Baghdad: Sharjah Media City (Shams) has announced the opening of registration for the third edition of the 'Shams Award for Arabic Content' for creators, content makers, and media professionals in the Arab world. This initiative is part of Shams' ongoing efforts to support Arab talent and enhance the quality of Arabic content and media creativity across various platforms.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Shams Award is one of several initiatives launched by Shams to celebrate creative individuals and provide a competitive platform that keeps pace with the rapid developments in content creation and artistic production. It aims to support young Arab talent and empower them to reach regional and international professional levels. This year's award includes three new categories reflecting the diversity of media creativity fields.
Rashid Abdullah Al-Obaid, Director General of Sharjah Media City (Shams), affirmed that this step aligns with the award's vision of keeping pace with the rapid transformations in the digital media and content creation sector. It also reinforces the award's comprehensiveness, encompassing various forms of creativity. The Shams Award for Arabic Content continues to solidify its position as a platform supporting creators and content producers in the Arab world, stemming from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, to support culture and creativity and empower Arab talent.
The award introduced three new categories in its 2026 edition: Best Series Screenwriter, Best Original Score for a Series or Film, and Best Creative Advertisement. In addition, there are categories for Best Short Film, Best AI Video, Best Content Creator, and Best Podcast, alongside awards for Best Actor and Best Actress of 2026. This reflects the diversity of the target categories, which include drama production, content creation, digital creativity, artistic performance, and keeping abreast of the latest developments in the Arab media sector.
Participation is through the award's dedicated online platform at www.shamsaward.ae 2026, with the application deadline being October 1, 2026. The evaluation process is based on a set of precise criteria, including the quality of the idea, innovation, cultural and social impact, artistic and technical excellence, and adherence to the positive values of Arabic content. Specialized judging panels, comprised of leading experts and creative minds in the fields of media and artistic production, will review the submissions and select the winning entries according to the highest professional standards.
The Shams Award for Arabic Content affirms its continued support for the Arabic content industry and its commitment to enhancing the competitiveness of Arab media regionally and internationally by providing a professional platform that celebrates creativity and supports Arab talent across various fields of media, artistic production, and digital content creation.