The 5 Best Art Schools in Dubai
Interested in picking up an artistic pursuit either for professional means or as a hobby? You might want to brush up on the fundamentals with the best art schools in Dubai.
Whether you want to learn fine art like painting and sculpture, or applied arts like fashion design, sketching, and even photography, Dubai has a lot of places for you. Here are five of the best art schools in Dubai to check out for your needs.
How Much Does an Art Course Cost in Dubai
The cost of art courses vary based on the hours, expertise of the instructor, and the activity. On average, you can expect to spend somewhere close to the prices below.
Choosing the Best Art School in Dubai
When it comes to choosing the best art schools in Dubai, we’ve taken a look at the following factors:
1. Dubai International Art Centre

RATING | |
FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
COURSES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
⮕ MAIN COURSE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
⮕ MATERIAL | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
⮕ PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
⮕ COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
The Dubai International Art Centre (DIAS) is one of the most popular art schools in Dubai. Started back in 1976, they have offered courses in fields like painting, photography, sculpture, and even graphic design.
Located into a villa that was turned into a workshop for artists, the Centre has a very pleasant and friendly atmosphere. We think the way they structured the courses into their own rooms is quite convenient when it comes to hosting the classes.
Of course, we did think some of the rooms could be quite small for the course offered. Painting courses for one, hovers around 8-10 people per class so we think prospective students may want to get in early.
They offer a good number of courses and in our opinion, their teachers are able to handle them well. Staff was very friendly and professional, and we were able to schedule our courses well.
The Centre also works with Gallery 76, the oldest public art gallery in the UAE. They help put up the work created by their own students in the exhibit, which in our opinion, is helpful in drawing attention to the artist and their work.
The Art Centre is located just near the Beach Road, within walking distance from the Mercato Mall. It has off-road parking near the building though we did find the space to be quite limited.
Still, the array of courses and the galleries and tours they work with certainly makes the DIAS one of the best places to learn about art in Dubai.
Pros
- Well-structured workshops for different courses
- Gallery is helpful for drawing attraction to the work
Cons
- Painting workshop is a little small
- Parking is a little limited
Customer Reviews
“A variety of classes to suit all ages and has truly been a community center for us artists and art lovers”
“The Dubai International Art Centre has been a second home for me. For many years the art centre has been offering a variety of classes to suit all ages and has truly been a community center for us artists and art lovers.” – Rohit Bhalla
“It was interesting and I had a fun time”
“Since I heard about the class from a friend of mine, I attended the class. In first 4 sessions I learned how to write Arabic letters and in last 4 sessions I worked on calligraphy painting. She taught each person step by step, so I could enjoy learning Arabic calligraphy and could made nice work. It was interesting and I had a fun time. Thank you so much Ms. Tauseef.” – Norie Iwaoka
2. We Love Art

RATING | |
FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
COURSES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ MAIN COURSE | ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5) |
⮕ MATERIAL | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
⮕ PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
⮕ COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5) |
We Love Art is another accredited art institute in Dubai, born from the passion of wanting to teach painting to friends. Their 8-week painting course is well-known and comprehensive, offering a very detailed instruction on its fundamentals.
We think the course is well-structured, starting with the fundamentals down to the more advanced techniques. The way they divide classes into levels makes it easy to work at your own pace in our opinion.
The course offers a completion certificate when you finish as well as the chance to enter an exhibit. Food and beverage is also offered during the course, making it a rather nice class to attend in.
Of course, the school itself is specialised in painting courses so people looking to learn other disciplines will not find it here. In our opinion, this does narrow down their target audience and thus, classes are kept quite small and manageable.
This means you need to move fast in order to secure a spot. Limited seating might mean you end up on a waiting list if you’re not able to secure the spot in advance.
The school is obviously not going to be for everyone, given its limited courses. However, we think prospective students interested in painting can really get their money’s worth with the school’s program.
We Love Art is definitely a course to check out if you wish to pick up a brush and start learning how to paint.
Pros
- One of the most comprehensive painting courses
- Good bonuses for attending class
Cons
- Focused exclusively on painting
- Limited seating makes it difficult to access
Customer Reviews
“Their art box concept was fantastic”
“Their art box concept was fantastic; I adored it; they are inexpensive, and this box is quite useful for accomplishing small tasks quickly.” – Daisy
“I was amazed by their amazing designs and their professionalism”
“The services provided by this company are really unique and perfect ones. I was amazed by their amazing designs and their professionalism when I purchased their art box. So satisfied.” – Wells
3. The Palette Art

