getting an Ajman Media City License?

  • Copy of Trade license 
  • Copy of Establishment card
  • Online printed application with a reference number.
  • Immigration Form
  • Passport copies (6 months validity)
  • 3 passport-sized photographs with white backgrounds
  • Educational certificate (if needed)

How much time is needed for completing the license work in Dubai Media City, Sharjah Media City, Ajman Media City, etc.?

Approximately 3-7 working days.