Abu Dhabi, April 22, 2026: The Creative Media Authority (CMA) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Animotion MENA, international animation power house, to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a hub for next-generation storytelling and AI-driven content.

The MoU establishes a framework for collaboration across family, kids and teens content drawing on Animotion’s multi year expertise in animation creation. This includes the integration of new AI-powered short-form content, talent development, and industry enablement. The collaboration supports CMA’s mandate to attract innovative creative companies, nurture Emirati and UAE-based talent, and enable future-facing storytelling aligned with Abu Dhabi’s cultural, social, and economic objectives.

Through the collaboration, CMA and Animotion MENA will explore initiatives spanning AI-powered animation production, the potential development of an animation academy, and youth-focused content formats. These efforts are designed to strengthen local production capabilities, build sustainable talent pipelines, and support emerging creators through real-world industry exposure.

Responding to global shifts in content consumption, the partnership will also explore the development of vertical formats for teen audiences, a segment that remains underserved internationally. As part of this approach, the collaboration will create opportunities for on-screen talent casting and participation through existing CMA programmes, including youth camps and talent development initiatives.

This collaboration builds on CMA’s ongoing efforts to nurture young talent through hands-on learning experiences, including both its Winter Camp programme and the online creative media workshops held during the spring break. In partnership with Animotion MENA, dedicated sessions introduced students to storytelling for digital platforms, with a focus on visual creativity, character development, and responsible content creation. These initiatives reflect a shared commitment to equipping the next generation with the skills to navigate and contribute to the evolving digital media landscape safely and creatively.

This will enable young participants to progress from skills-building environments into live-action and animation productions, supporting early career exposure and practical industry experience. These concepts are expected to combine entertainment with themes centred on creativity, ambition, teamwork, and personal development, while enabling industry partnerships and brand integrations through CMA’s wider ecosystem.

Through CMA’s industry drivers, including the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, the collaboration positions Animotion as a strategic partner within Abu Dhabi’s creative media landscape. This includes access to industry introductions and production-enabling mechanisms, as well as eligibility for applicable incentive programmes, including the Film Commission’s rebate scheme, which has recently been expanded to include animation content.

Khalid Khoury, Director for Industry Development at the Creative Media Authority, said: “This collaboration reflects Abu Dhabi’s long-term commitment to building a globally competitive creative media ecosystem anchored in talent, innovation, and future media. By supporting AI-powered animation and next-generation storytelling, and by creating clear pathways for youth and emerging talent to move from camps and development programmes into on-screen roles and real-world productions, we are establishing Abu Dhabi as a platform where creators and studios can develop, produce, and scale content for global audiences.”

Julia Nikolaeva, General Manager at Animotion MENA, said: “Abu Dhabi offers a unique environment where creative ambition, technological innovation, and strategic vision intersect. Through this collaboration with the Creative Media Authority, we look forward to exploring how to integrate AI-powered technologies into traditional animation, youth-focused programming, and education-led initiatives can be developed from the UAE capital and scaled regionally and internationally.”

The MoU aligns with CMA’s broader strategy to enable ecosystem collaboration across government, education, and the private sector, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s sustained focus on animation, artificial intelligence, and youth-driven content as key pillars of its creative media economy. This approach is further supported by recent enhancements to the Abu Dhabi Film Commission’s rebate programme, which now extends eligibility to animation productions.