Shams Extends Arabic Content Award Registration Deadline
Sharjah Media City expands opportunities for Arab creators with extended submission window and three innovative new categories for its prestigious annual competition.
Sharjah Media City (Shams) has extended the registration deadline for the third edition of the Shams Award for Arabic Content to 31st October 2026, responding to remarkable enthusiasm from creators and media professionals across the Arab world.
The extended timeline provides Arab talent with additional opportunity to submit work across the award’s comprehensive categories, reflecting Shams’ commitment to nurturing creative excellence and supporting the region’s vibrant content creation community.
Expanding Creative Horizons
This year’s competition introduces three new categories—Best Series Screenwriter, Best Original Score for a Series or Film, and Best Creative Advertisement—joining the established categories of Best Short Film, Best AI-Generated Video, Best Content Creator, Best Podcast, Best Actor and Best Actress.
The expanded framework demonstrates Shams’ dedication to recognising the full spectrum of Arab creativity whilst remaining responsive to evolving production technologies and digital platforms. The inclusion of artificial intelligence-focused categories particularly underscores the award’s progressive approach to contemporary content creation.
Supporting Innovation and Excellence
By consolidating diverse creative disciplines within a single platform, the award celebrates original ideas alongside artistic and technical mastery. This inclusive approach enables creators from varied backgrounds—whether established professionals or emerging talents—to compete and showcase their work on an international stage.
Shams emphasised that the extension aligns with its broader mission of elevating Arabic content standards, fostering innovation, and ensuring the award keeps pace with rapid transformations in media production. The initiative reflects the region’s commitment to positioning Arab creative industries competitively within global entertainment markets.
Creators, content makers and media professionals throughout the Arab world are encouraged to take advantage of the extended submission window. Detailed information regarding eligibility criteria, category specifications and submission procedures is available via the award’s official website, where applicants can register their work before the final deadline.
Source: WAM