RATING | |
FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
COURSES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
⮕ MAIN COURSE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ MATERIAL | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
The Palette Art is also another top school for beginners to learn about art. Started by art enthusiast Ritwika Chaudhuri, the school offers courses on different skills and mediums like drawing, painting, sculpture, and even applied arts.
The courses in the school are taught quite well and the teachers are very professional. In our opinion, their classes are well-suited to teaching the fundamentals of the subject in a bite-sized manner, making the most of the limited time per day.
Facilities are clean and well-organised but we think some of the rooms can come across as a bit clinical with its white walls and high windows. We also think some of the lighting can be improved for better clarity during class.
They offer multiple courses ranging from basic drawing courses to more specialised ones like fashion design. Each of these courses have their designated times and days which we think makes it a little hard to balance when taking two at the same time.
Materials are provided for each course at the school. In our opinion, this is convenient for people who don’t want to carry around some of the tools they need when going to the course.
However, Palette does not provide any certificates for completing their courses yet. We think prospective clients who need the certificate may want to try elsewhere for now.
Pros
- Courses are reasonably priced
- Good number of different courses
Cons
- Fixed schedules for some courses
- No certificates for completing courses
Customer Reviews
“Passionate about its services and teaching people”
“An incredible place that is really passionate about its services and teaching people!” – Srishti
“Really good art training place”
“Really good art training place. Would highly recommend to anyone and staff is really kind.” – Jonathan
4. Lotus Art School

RATING | |
FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
COURSES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ MAIN COURSE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ MATERIAL | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
⮕ COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
The Lotus Educational Institute teaches art as a means for therapeutic purposes, giving their students a chance to relax.
In our opinion, these lessons can be quite useful for budding artists. Their focus on things like anatomy, art history, colour theory, the use of light and shadows can be vital for producing engaging artwork in the future.
In the school, students are taught to use different painting mediums like watercolours or oil pastels. We think the duration of the course is quite reasonable too, lasting around 30 hours.
We think people looking to pursue applied arts like photography and interior design will appreciate the lessons at Lotus as well. Just be prepared to have a bit more lectures and conferences prior to the actual practice first.
We think the talks and lessons are quite useful in terms of understanding gear and composition. However, some customers who want to start applying their skills in practice may find the lessons to be quite long.
In terms of facilities, we found the space to be quite adequate for painting with oil-based paints. However, some of the rooms did feel cramped once bigger equipment like easels were brought in.
Still, we did find their kids’ courses to be a fun time for kids to learn. Their courses on drawing and sculpting are quite entertaining, giving kids the chance to get their artworks seen and acknowledged.
Pros
- Comprehensive drawing course
- Programs are quite kid-friendly
Cons
- Rooms are a little cramped
- Lectures can be quite long for some courses
Customer Reviews
“Run by professional team. I am super happy and love my classes”
“Best art and painting class in Dubai. I strongly recommend Lotus if you are interested to learn art and improve from basic to professional. Sky is the limit to your learning at Lotus. Run by professional team. I am super happy and love my classes. Thank you Mrs Neda and Ms Nazanin. Soon it will be my one year since joining your classes and I have learned and progressed so much. And I am planning to continue further with them.” – Liliblue
“She was professional to teach you how to love colors and feeling ready to use them properly”
“It was my pleasure to join a such professional art centre. Great communication was there. Big thank you Ms. Nedaa. She was professional to teach you how to love colors and feeling ready to use them properly. Waiting to join more classes.” – Fahed D.
5. The Jamjar Community Arts Space

RATING | |
FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
COURSES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
⮕ MAIN COURSE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
⮕ MATERIAL | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
⮕ PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
⮕ COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
The Jam Jar is a community art space offering courses and workshops meant to teach and promote art across the UAE. They partner with organisations like schools in order to host year-long talks, workshops, events, and other opportunities to promote artistic pursuits.
Their studios are quite clean and easily accessible, making it a good program for kids looking to get into art. In our opinion though, some of the kids’ spaces can feel cramped and it might help to space the kids out a bit.
Still, their instructors are very polite and professional. We had no problems getting our questions answered as well as following the instructions given.
Aside from kids, The Jam Jar also hosts workshops for teenagers and adults, and the artworks created here can be used to build up their own art portfolio. We think this is really helpful, especially for those looking to pursue a career in courses like graphic design.
For the most part, class size is quite manageable and we didn’t see it as an obstacle to learning art. However, some of the painting courses and workshops lean on the pricier side compared to other places.
Corporate clients may also host their event in the Jam Jar’s studios. In our opinion, the space is best suited for events like team-building and educational projects, given its art-oriented venue.
Pros
- Great painting program for kids and teens
- Materials are provided for visitors
Cons
- Kids’ spaces feel a little cramped
- Some courses are a little expensive
Customer Reviews
“Not an artist but I enjoy the vibes of this place, makes me wants to paint and embrace the moment”
“My fav place to unleash my inner Picasso, lol. Not an artist but I enjoy the vibes of this place, makes me wants to paint and embrace the moment. We have attended one of the painting sessions they had on Saturdays, ended up with a beautiful painting “anyone can actually paint”! – Shelat S.
“As part of the classes you get the canvas and a free flow supply of paint”
“They offer classes, events, birthday parties, pet adoption days..etc. As part of the classes you get the canvas and a free flow supply of paint. One of the amazing things about them is they recycle the colors that are left from classes so sometimes the color you are straining to achieve is already mixed in a small container waiting for you to pick it up!” – Naeema N.
FAQs about Art Schools in Dubai
We hope you enjoy learning all about different art disciplines and techniques. In case you wish to get more materials to start practising at home, you can check out our list of the best places to buy art supplies in Dubai.