After the establishment of the union, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and ruler of Sharjah, sought to connect the present and future of Sharjah with its rich cultural and scientific past. He effectively transformed it into a cultural capital, fostering cultural and intellectual traditions that attract minds both near and far. Over four decades, the emirate, especially its capital, has developed essential infrastructure for cultural development, including universities, museums, exhibition halls, cultural and artistic training centers for children, youth clubs, women's clubs, and service institutions, alongside local and Arab cultural and artistic events throughout the year.

To maintain this leading role and uphold its noble mission, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi issued Amiri Decree No. 20 on April 30, 1981, establishing the "Cultural Department," later known as the Department of Culture and Media, and subsequently renamed the Department of Culture by Amiri Decree No. 13/2017. This was aimed at enhancing cultural efforts and ensuring the development and expansion of a creative cultural work base reaching citizens and residents everywhere. The department has focused since its establishment to achieve this through Arab and Islamic cultural activities that influence and are influenced by human culture in its comprehensive and board concept. This stems from the slogan of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah: “Enough of the Concrete Revolution, Let’s Move to Human Building.”