The first three years were spent organising activities and classes in founding member’s garages until with generous help from people such as Businessman Khalaf Al Habtour and Oscar Mandody a Director at the Dewan the Society moved into a Villa on the Beach Road in Jumeirah 1 in 1979. It’s next milestone was to become self supporting by 1982 as the Villa rents had been underwritten by Mr Mandody for the first three years. During this period 20 local companies contributed to maintenance and improvements in cash or kind. Registration for art courses in 1981 (c) The Gulf Mirror In a permanent home the Society became the focal point of art in Dubai. During this period Dubai’s expatriate population grew steadily with investments in oil and other infrastructure projects and so did membership of the Society. A Gulf News archive photo taken in 1981 shows a very busy open day and a bookings desk working hard to keep up. Against the backdrop of the turbulent but eventful 80’s and 90’s in the Arabian Gulf region the Society, like Dubai itself, grew and flourished. So too did the range and quality of courses and artistic output. The Society’s regular Exhibitions of local and international art became major events in Dubai’s growing cultural calendar.