200+ applicants for the 2018 SIKKA Art Fair, says Dubai Culture

Dubai Culture says it received a record number of applications for the eight SIKKA Art Fair 2018, to be held in Al Fahidi during Art Week (17-26 March). It’s in the process of assessing more than 200 submissions.

SIKKA has become an important feature of Art Week, not least because it’s artist-led. Or rather, it’s a Dubai Culture initiative and is funded by the government, with Dubai Culture deciding who actually gets to show or perform; but it does provide a genuine platform for regional and (especially) local talent, usually at a pre- or non-commercial stage of their development, to showcase themselves through exhibits, installations, workshops, film, and performances.

Latifa bin Demaithan, happy at the record number of SIKKA submissions

Latifa bin Demaithan, who counts Acting Director of Projects and Events at Dubai Culture among her many jobs (she’s also Dubai Culture’s Executive Office Manager, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, and – since January 2017 – Chief of Happiness & Positivity), commented that SIKKA Art Fair goes from strength to strength each year: “we received more entries than ever before and during the ongoing judging process we are discovering the wealth of exciting talent that is thriving in the UAE and across the GCC.

“SIKKA is a key event of Art Week, which offers exposure for young talent in the arts scene. This is an important fulfilment of our mandate to nurture and celebrate local talent while also positioning Dubai as a city of happy, creative and empowered people who are proud of their cultural identities.”

The final selected artists will be notified by the end of January and the programme for SIKKA 2018 edition will be published next month.

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