It doesn't have the malls of Dubai or the mega-projects of Abu Dhabi, but the Gulf emirate of Sharjah has carved out a role for itself as a cultural capital.
Its cultural calendar has evolved to feature book fairs, exhibitions at more than a dozen museums and festivals that celebrate photography, theater, poetry and calligraphy.
"We are providing an artistic service for the Arab world," said Sultan Sooud al-Qassemi, a well-known Emirati academic with half a million followers on Twitter, strolling through the galleries.
The Barjeel Art Foundation which he founded in 2010 aims to preserve and exhibit more than 1,000 modern and contemporary pieces by Arab artists, AFP reported.
"Sharjah is not the richest emirate in the Gulf, but it is in terms of being the richest culturally," said the 42-year-old who has taught in universities in the United States and France.
Sharjah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.
In 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a branch of the iconic Paris museum, opened its doors -- attracting some two million visitors in its first two years of operation.
The financial and entertainment hub of Dubai hosts a number of contemporary art galleries, and is next year to host the multi-billion-dollar world exhibition -- Expo 2020 -- with major arts components.
UNESCO named Sharjah the cultural capital of the Arab world in 1998 and last year it was declared the World Book Capital.
And the emirate this week launched the Sharjah International Literary Agency, a first in the Gulf, with the goal of promoting Emirati and Arab writers.
"It's very easy to continue to support artists from Europe, but it's our artists here that need our support, resources and confidence, said Manal Ataya, director general of the Sharjah Museums Authority.
"There's been an under-representation of Arab artists globally," she told AFP.
Qassemi said the eureka moment that inspired his collection came when he saw crowds flocking to view a Van Gogh at Paris's renowned Musee d'Orsay.
"I told myself one day I will see such a queue of people wanting to view the works of the best Arab artists," he said.
"The Arab world is rich in art... Unfortunately many young Arabs are not aware of it.
Moza Almatrooshi, a young Emirati sculptor, has set up shop in Sharjah where her quaint studio overlooks the museum, flanked by bright low-rise buildings.
Originally from the nearby emirate of Ajman, she splits her time between London and Sharjah, which she describes as "human-size" and the UAE's most habitable city.
"I worked in Dubai for a little while and felt that the art there was more focused on being commercial, and my art practice is not very commercial," said Almatrooshi, whose creations focus on everyday life and culinary traditions.
With only a few skyscrapers in sight, Sharjah's alleyways and old buildings are an "inspiration", she said.
